Adif president Pedro Marco de la Peña has announced that reopening the Córdoba-Málaga high-speed line will not occur on 23 March as initially forecast, but at earliest in the last week of April.
The section between Antequera and the Costa del Sol capital has been disrupted since 5 February following a slope failure in Álora after Storm Leonardo.
Complications in stabilising the collapsed 300m-high cutting near Álora (Málaga), which failed on 4 February due to intense rains from Storm Leonardo, are the cause.
Adif teams are working round the clock, seven days a week, to remove the unstable embankment and ensure infrastructure safety, opting for a permanent fix involving wall demolition and hillside stabilisation.
This work, spanning the year, prioritises eliminating risks from new slips on expansive clay terrain saturated by downpours.
Finals of April must be awaited before Adif hopes one of the two tracks will be available. Only then can rail traffic resume, albeit with capacity limits on single-line working.
Alternative service and operator impacts
Meanwhile, Madrid-Málaga passengers must set down at Antequera-Santa Ana station, covering the final stretch by road, adding nearly an hour to the usual 2.5-hour high-speed train journey.
Renfe is the only provider offering this replacement bus plan.
Ouigo and Iryo have cancelled all tickets sold after 23 March, as they lack compatible rolling stock for diversions or substitute coach services.
To cope, Iryo announced a temporary layoff for its Málaga base on 25 February, affecting 40 jobs (6.1% of its 654 staff).
Political reactions and tourism damage
Andalusian regional government, via Economy councillor Carolina España, has toughened its stance: if the line does not fully reopen before Palm Sunday (29 March), it will pursue patrimonial liability claims against the central government for economic losses.
España deems the situation “unacceptable” and a “ruin” for self-employed, businesses, and jobs, slamming “investment drought” in Málaga versus €6.3bn for Catalan suburban services.
Costa del Sol tourism, vital for Easter and the recently closed Málaga Festival, estimates €300m direct losses to 23 March, €1.3bn indirect, now set to surge.
Hoteliers like Javier Frutos (Aehcos) and Arturo Bernal (Tourism councillor) bemoan national tourism hits—visitors prefer high speed rail—and seek public aid as air traffic rises 30% (74,000 Madrid-Málaga pax in February). Costa del Sol Tourism Permanent Commission is recalculating damages amid 30% booking drops.
This crisis follows the prior Adamuz (Córdoba) accident cut on 18 January, leaving Málaga nearly three months without direct high-speed train to Madrid.