Visiting El Caminito del Rey

[redkite500]

Visiting Malaga in july and would like to visit the el caminito del Rey footpath in the mountains nearby.

I see there is a railway station named El Chorro nearby, however I am a bit confused as to how the Spanish rail system works:

• The area around el chorro seems quite rural, hence there is only a train every 3 hours or so, how reliable are the trains likely to be? Is there compensation or alternative transport arranged for cancellations?
  
  
• Where can I find up to date running information for the trains so that I can find out about delays or cancellations? So far I've been using Google maps for train times, but this doesn't have live running data. (Bit of a longshot but does anyone know if the area near el caminito del Rey has phone reception?)
  
  
• I see tickets can be bought via Trainline for a very reasonable £4 ish each way, are these tickets delivered as e tickets or paper tickets which I'll need to pick up from somewhere? Are these tickets flexible or tied to a specific train?
  
  
• When I try to book tickets through the trainline it wants to give me a seat reservation, I assume booking tickets together will give seat reservations together as well?

Appreciate some of these questions probably have obvious answers, but I have no previous experience of train travel outside of the UK and dont want to end up stranded in the middle of nowhere or have to pay lots of money for a taxi.

Many thanks for the help!

 

[rvdborgt]

I see there is a railway station named El Chorro nearby, however I am a bit confused as to how the Spanish rail system works:

• The area around el chorro seems quite rural, hence there is only a train every 3 hours or so, how reliable are the trains likely to be? Is there compensation or alternative transport arranged for cancellations?

1 train every 3 hours is a quite good frequency in rural Spain... AFAIK trains in Spain are quite reliable.

• Where can I find up to date running information for the trains so that I can find out about delays or cancellations? So far I've been using Google maps for train times, but this doesn't have live running data. (Bit of a longshot but does anyone know if the area near el caminito del Rey has phone reception?)

I used the Renfe app in Spain. It's a bit clunky but it has realtime data.

• I see tickets can be bought via Trainline for a very reasonable £4 ish each way, are these tickets delivered as e tickets or paper tickets which I'll need to pick up from somewhere? Are these tickets flexible or tied to a specific train?

Renfe.com shows 2 fares: €6.25 for the MD and €4.40 for the PROXIMDAD, which seems to be a new label in the growing wood of Renfe train types. PROXIMDAD is without mandatory reservation (although Renfe does seem to book a seat), MD has a mandatory reservation. All MD services also seem to have the PROXIMDAD label, which is probably 1 or 2 designated carriages in the same train. I'm not sure about the ticket conditions, since the Renfe website doesn't seem to show them for these trains.

• When I try to book tickets through the trainline it wants to give me a seat reservation, I assume booking tickets together will give seat reservations together as well?

Yes it will. But I'd buy tickets locally or via Renfe, to get the lower fare. Renfe will also show the

 

[30907]

There also appears (Googlemaps) to be a limited bus service down the valley to Avora, which town is the terminus of the C2 local from Malaga.

 

[P Binnersley]

we did El Caminito del Rey by train from from Malaga last November. Very scenic and highly recommended.

I booked the train online through RENFE and got an email the morning of the trip to say that the journey was by rail replacement bus and to ask at the station. We were told to go through security and wait near the platforms. We were then directed out of a side door on to a minibus which arrived in El Churro about 30 minutes after the train would have done (passengers for other destinations were put on the AVANT to Antequera).

El Caminito is one way (North to South) by timed ticket (closed Mondays). These seem to sell out fast as I think they are block booked by tour companies. In November it was quiet and they were letting people in as soon as they arrived. There is a half hourly shuttle bus from El Churro station to the start of the walk. The "North Entrance" where tickets are checked (and where you need to be at the time on your ticket) is about 35 minutes walk from El Kiosko where the bus drops you off (there is a shorter 20 minute walk from another point but we didn't notice it).

We took about 20 minutes to be checked in and have a safety induction. The Caminito and the walk back to El Churro station took us two hours at a reasonable pace with frequent stops for photos, but no long break. If you book a guided tour it will take longer.

