The Government has given the green light to extend the provision of proximity railway services, following three years of pilot experience and within the framework of Public Service Obligations (OSP). The line connecting Palma del Río and Villa del Río, operational since 2023, has received approval to continue its service.
This decision responds to demands from residents and public institutions, such as the Provincial Council of Córdoba. The line, which structures the Guadalquivir Valley region, has passed the evaluation by the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, ensuring its continuity for another four years, at which point it will be reviewed again.
These services, provided uninterruptedly for three years as a pilot experience, are now extended until the end of the State General Administration (AGE)-Renfe contract, including its possible extension. Proximity railway services are defined by intermediate frequencies between commuter and medium-distance services, designed to meet daily mobility needs, according to Law 31/2022.
Following the evaluation, the Palma del Río-Villa del Río line has been deemed efficient, along with others such as Madrid-Fuenlabrada-Illescas, Murcia-Cartagena, and Medina del Campo-Valladolid-Palencia. In contrast, the Málaga-El Chorro-Caminito del Rey service has been classified as very low efficiency.
The proximity line was launched on March 20, 2023, structuring the province of Córdoba. In its first year of operation, it served nearly 200,000 passengers, with stops in Palma del Río, Posadas, Villa del Río, Villarrubia, El Higuerón, the capital, Alcolea, and the Rabanales campus. Efforts are being made to reinstate the stations of Almodóvar del Río and Montoro.
