There is a train, and it is under the terminal
Most people arriving at Málaga airport walk straight to the taxi rank, which is fine, and costs what a taxi costs. But there is a suburban railway station inside the airport, and for Benalmádena it is quicker than it looks and cheaper than anything else.
The catch is knowing which station you want, because Benalmádena is three separate places and only one of them has the train.
The C1 line
What it is and where it goes
The Cercanías C1 is the coastal commuter line. It runs from Málaga city, calls at the airport, and then continues down the coast through Torremolinos, Benalmádena and Los Boliches before terminating at Fuengirola.
The airport station sits directly beneath the terminal complex and is signposted from arrivals as Cercanías or Tren. Trains run frequently through the day, tickets are bought from machines on the platform, and the fare down the coast is a couple of euros rather than a taxi fare.
The C1 stops at Fuengirola and goes no further. If you are heading for Mijas Golf, La Cala or anywhere inland, the train only gets you part of the way and you will need a taxi or a hire car for the rest.
Which stop you want
Benalmádena is three places
This is where people go wrong. Benalmádena Pueblo is the old white village up the hill. Arroyo de la Miel is the working town in the middle, and it is the one with the railway station. Benalmádena Costa is the seafront strip, with the marina at Puerto Marina.
The station is called Arroyo de la Miel. Whichever part of Benalmádena you are staying in, that is the stop.
Getting from the station to the coast
Arroyo de la Miel sits above the seafront, not on it. From the station down to Puerto Marina and the beach is a walk of roughly twenty minutes, downhill on the way there and uphill on the way back — which matters more than it sounds with luggage in July. Local buses and taxis cover the same stretch in a few minutes.
Getting up to the village
Benalmádena Pueblo is higher again, and not a walk. Take a bus or a taxi from Arroyo.
When the train is the wrong choice
Be realistic
Take a taxi or a transfer instead if you are arriving late at night, travelling with small children and a lot of luggage, or staying somewhere the last stretch is steeply uphill. The train is excellent value and genuinely quick, but it ends at a station, not at your door.
If you are staying in one of the hillside urbanisations rather than in Arroyo itself, the honest answer is that a car makes the week easier.
While you are there
Worth knowing
The Teleférico cable car climbs from Arroyo de la Miel up Monte Calamorro, and the view back over the coast on a clear day covers most of the bay.
Puerto Marina is the marina development on the seafront, all restaurants and moorings, and it is where most evenings in Benalmádena Costa end up.
Torrequebrada, further along the coast within Benalmádena, has its own golf course and a quieter stretch of beach.
And because the same line continues, Fuengirola in one direction and Málaga city in the other are both easy days out without ever getting into a car.
Is there a train from Málaga airport to Benalmádena?
Yes. The Cercanías C1 line calls at a station beneath the airport terminal and runs down the coast. The stop for Benalmádena is Arroyo de la Miel, roughly twenty minutes from the airport.
Which station do I use for Benalmádena?
Arroyo de la Miel. Benalmádena has three parts — the hill village, Arroyo de la Miel in the middle, and the seafront at Benalmádena Costa — and Arroyo is the only one with a railway station.
How do I get from Arroyo de la Miel station to the beach?
It is about a twenty-minute walk downhill to Puerto Marina and the seafront, or a few minutes by local bus or taxi. The return leg is uphill.
Can I take the train from Málaga airport to Mijas Golf?
Not the whole way. The C1 line terminates at Fuengirola on the coast. Mijas Golf is inland and has no station, so you would need a taxi from Fuengirola or a hire car.
Apartments in Benalmádena
We manage apartments in Benalmádena, from Pueblo Evita to the Torrequebrada seafront. Tell us your dates and we will tell you what fits.
See our propertiesAuthorised and agreed on by Maarten Glaser
Owner of Glaser Holiday Rentals
