21 February 2008
The plan for a coastal railway in southern Spain has moved on this week with bids for construction of the first section now being accepted.
Overseen by the Junta de Andalucia and the Development Ministry, the line will run west along the Costa del Sol from Malaga to Estepona and is set to include a four-kilometre (km) tunnel at Cala de Mijas.
Bids for the construction contract will be accepted until April 22nd, after which the 42-month building period will commence, Typically Spanish reports.
According to the website, two-thirds of the track between Malaga and Fuengirola has already been laid by the Development Ministry. The Junta de Andalucia is responsible for the connection between Fuengirola and Estepona, a distance of about 56 km.
Spain's rail infrastructure has improved significantly in recent years and is now developing into one of the most sophisticated transport systems in Europe, the Guardian stated recently.
One example of this is the new high-speed AVE train between Madrid and Barcelona, which made its first journey yesterday (February 20th) and connects the two cities in two hours and 38 minutes.
