The Val de Zafan Greenway

In 1882 work began on the Val de Zafan railway line, which would link La Puebla de Hijar with Tortosa, fulfilling the long-held dream of connecting the Bajo Aragon with the sea. However, the project suffered many setbacks from the very beginning.

In 1936 the Civil War broke out. The purpose of the railway changed to suit the wartime needs: the route between Alcaniz and Bot was used as a corridor for supplying weapons and soldiers to the Francoist army during the Battle of the Ebro. This actually accelerated construction. Finally, in 1941, the line was completed to Tortosa. It had been planned to reach Sant Carles de la Rapita, but that section was never finished. Passenger and freight services began between the two endpoints. The train was known as 'El Sarmentero', because much of its route ran through vineyards and landscapes of great beauty.

In 1971 a new setback disrupted the line: the tunnel at Prat de Compte collapsed, forcing a bus replacement service from Bot station to Tortosa. In 1973, with the tunnel still unrepaired, the line was closed for good.

After the closure, the route lay forgotten for years until 2000, when the La Terra Alta section of the greenway was inaugurated, later joined by the Baix Ebre section. In 2005 conversion work began on the Matarrana section.

Since then, thousands of visitors have used this route, which has brought recognition to unique landscapes of high cultural and environmental value. The Val de Zafan Greenway is also a witness to our recent history. Its recycled infrastructure has enabled sustainable tourism and job creation in the Matarrana region. It is one of 125 greenways across Spain and part of 2,700 cyclable greenway sections in the country (more information at the Spanish Railway Foundation's Greenways website).

History of the Val de Zafan railway

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