Today, Thursday, the Balearic government took another step towards the future railway line from Palma to Llucmajor, with the submission of the file for the strategic environmental impact study to be carried out. This is a preliminary step prior to the final approval of the informative study for the project, a rail connection between different areas of Palma, Son Sant Joan Airport, Son Llàtzer Hospital and the Son Oms industrial estate, among other points, according to a statement issued by the Regional Ministry of Housing, Mobility and Territory.
This year, the first contracts for the drafting of the basic and construction projects for the future railway line are also expected to be put out to tender. This line has a forecast demand of 8.5 million passengers per year. The journey time from Palma to Llucmajor is expected to be 30 minutes, from Palma to the airport 12 minutes and from Llucmajor to the airport 18 minutes, as well as connections to Son Llàtzer, 6 minutes from Palma and 23 minutes from Llucmajor.
The total estimated budget for the project is €811 million, which includes the design and execution of the works, the purchase of new electric trains and new workshops. The future line is expected to depart from a new station in the Conservatori area. Through a tunnel, the urban section of the route will connect with a future hub such as the Son Costa - Son Fortesa station (currently the train stop for Inca and Sa Pobla and the metro stop for Parc Bit); and with Miquel Dolç square, in a densely populated area such as the Pere Garau and Son Gotleu neighbourhoods; and the Son Güells station.
There, the above-ground route begins towards the Son Llàtzer University Hospital station, the future Palma exhibition centre and the secondary school to be built in the area; continuing underground from the CLH area to the Coll d’en Rabassa station.
It will continue to the station planned for the Son Sant Joan airport terminal and will connect with the Son Oms stop. The future line is also expected to cross the Ma-19 motorway and run along Playa de Palma with three stops — Porciúncula, Bellavista and S’Arenal — and on to Llucmajor, with an intermediate station in the Son Noguera industrial estate. Of the 30 km length of the line, almost 10 km will be underground.
The technical report has concluded that it would be necessary to initiate a new public information and route alternative analysis process for the section between Llucmajor and Campos, when this section has a temporary implementation plan. In addition, it has recalled that the 2019 Balearic Sectoral Mobility Master Plan envisages this section to Campos in a second phase of the Migjorn corridor.