Express off to a flying start...

The SFM Majorcan railway service said yesterday that from Mondays to Fridays, the high speed link will be running six services, three in each direction, during morning rush hour at the same price as the existing fares.

The stretch from Palma to Marratxi takes just eight minutes and then a further 14 to Inca.
The railway company hopes that by providing the express service, it will be able to compete with private transport and attract more people onto the train.

And, judging by the response from the first passengers, the express service is going to be very popular.
Not only has it knocked 12 minutes off the time it takes the regular train to make the trip, it is more comfortable and suitably designed for commuters. The new rolling stock which is being used was destined for the Manacor to Arta link but the project has been put on hold due to a lack of funding.

Paying
Nevertheless, the rolling stock has arrived, the last wagon just a few weeks ago, so the government and the SFM want to test the new rolling stock on the Inca to Palma line before deciding what to finally do with them.

Some could remain if the SFM decides to expand the express service to cover the evening rush hour, but that will depend on demand.
The other problem the Balearic government has is paying for the metro. With service being reduced during the winter because the metro has failed to hit its projected passenger figures, the government will have to use 71 million euros of next year's budget to continue paying for project which very few people, apart from the members of the Jaume Matas government, wanted.

30 million will go on paying for the metro, which will not be fully paid for until 2031, 20 million euros is still outstanding Ibiza's motor ways which are prone to flooding every time it rains and it will cost a further 14 million euros to maintain the desalination plant Matas has built.