The Sóller Railway

Transport between Palma and Sóller had been traditionally along a cart track, which in reality became little more than a bridle path in the section over the Coll de Sóller. Work on the new road over the mountain pass was completed in 1847, and improvements carried out in 1895 changed the route to what we can see today. The idea of a railway line connecting Palma and Sóller came into being in 1892 with a project by Salvador Medir, who planned a route via Valldemossa and Deià. The high cost of this mountain railway doomed the project to failure.

The demolition of Palma's city walls favored the definitive placement of the new station near that of Ferrocarriles de Mallorca

The idea was revived in 1905 with the starting up of the company Ferrocarril Palma-Sóller, and Pere Garau's plans for a 27 kilometre route via Son Sardina and Bunyola were approved, it being the shortest. Nevertheless, major obstacles caused by the mountainous terrain had to be overcome. The solution was to tunnel through the mountains (the longest tunnel was 2.855 kilometres) and build viaducts (such as the Montreals viaduct with its five arches) over the valleys. Finally on April 16th 1912, the line was officially opened and the following year a new tram line to the Port de Sóller completed the project. The line was electrified in 1929. At present it is run as a passenger service, enjoying a new lease of life as a tourist attraction.

The views from Bunyola station are spectacular