Rail transport, since its origins in the United Kingdom in the first quarter of the 19th century, has witnessed very different moments, both in passenger and freight movement. It has seen how strong private investments to launch it have often failed to achieve profitability over time. The rise of the automobile in the early 20th century and its mass production from the 1950s further deepened the crisis in this mode of transport, as did the emergence of air transport. Many governments were forced to intervene and nationalize the railways.

Today, however, we are witnessing a new resurgence of rail. Rail is a sustainable mode of transport that contributes to the decarbonization of a sector responsible for over 40% of greenhouse gas emissions and the main source of pollution in large cities. High-speed trains now achieve highly competitive travel times, while commuter networks handle the daily movement of large volumes of people.

In Spain, railway development has been very uneven. There have been major advancements in high-speed passenger transport, but freight transport has lagged, remaining at a modal share below 4%.

It is in this context that Eco-Raíl, a company within the Magtel group, was born, aiming to provide innovative solutions for both freight and passenger transport.

Freight Transport
Through the development of rail freight highways, specifically the Algeciras-Zaragoza rail freight highway, Eco-Raíl leads this project as the majority shareholder and President of Rail & Truck Strait Union (R&T). R&T will operate 7 Euro 6000 locomotives and 150 “pocket-type” wagons to move semi-trailers from our terminal at the Port of Algeciras to Zaragoza. The project has received European recognition, securing significant funding from the Next Generation EU Funds. Together with the Seville-Madrid freight highway, these will be the first implementations of this innovative way of moving freight by rail.

High-Speed Rail
Eco-Raíl also aims to participate in the high-speed rail sector alongside other leading transport companies, engaging in upcoming phases of Spain’s railway liberalization: Madrid-Galicia, Madrid-Asturias-Cantabria, Madrid-Cádiz, and Madrid-Huelva. This will allow fully private, Spanish-branded companies to enter the market, introducing strong technological innovation in both internal operations and customer-facing processes.

Public Service Obligations
In the sphere of “public service obligations” that must open to competition under EU regulations, Eco-Raíl will offer an innovative approach to pricing and services, including schedule optimization, passenger management, fare systems, and customer service. As an Andalusian company, we have a strong passion for operating in Andalusia, but our national vision drives us to contribute solutions across the entire Spanish territory.

In short, Eco-Raíl is an innovative and ambitious venture aiming to make a lasting impact in this new landscape of railway transport in Spain.