The Government definitively approves the route of the Palma–Llucmajor railway line

Minister Mateo presents progress on the project, the step prior to awarding contracts for the drafting of the technical and construction projects for the infrastructure

The Government of the Balearic Islands has definitively approved the informative study for the Palma–Llucmajor railway line, thereby concluding the planning phase of this infrastructure project. This marks the step prior to awarding contracts for the drafting of the technical construction projects for the line, which will run through around a dozen neighbourhoods and connect Palma city centre with the airport — in 12 minutes — as well as strategic locations such as Son Llàtzer University Hospital, among others.

The route of the line has therefore been definitively approved following work carried out with the municipalities of Palma and Llucmajor, and after incorporating amendments arising from submissions received during the public consultation phase. The project has also already passed an initial environmental assessment procedure after obtaining the Strategic Environmental Declaration. The Government is thus moving forward with the project and maintains its forecast of beginning construction in 2028 and completing it in 2032.

The first contracts, concerning the drafting of the technical projects, have already been put out to tender with a base budget of nearly €6 million (excluding VAT) and are currently in the bid evaluation phase. The tender concerns technical assistance for the drafting of the preliminary and construction projects for the works. This procedure currently covers only the Palma–Llucmajor section.

The Minister for Housing, Territory and Mobility of the Government of the Balearic Islands, José Luis Mateo, presented the progress of the project accompanied by the Director General for Mobility, Lorena del Valle, and the General Manager of Serveis Ferroviaris de Mallorca (SFM), José Ramón Orta, as well as representatives from the municipalities, including the Mayor of Llucmajor, Maria Francisca Lascolas, and Palma’s Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Mobility, Antoni Deudero.

This railway line will connect Palma with Llucmajor in 30 minutes and with the airport in 12 minutes — including a station at the terminal — through a route serving different neighbourhoods and residential areas, in total around a dozen districts. The line will begin at a new station located in the area of the Conservatori Superior de Música, where the future Arts District is planned, and will connect several strategic points such as Son Llàtzer Hospital, S’Arenal, the industrial estates of Son Oms and Son Noguera, and the future Palma exhibition centre.

The line will have a total length of 30 kilometres, almost 10 kilometres of which will be underground, and will run through around a dozen neighbourhoods of Palma, some of them densely populated. These areas include: L’Olivera (Conservatori station); Son Oliva and Son Fortesa (Son Costa station); Pere Garau, La Soledat, Son Canals and Son Gotleu (Miquel Dolç station); Estadi Balear (Son Güells station); Son Ferriol (Hospital Son Llàtzer station); Coll d’en Rabassa (Coll d’en Rabassa station); and S’Arenal and Les Meravelles, in Platja de Palma (Porciúncula, Bellavista–Ses Cadenes and S’Arenal stations, the latter already within the municipality of Llucmajor).

One of the advantages of the station in the Conservatori area is that it ensures an appropriate connection for a future expansion of the railway network towards the western area of Palma.

The line is expected to serve 8.5 million passengers annually and will represent a 73% increase in rail network ridership compared with the 11.6 million passengers recorded in 2025.

Among the most significant projected figures, this railway network expansion will allow journeys from Palma to Llucmajor in 30 minutes, from Palma to the airport in 12 minutes, and from Llucmajor to the airport in 18 minutes, as well as connections to Son Llàtzer University Hospital in 6 minutes from Palma and 23 minutes from Llucmajor.

The total estimated budget for the Llucmajor rail project amounts to €811 million and includes both the drafting and execution of the construction works for the future line, as well as the purchase of new electric trains and the construction of new workshops.

Following definitive approval of the informative study, contracts for drafting the technical projects will be awarded. Their approval and environmental impact declaration are expected to take place next year. The most significant milestones in the coming years will include the tendering process and the start of works planned for 2028, with completion currently estimated for 2032.

Regarding the possibility of processing the second phase of the Migjorn corridor in the future, extending to Campos, it should be recalled that a new public consultation procedure would need to be opened and a new analysis of route alternatives between Llucmajor and Campos would have to be initiated once this section has a defined implementation timetable. The Llucmajor–Campos section has been included in the Balearic Islands Mobility Sector Master Plan, in force since 2019, as the second phase of the Migjorn corridor (Palma–Llucmajor–Campos).