The cafe at El Chorro station is much cheaper than the ones at the end of the Caminito.

There is phone reception at El Chorro. I think there was also phone reception at the "North Entrance", but I am not certain. The train back to Malaga was 15 minutes late (as it was the day before when we passed through). I couldn't access any live info. El Chorro station is unstaffed.

 

[redkite500]

Thanks all for the help, much more detailed information than I was expecting.

If I buy tickets through renfe is there any advantage over booking MD tickets instead of the cheaper PROXIMDAD tickets on the same train?

 

[dutchflyer]

Apparently, by logic reasoning: MD assures a real seat, nbrd, and Pr-D may include the tiny chance of having to stand. But I am not sure-my last visit (incl to this area) to ESpana was in march and by that time this train-type was not there yet.
IF they run trenes are generally on time, the major threat seems to be ample strikes for this/against that/whatever.
The region is Andalucia and should have a site of some kind that overviews all regional buslines. Dr. google will help for that.

 

[rvdborgt]

Apparently, by logic reasoning: MD assures a real seat, nbrd, and Pr-D may include the tiny chance of having to stand.

No because when you book a regular ticket, Renfe also books a seat reservation.

IF they run trenes are generally on time, the major threat seems to be ample strikes for this/against that/whatever.

In my experience, Renfe staff don't often strike.

 

[BrianB]

This is local to where I live and an extremely popular adventure. I havent done the walk yet, but have driven to the area a few times and the views are stunning. RENFE recently improved the service levels to el Chorro (dont expect anything like UK frequencies) and you have a choice of what is called a Media Distance train (destination Seville) or a local train. Media distance trains start from the main station Malaga Maria Zambrano (mainline platforms), local trains first from the city centre station Alameda then call at Maria Zambrano (low level platforms - think Paddington). El Chorro is unstaffed but there is a snack bar with hot food and is always swarming with folk because the car park and coach park are close by and a few metres away is a hotel that serves food and drink. If you are coming up from a station on the Fuengirola line then change at Maria Zambrano, dont carry on to Alameda or you will just come back on yourself. Hope this link works https://www.renfe.com/es/es/viajar/...es-media-distancia-avant/servicios-proximidad which you can link to this pdf

 

[P Binnersley]

There also appears (Googlemaps) to be a limited bus service down the valley to Avora, which town is the terminus of the C2 local from Malaga.

I looked at the buses when we went in case we missed the train. The bus is the M-340 (timetable), which seems to have also improved slightly from when I went.
Buses are either Monday to Friday (L-V) or "working Saturdays" (slab). No service on Sundays or holiday Saturdays.

According to the local government online route map the M-340 starts/finished in the town at the top of the hill and does not serve the station in the valley.
(googlemaps thinks it does and streetview from 2018 supports this).

The C2 (timetable) varies between hourly and two hourly with a lot more two hour gaps at weekends.

I think with the improved train timetable the bus option should not be necessary.

 

[redkite500]

Thanks everyone, we are staying in Malaga itself so I think we will probably aim to use the 08:24 in the morning and the 15:12 back, with the 18:38 as a back up (or the bus of course).

 

[BrianB]

Thanks everyone, we are staying in Malaga itself so I think we will probably aim to use the 08:24 in the morning and the 15:12 back, with the 18:38 as a back up (or the bus of course).

That will be one very long hot day in July, the platform cafe has little shade, be prepared to take refuge in the hotel bar opposite!

 

[cphilb]

I lives in Malaga city. To avoid making a wasted trip, book your tickets in advance on line at the official website before travelling up there. You need a ticket with an allocated time on it and in summer, they are often sold out a long time in advance. if you miss your allocated time, there is no guarantee that they'll let you do it

 

[redkite500]

I lives in Malaga city. To avoid making a wasted trip, book your tickets in advance on line at the official website before travelling up there. You need a ticket with an allocated time on it and in summer, they are often sold out a long time in advance. if you miss your allocated time, there is no guarantee that they'll let you do it

Yep was planning to book tickets in advance as I've noticed they're already getting booked up.