Published December 23, 2025 | Category: Infrastructure

TL;DR: The Andalusian regional government will invest €26 million in the future AVE railway station in Almeria, a key part of the rail undergrounding project that will finally allow high-speed rail services to reach the city.

€26 million allocated for new AVE railway station as Almeria rail undergrounding advances

The Andalusian regional government has approved an exceptional grant of €26 million (excluding VAT) for the construction of the future high-speed railway station in Almeria. The station forms a core part of the ongoing project to underground the city’s railway lines and enable the arrival of AVE high-speed services.

What the new AVE railway station means for Renfe services in Almeria

The arrival of the new AVE railway station will allow Renfe to operate high-speed services directly into Almeria, bringing the city fully into Spain’s national AVE network for the first time. Until now, rail connectivity has been limited by infrastructure constraints that prevented true high-speed operations.

This shift is expected to improve long-distance rail connections while offering a modern alternative to road and air travel.

Once the undergrounding works and station construction are completed, Renfe will be able to integrate Almeria more effectively into long-distance routes, improving connections with major hubs such as Madrid and other Andalusian cities. This is expected to enhance both business and leisure travel, while also offering a more competitive alternative to air and road transport.

For residents and visitors alike, the new station represents not only faster journeys, but also a more modern rail experience, aligned with the standards of other AVE-served cities across Spain.

The project also forms part of broader transport investment priorities supported at European level. Major rail infrastructure upgrades such as the Almeria undergrounding and future AVE railway station align with long-term objectives promoted by the European Union and the European Commission to improve sustainable mobility, regional connectivity and long-term transport resilience, as outlined in the European Commission’s Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy.

The funding has been granted as part of the broader rail undergrounding works, a long-awaited infrastructure project designed to remove surface-level train tracks, improve urban integration and modernise Almeria’s rail facilities. The new station will be built within this transformed corridor, rather than as a separate standalone project.

Once operational, the station will allow AVE trains to reach Almeria directly, significantly reducing travel times and strengthening long-distance rail connections with other major Spanish cities. Local and regional authorities consider this step essential for improving accessibility, competitiveness and the province’s overall transport offering.

Beyond mobility, the undergrounding of the railway is also expected to have a major urban impact. By eliminating the physical barrier created by the tracks, large areas of land will be freed up for public space, improved traffic flow and potential urban redevelopment, helping to reconnect neighbourhoods that have long been divided by the rail line.

The project represents one of the most significant infrastructure investments in Almeria in recent decades. Funding for the undergrounding works and the future AVE station involves coordination between regional and national administrations, underlining the strategic importance of bringing high-speed rail to the province.

While no definitive completion date has yet been announced, the allocation of this funding marks another concrete step forward in a project that has been awaited in Almeria for many years.

Want to stay informed about major transport and infrastructure projects across the province? Browse more updates in our Infrastructure section.

Published December 23, 2025 | Category: Community

TL;DR: Costa de Almeria has wrapped up 2025 with more than 70 tourism promotion actions, setting heritage, sports tourism and FITUR 2026 as key priorities for the year ahead.

Costa de Almeria closes 2025 with strong tourism momentum and eyes FITUR 2026

Costa de Almeria, the provincial tourism brand, has closed 2025 after completing more than 70 promotional actions, reinforcing its position as a key driver of economic activity across the province. The year now serves as a springboard towards FITUR 2026, identified as the first major milestone of the new tourism calendar.

The balance was presented during the final session of the Provincial Tourism Council of the year, where the Diputación de Almeria reaffirmed tourism as a strategic sector for job creation, local development and international visibility. Public-private cooperation was once again highlighted as one of the pillars behind the province’s growing presence in national and international markets.

Among the priorities outlined for the coming period is the revaluation of cultural and historical heritage, including the consolidation of the Museum of Realism (MUREC) and the ongoing recovery of the emblematic Cortijo del Fraile in Níjar. These initiatives form part of a broader strategy to strengthen Almeria’s cultural identity as a complement to its coastal and nature-based tourism.

Sports tourism remains another key focus, with the return of La Vuelta Ciclista to the province underlined as a high-impact event capable of projecting Almeria to international audiences. In parallel, improving air connectivity continues to be a strategic objective, particularly with the British market, which remains one of the most important for the destination.

Throughout 2025, Costa de Almeria carried out promotional campaigns in several European countries and maintained a presence at major international tourism fairs, while also organising press and professional visits to showcase the province’s diversity beyond the high season.

Looking ahead, the province will once again present its full tourism offer at FITUR 2026 in Madrid from 21 to 25 January, with all 103 municipalities represented. The Tourism Council also approved the incorporation of two new private-sector members, further strengthening collaboration between institutions and local tourism businesses.

Want to discover more local initiatives, developments and community stories from across the province? Browse the latest updates in our Community section.

Published December 22, 2025 | Category: Infrastructure

TL;DR: A late Roman cemetery discovered during AVE tunnelling works in Lorca adds a new layer of complexity to the high-speed rail to Almeria. Archaeological documentation is ongoing, once again placing Lorca at the centre of the final challenges facing the project.

This discovery affects the progress of the high-speed rail to Almeria, a project that remains central to the province’s future connectivity.

Roman Cemetery Discovered During AVE Works Adds New Challenge to High-Speed Rail to Almeria

The project focuses on high-speed rail to Almeria and its integration into the national AVE network.

The long-awaited arrival of high-speed rail to Almeria has faced multiple technical and administrative challenges over the years. The latest obstacle has emerged in Lorca, where archaeological remains have been identified during works linked to the AVE rail integration project.

During ongoing construction works connected to the AVE tunnelling and rail integration in Lorca — a critical point on the Almeria–Murcia section of the Mediterranean Corridor — archaeologists have confirmed the presence of a large late Roman cemetery dating from between the 4th and 6th centuries AD.

Archaeological teams have been active on the site since May 2025, after the remains were detected between the future San Diego station and the entrance to the tunnel where the railway will run underground. While such discoveries are not unusual in historically rich areas, they inevitably introduce additional procedural steps before construction can continue.

What Was Found at the Site

The site corresponds to a late Roman necropolis of considerable size. Burials are marked not by stone headstones, but by modest earth mounds, occasionally indicated by a single stone at the head of the grave.

Among the discoveries are iron nails used to assemble wooden coffins, as well as small personal items and burial objects. According to heritage specialists, the graves are generally austere, reflecting the customs and social conditions of the period.

Why Lorca Matters for the AVE to Almeria

This situation is part of the wider story of the planned high-speed rail to Almeria, a project that has faced multiple technical, environmental and administrative challenges. Coordination with Adif Alta Velocidad will be essential to ensure that heritage protection requirements are respected while allowing the works to move forward.

Lorca has long been regarded as one of the most sensitive sections of the high-speed rail route linking Almeria and Murcia. While other stretches of the line have progressed steadily, the integration of the railway through Lorca has repeatedly proven complex.

Urban constraints, flood-risk management and heritage protection have all converged in this area. The current works are among the last major sections to begin on the Almeria–Murcia corridor, making any additional intervention particularly significant.

With official timelines already tight for the arrival of AVE services to Almeria, developments in Lorca continue to draw close attention from both technical and regional planning perspectives.

Heritage Protection Before Construction Resumes

The immediate objective of the archaeological intervention is to fully document the necropolis. Authorities have stressed that it is still too early to determine the precise impact of the findings on construction schedules, as excavation and analysis are still ongoing.

Once documentation is complete, the results will be reviewed by the regional heritage authorities of Murcia, who must authorise the continuation of works at this specific location. In this stretch, the railway will continue to run at surface level just before entering the underground section.

Coordination with rail infrastructure managers will be essential to ensure that heritage protection requirements are respected while allowing the project to move forward.

Not the First Archaeological Discovery

The Roman cemetery uncovered during the current phase is not an isolated case. Earlier AVE works in Lorca also revealed a Roman villa dating back to the 1st century AD in the La Hoya area, underlining the archaeological sensitivity of the corridor.

These repeated encounters with history highlight the challenges of delivering major infrastructure projects in regions with deep and continuous human settlement.

Broader Challenges Beyond Archaeology

Archaeology is not the only factor influencing progress in Lorca. Local demands for additional flood-prevention infrastructure, including the construction of a new viaduct, have also been identified as potential sources of delay.

Railway experts have repeatedly pointed to Lorca as the main unresolved bottleneck on the route, citing the combination of engineering, environmental and heritage constraints as uniquely complex.

Despite these difficulties, the strategic objective remains unchanged: to complete the high-speed rail to Almeria linking the province with Murcia that will finally integrate Almeria into Spain’s national AVE network.

What This Means for the 2027 Timeline

Official planning continues to reference 2027 as the target year for the arrival of AVE services in Almeria. However, progress in Lorca will play a decisive role in determining whether that timeline can be met.

The discovery of a Roman cemetery beneath modern rail infrastructure serves as a reminder that large-scale projects often advance in layers — engineering, history and urban planning intersecting at the same point.

For Almeria, the situation once again highlights that the final kilometres of the AVE route depend not only on track laying, but on careful coordination between transport authorities, heritage protection and local realities.

Interested in how major infrastructure projects are shaping connectivity across the province? Browse the latest updates in our Infrastructure section.