Seville railway project to connect Santa Justa and airport faces 300 million euro debate

The Spanish Ministry of Transport is evaluating two primary railway routes to connect Seville's Santa Justa station with the airport, a project estimated to cost over 300 million euros. The Ministry has opened a period for formal objections and suggestions following a provisional approval of an informative study in July.

The initial preferred option, known as North 3, involves a 4.7-kilometer route using a tunnel under the A-4 highway. This plan includes two stops: one near Parque Alcosa and another near the airport, with an estimated travel time of eleven minutes. This route is expected to serve approximately 2.1 million passengers at competitive commuter rail rates.

However, the Seville City Council and the Junta de Andalucía have expressed disagreement with the current proposal. Critics argue the chosen route is too far from the Sevilla Este and Fibes business and residential hubs. Additionally, concerns have been raised regarding the impact on urban development in areas like the future Buenaire neighborhood, potential land expropriations, and effects on the A-4 highway and Parque Alcosa.