Murcia to Albacete rail link faces further delays until late 2026
The Ministry of Transport has yet to commit to a firm date for the direct rail corridor between the Region of Murcia and Madrid
The direct railway line between Murcia and Albacete looks set to remain closed until at least the second half of 2026, with no official reopening date yet confirmed by the Ministry of Transport. The Commission for the Defence of the Cartagena-Albacete Railway Corridor has been unable to pin down ministers to a firm commitment, as the timeline remains dependent on ongoing undergrounding works in Murcia.
Reopening the line, which will finally establish a direct link with the Spanish capital, hinges on Adif completing the underground section of the Murcia route and bringing the new El Carmen station into service.
Come February 2026, it will be four years since this direct rail link to Madrid via Cieza and Hellín was closed, far exceeding the initial projections for how long passengers would be without the service.
Antonio del Campo Navarro from the CCOO union confirmed that the Ministry is now working towards the second half of next year, although this timeline could be brought forward depending on construction progress.
The Ministry wants to open the new station and underground section at the same time, which includes completing the final 300 metres of track needed to connect with the old line at Nonduermas. This connection would allow trains from Murcia to run through to Cieza and Hellín.
During his visit in August, Minister Óscar Puente said the station would be operational by 2026.
The underground section will feature two tracks, one equipped with a third rail for conventional trains. Adif hasn't indicated any support for reopening Nonduermas station to resume passenger services before the works are finished.
Once the Albacete section reopens, Renfe plans to restore the freight and passenger services that operated before the closure, although the details are still being worked out. The campaign platform is calling for two daily passenger services using Alvia S-730 hybrid trains between Cartagena and Madrid, which would require a gauge change in Albacete.
This proposal has backing from the mayors of Cartagena and Albacete, who are demanding a faster service during the ongoing high-speed rail works between Murcia and the port city, a project that won't be completed for at least eight years. The Ministry hasn't responded yet.
The platform is also requesting two regional trains from Cartagena to Albacete that could continue to Madrid via the Alcázar de San Juan line. The group is additionally demanding improvements to commuter and regional rail services in Cartagena and Murcia, as well as in Cieza and Hellín.
As an alternative, they're considering two daily shuttle trains in each direction between Cartagena and Albacete, with passengers transferring to continue towards Madrid.
As for the Murcia-Almería high-speed line works, the Ministry is still aiming to have trains up and running by the end of 2027. The biggest delays affect the underground route in Lorca and the stations and viaducts at Totana and Alhama.
Image: Archive
Address
Bases in the UK and Murcia. Covering all of Spain and the UK.Tel: 0044 7709 557 109
Mobile: 0034 608 061 872
Mobile: 0034 608 061 872
Lords transport full or part loads from anywhere in the UK to anywhere in Spain
Lords Removals is a UK-registered international removals and storage company specializing in routes between Spain and the UK, with special relevance to customers looking to transport their household furniture to the Costa Blanca and the Costa Cálida from Great Britain.
With offices and storage facilities in England and the Region of Murcia ( Costa Cálida), Lords removals is ideally placed for transport to and from the south-east of Spain, offering a highly efficient service tailored to suit the individual requirements of customers in Murcia, Alicante, Almería and Valencia, and all amounts of furniture from single items to full loads can be arranged throughout Spain.
The advantage of transporting a full load is that a vehicle is allocated only to one customer’s requirements, whether the journey is from the UK to Murcia or vice versa. This allows a specific delivery date to be agreed 
in advance, whereas if a vehicle is shared with other customers a wider delivery window period is specified.
The actual delivery date is then confirmed a few days in advance so that arrangements can be made, and this service works out as more cost-effective and is preferred by many customers, especially those transporting single items or part loads.
Both domestic and commercial moves between the Costa Cálida, Costa Blanca or any of the other Spanish costas and the UK are catered for, and Lords removals have years of experience in the special needs for transporting such diverse items as motorcycles, fragile goods and household appliances.
To make life easier Lords provide an online calculator which will provide you with an estimate of how much 
your move will cost, reaching an estimate of how many cubic metres your shipment will occupy and the approximate associated costs. Items can vary in size, of course, but the estimate will supply a ballpark figure to work with before making the move from the UK to Spain or in the other direction.
In order to make moving house as stress-free as possible, Lords also offer a fully professional packing service. Customers can of course opt to pack their own items, and Lords will provide materials if required, but you need to be aware that most insurance companies will not provide cover for objects not packed by the removals firm.
During their years of providing transport between Murcia and the UK the Lords staff have gained experience in packing all kinds of items, including antiques, fine arts, polished furniture, and fragile and delicate items, so for peace of mind the recommendation is to leave the job in the hands of the professionals.
Worldwide shipping and expert packing services
In addition to their regular weekly trips between Spain and the UK, Lords Removals now offers worldwide shipping that’s fast, efficient and reliable. Their team can accommodate short-notice enquiries and ensure your items are shipped promptly, wherever they need to go.
With an extensive fleet of vehicles, from small vans to HGVs with articulated trailers, they can handle loads of any size. Whether it’s a single item or a full household move, Lords Removals has the resources and experience to get it safely from door to door.
And for those looking for the highest level of service, Lords Removals also offers premium package options. Clients can contact them directly to discuss the different packing and removal services available, each designed to offer extra peace of mind during what can be a stressful time.
Not only that, but they can also help advise and organise pet travel and vehicle transportation to and from Spain. Just ask them about their competitive rates and expertise today to get started!
Storage
Apart from their competitively priced and fully professional removals service, Lords also provide storage at their 
secure, clean and dry premises in Alhama de Murcia, within easy reach of the whole of the Region of Murcia and the Costa Cálida area. The storage facility is fully enclosed, secure and is located on a privately owned industrial estate.
The storage service is available to anyone, not only customers who also contract moving or removals with Lords, so if you have storage needs for whatever reason you can contact them.
Stored items are palleted and/or placed in large storage containers, and are wrapped in protective materials as and when required. The premises are covered by 24-hour security and surveillance, and full insurance is in place for fire and theft, taking away the worry of leaving your private possessions in the care of others: the company can also pick up and deliver stored items, and a full packing service is also offered throughout the Region of Murcia and south-eastern Spain.
The storage service offered by Lords is priced competitively based on the number of cubic metres your possessions occupy, with standard pick-up and packing charges added when appropriate. Insurance costs are included in the quoted price, and for large volumes discount rates can be applied.
For more information regarding the storage of furniture and household goods, don’t hesitate to call +34 608 061872 (Spain) or +44 7709 557109 (UK), or use the online enquiry form.
