The Streetcar to Sierra Nevada

Accessing the Sierra Nevada from Granada quickly and comfortably had long been an unresolved problem. That's why, in 1906, the first plan for a streetcar to the Sierra Nevada was received with widespread enthusiasm. The project was thought up by the Compañía de Tranvías de Granada (Granada Streetcar Line Company) and was entrusted by the director and entrepreneur Nicolás Escoriaza y Fabro to the famous Swiss engineer Emil Strub.

The complexity of the route and the associated costs meant that four previous streetcar-line projects were attempted before choosing the final design in 1921.

From the beginning of the 20th century, there were several projects that attempted to connect Granada and Sierra Nevada. The first took place in 1902 and involved opening a road that used the old Camino de los Neveros.

Later, in 1906, the Director of the Compañía de Tranvías de Granada (Granada Streetcar Line Company), Nicolás Escoriaza, commissioned the streetcar-construction project to the engineer Strub with the aim of fostering tourism. He even suggested installing a hotel and shelters for hikers.

Since the first Sierra streetcar project was envisioned in 1906, the entire city of Granada, the media, entrepreneurs, and authorities supported the idea. They put their money where their mouths were and purchased stocks of the streetcar-construction company.

In 1919, the Duke of San Pedro, one of the most active men in the economic and commercial history of Granada, promoted the creation of a company that built the Sierra streetcar—la Sociedad Eléctrica San Pedro de Maitena (San Pedro de Maitena Electric Company)—to supply electricity to the railway. The cost would be 1.2 million pesetas.

The route was 12 miles and featured 14 tunnels and 21 bridges, one of which (Blanquillo) was the first in Spain to be built of concrete.

From the Güéjar Sierra station, the streetcar construction continued for almost a mile. In 1928, the streetcar line reached Maitena station at the confluence of the Maitena and Genil rivers.

Local, poor economic performance discouraged any new construction. However, mountaineers asked for the line to be extended to Barranco de San Juan.

From the outset, the line made a loss. In 1931, after near economic collapse and labor disputes, the Spanish State closed the line on July 30, 1931. After a three-week standstill, the streetcar resumed operation once again.

On June 9, 1934, the streetcar became publicly owned and run permanently by the Comité de Explotación de Ferrocariles del Estado (Railway Operation Committee of the State).