Marbella, April 3, 2003
Government takes first steps towards railway extension to Algeciras.

The line will stretch for 110 kilometres and include at least five main stations in the province of Málaga (Mijas Costa, Marbella, San Pedro de Alcántara, Estepona and Manilva) as well as more than 20 smaller stations in between.
The PP candidate for Mayor of Marbella, Angeles Muñoz, defended the proposal stressing the importance of the scheme as it will make travelling along the coast much easier for the Costa del Sol’s 1.5 million permanent residents and 8.5 million tourists who visit the area every year.

Initial estimates say that the cost of taking the train to Algeciras will be 900 million euros, although they will have to wait for the report from the experts for the exact figures, which will also have to include the cost of expropriating the land needed. The density of the population between Fuengirola and Manilva could mean that the most viable route for the new line is alongside the Costa del Sol toll motorway.

The most optimistic calculations point to work on the new line starting at the end of 2004 or the beginning of 2005.