Many consider that the province's economic recuperation depends on better air and land communications; i.e., rail and air, both of which are lacking.

The pandemic caused havock at Granada Airport with many international flights disappearing altogether whereas the rail deficiences of the province of Granada go back a long time.

The long-awaited, high-speed-train service had only just got off the ground when the pandemic struck but even if this health crisis had not come about, getting from Granada to Madrid still entailed travelling west before heading north.

Both the Mayor of Granada, Francisco Cuenca (PSOE), and the Chairman of the Provincial Council, José Entrena, had no trouble qualifying the present situation as lamentable before the Central Government, pulling no punches with the said administration despite it being headed by their own party. They have also put their shoulders behind the Junta de Andalucía’s (PP) criticism of this problem. Granada needs more and better AVE (high-speed) services between the two cities.

Even more scathing have been the business associations in Granada. Chairman of the Patronal Cepyme, Gerardo Cuerva, said that his members are “very fed up”.  We’re talking about 60-odd companies that belong to the assocation, many of whom belong to the tourism sector.

At the moment there are two services connecting with Madrid via AVE trains which leaves Granada in the rearguard of the provinces that Renfe (Spanish rail) provides a high-speed connection between.

It wasn’t until the 15th of last month that Renfe even restored the second service with Madrid, providing two trains in either direction a day. There used to be three and it is this third, missing one that ran in the evening from Madrid meaning that commuters from Granada can get to Madrid in the morning and return that same evening.

(News: Granada, Andalucia)