Sunday saw the official inauguration of the new C5 local train service from Sevilla to Aljarafe Norte, a project which has cost €52.7 million.
The official ceremony, which took place at Santa Justa station in Sevilla, was attended by the Minister of Development José Blanco, the president of the Junta de Andalucia, José Antonio Griñán, the president of RENFE, Teófilo Serrano, the president of ADIF, Antonio González Marín, and the mayors of nine municipalities through which the new train service passes, namely Benacazón, Sanlúcar la Mayor, Olivares, Villanueva del Ariscal, Albaida del Aljarafe, Salteras, Valencina de la Concepción, Santiponce and Camas.
The new C5 line is 32.6 kilometres in length and will serve a population of around 80,000. The project involved the construction of four new stations at Camas, Valencina-Santiponce, Salteras and Benacazón and the renovation of two existing stations, Sanlúcar La Mayor and Villanueva del Ariscal-Olivares.
The new service sees trains every 40 minutes during the peak periods and every 60 minutes at other times of the day.
During the inauguration ceremony it was also announced that the proposed C2 local train service from Santa Justa to La Cartuja will be operational in February 2012. The cost of the C2 project is estimated at €42 million.