Cercanías Santander
In the northern Spanish city of Santander there are three S-Bahn lines ( called Cercanías in Spain ), one of which is operated by the state railway company RENFE and two lines are operated by the railway company FEVE , which operates a narrow-gauge network in northern Spain.
In the center of Santander are bag stations of the two companies side by side, are the starting point for the Cercanías lines. Line 1 is operated on the only long-distance route that leads from inland to Cantabria . Since this route is only single-tracked and long-distance and freight trains also run there, only a very thin cycle is possible, so that one cannot actually speak of S-Bahn operation. Due to massive protests against the poor rail connections in the region, discussions are being held about expanding this line to two tracks and shortening travel times by building new tunnels in the mountains. Furthermore, a high-speed line called corredor cantábrico is being planned, which will connect all cities on the Spanish Atlantic coast. The FEVE routes, on the other hand, have two tracks in the S-Bahn area, so that a quarter-hourly cycle can be offered at times.
The following lines exist:
| operator | line | target |
|---|---|---|
| RENFE | C-1 | Reinosa |
| FEVE | C-2 | Liergánes |
| FEVE | C-3 | Cabezón de la Sal |
Projects
In September 2008 it was decided to reactivate the former route Santander-Mediterraneo to Sarón by 2012. The project, in which approx. Ten kilometers of broad-gauge line will have to be reactivated and seven stations to be built, is expected to cost just under 32 million euros. The Cabárceno Natural Park will have its own stopping point. The city of Torrelavega has decided to build two tram lines, with one line connecting the stations of the two railway companies, which are a few kilometers apart.
In Santander it is planned to connect the rail traffic to the northern district of El Sardinero , for which different solutions are possible. In addition to an underground extension of the S-Bahn beyond the sack station, the introduction of an independent underground or regional light rail based on the Karlsruhe model is being considered.
