Are you planning on spending some time in Malaga and you’re looking for fun things to do? Do you like day trips around the region but you also want to be comfortable? We have the solution just for you. An excellent way to move around in Malaga’s suburbs is by taking the train. Are you up for a longer trip? There are lines that leave from Malaga Maria Zambrano station and go as far as Barcelona and Bilbao. Things might be a little complicated for a person who just now arrived in Malaga, but we are here to help. In this article, you find everything you need; a Malaga train map, lines and common destinations.
Keep in mind that Malaga’s trains have two distinct lines: the commuter ( or cercanĂas) with which you can travel to Malaga’s suburbs and the regular line which you can use to go to other cities in Spain. You can hop on both lines in the EstaciĂłn de Málaga-MarĂa Zambrano but you can also take the commuter lines from the RENFE Train Station at Málaga Airport. Read below to discover more details about all of these.
Train from Malaga to the suburbs: here’s how to do that
If you want to have a day trip around the region of Malaga, you’re in luck! There are plenty of options for you and you can easily reach your destination by taking the train. The commuter train line of Malaga (cercanĂas) has its origins at the beginning of the 20th century. Today the suburban line C-1 runs just over 31 kilometres along Costa del Sol linking the cities Malaga and Fuengirola along 18 stations. There are two different lines, C-1 and C-2 which cover most of the region of Costa del Sol. Read below to find out more about each line.
Malaga train map: where do trains go to from malaga?
There are three train stations you need to know in order to start your journey. You can see them clearly in the malaga train map. The commuter lines C-1 and C-2 share the first 3 stations of the route and these are the ones below:
The first one is Station Malaga centre– Alameda (Zone 0). It is the start of the line and the closest stop to the city centre of Malaga. Shopping centres, the port of Malaga and shopping areas can also be found very close to it. The second one is Train Station Malaga Maria Zambrano (Zone 0). This stop connects to the main railway station in Malaga MarĂa Zambrano with middle-long distance trains, AVE high-speed train and gives you access to the subway. Last but not least, there’s Station Victoria Kent (Zone 1). This train station is in the former San Andres stop. From that location you can also take a daily train to Ronda.
Where can I go by taking the C-1 line?
By taking the C-1 line, which is the blue line in the malaga railway station map above, you can go to several municipalities of Malaga. This suburban train line connects Torremolinos, Benalmadena and Fuengirola. It is a line used by both tourists and locals quite frequently. The train passes every 20 minutes and the entire journey takes 46 minutes. You can also use this line to go directly to Malaga’s Airport ‘Costa del Sol’.
Where can I go by taking the C-2 line?
The C-2 suburban line connects the municipality of Malaga with several other towns nearby. You can see the line in the map above, in the green colour. It is not as big as line C-1 and trains pass about every hour. The estimated time from ‘Centro Alameda’ station to the last ‘Alora’ station is between 38 and 45 minutes. Keep in mind that the C-2 suburban line shares the first three train stations with the C-1 line. You might need to pay special attention to the side of the train where the final destination of the line is indicated.
What about ticket prices?
The price of the ticket you pay from your journey depends one how many zones you travel within. You can also notice the zones in the background of the map above. The ticket for travelling within the first two is 1.80€. The price goes up to 2.05 € if you want to travel within 3 zones, 2.70€ for 4 zones and 3.60 for five zones. The train ticket can be puchased at a vending machine; if the machine does not work or you don’t have coins or notes less than a 20€ you can purchase your ticket from the office at the train station with a small extra charge.
It is important to remember that you have a maximum of two hours to start your journey after the ticket purchase. These tickets may not be changed and can only be cancelled at ticket offices in stations within two hours of purchase, provided you have not used the ticket. If you use the train often, consider buying seasonal tickets, or take a look to the discounts and offers below.
What about discounts and offers?
There are available discounts for some groups when you choose to travel with the train. These groups are people over 60 years old, children and young persons, big Spanish families as well as groups and schoolchildren.
If you are over 60, you can benefit from a 40% discount on your one-way and return tickets by signing up for the Tarjeta Dorada card and using it in your purchases. This card will have your name on it and it is also non-transferable. You can purchase it for the price of €6 and you can find it at any ticket office in stations or travel agencies. It is valid for one year. and the 40% discount is valid every day of the week. People over 18 years of age in receipt of a pension, with a disability, and people with a level of disability of 33% or more, can also purchase the Tarjeta Dorada card.
Children under the age of six travel for free while if you are between 14 and 25 you can have a discount on ticket prices. With the Tarjeta +Renfe Joven 50 card, you can buy your train tickets with a 25% discount.You can purchase your Tarjeta +Renfe (loyalty programme) Joven 50 Card online and its costs €50. The card is valid for one year.
If you’re part of a big Spanish family you have the chance to travel with a discount from 20 up to 50 percent on your tickets. If you just want to travel with friends and you travel as a group you have 30% discount in one way tickets and 40% on return tickets while the children under the age of 12 have a 50% discount.
What passes are available for purchase?
But wait, there’s more! If you want to travel more than 1 time per month we strongly advice you purchase a monthly pass. There are for options of this pass: Limited, Unlimited, Student and Bonotren; they are all available at Station Ticket Offices or CercanĂas Self-Service Machines. Each one of them will provide you with different benefits and offers so go to a ticket office to find which one suits you and you travel habits best!
Destinations out of the municipality of Malaga
So you’ve travelled around Malaga and now you are looking for something different. Or you just want to visit other big Spanish cities while you’re here. Thankfully there’s an easy and comfortable way to do it by hopping on a train from the maria zambrano station, the central train station in Malaga. Some of the beautiful cities you can go to include Sevilla, Cordoba and even Madrid and Barcelona. The duration of the trip as well as the price of the ticket varies. It really depends on the city you want to visit.
So where exactly can I travel to?
Below you will find a map with all the connections between Malaga and other cities in Spain. If you need more information, don’t forget to check our list of useful links at the end of this article and find out even more about the malaga train map.
For example, there are 7 trains that leave every day for Barcelona. The trip lasts for about 5h 30m; the first train leaves at 6:28 and the last one at 18:58. Be mindful and buy your ticket as early as possible to get one with a lower price. Train ticket prices can vary a lot; for example a one ticket to Barcelona can cost you from 50 to 150€ depending on how early you have purchased it.
We hope you have a great time exploring Malaga as well as Spain by train! You can find the links to all the useful information right here:
