ADVERTISEMENTIf you’re a regular visitor to Tenerife, you’re probably aware of one of the destination’s few downsides: the slightly lacking public transport system.
The government recently announced plans for an island-wide train network that would make accessing its beaches and mountains more straightforward - and the roads less congested.
But don’t expect it any time soon. By 2045, local authorities are planning to have put in place four new train services comprising some 80 kilometres of tracks altogether.
Due to the hilly nature of Tenerife, 22 km of that route is set to run through tunnels.
Each train is slated to be able to carry around 450 passengers - and boast a maximum speed of 220 km per hour.
Opening in stages, the train service could be used by 7.5 million passengers by 2040, the government hopes.
Although there have been 20 years of discussions around the infrastructure upgrade, things are now kicking up a gear on the island.
Works on the train lines are due to begin by the end of the current legislative term, which will be in 2027.
The project won’t come cheap - with an estimated total cost of €5.65 billion.
To make it more workable, though, each individual railway line will be worked on in stages.
“Instead of needing €4 billion upfront, we are discussing segments that require €300 or €400 million, making it more feasible financially”, Pablo Rodriguez, the regional councillor for public works and mobility, told the Daily Express newspaper.
Relatively little is known about the plans - and they aren’t all confirmed as yet - but we do have some details of what they might look like.
So far, it’s been revealed that the South Train will serve the eastern coast of the island, while the North Train would run alongside the TF-5 motorway. That service is set to offer high-speed connections between the ever-popular Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Los Realejos destinations.
Lastly - for now - the West Train will likely run between Adeje and Icod de los Vino.
The announcement could also boost a railway project in nearby Gran Canaria, which has been in the works for two decades.
If it comes to fruition, it will see a train line running down the eastern coast of the island.
With the Tenerife discussions, the Canary Islands regional government has now insisted that both islands - the most populated in the tourist-favourite archipelago - will see their railway projects launch construction by the end of 2027.