The service, inspired by the old Carrilet, will begin operating this Friday with two afternoon trips. During the summer months and until after the festes de la Cinta, eight free weekly journeys will be offered, requiring prior reservation at the Tourist Office.
The Tortosa City Council has provisionally commissioned the service to the company Hife, with the intention of holding a public tender for its operation in the medium term. The total investment amounts to 427,130 euros, financed by European Next Generation funds. The Lleida-based company Ilertren Tourist Train was responsible for building the vehicle, described by mayor Mar Lleixà as a "21st-century Carrilet," coinciding with the centenary of the railway line that connected Tortosa with the villages of the Delta.
The Councilor for Tourism, Sònia Rupérez, detailed that on Fridays there will be two trips (5:00 PM and 6:30 PM), on Saturdays four (10:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 5:00 PM, and 6:30 PM), and on Sundays two more (10:00 AM and 12:00 PM). The departure and arrival point will be from Remolins avenue, near the Escorxador square.
The locomotive, three times more powerful than initially planned, has a two-day battery life and a capacity for 56 people. One of the carriages is adapted for people with reduced mobility, and the train includes audio guides in four languages, for adults and children. The route will cover the historic center, the commercial area, and the Circuit Verd de les Muralles. This project is part of a sustainable tourist mobility strategy, alongside the upcoming electric bicycles.
First Deputy Mayor Jordi Jordan emphasized that the train is a new tourist attraction and a key element in Tortosa's transformation, enhancing heritage, improving accessibility, and connecting it with the riverfront's recovery. He highlighted the commitment to mobility that is "more sustainable, friendlier, and emission-free," as well as fostering a "more cohesive" city.
