More Staff for Mallorca's Trains: Is That Really Enough?

More staff on the tracks — but is that enough?

Early in the morning at Estació Intermodal: station announcements overlap with the rattling of suitcase wheels, a vendor is calling out his bread offers, and the sun glints on the rails. The announcement that SFM intends to increase its workforce from around 170 to up to about 250–260 initially sounds like welcome news. But the central question remains: Will more staff alone make the services more reliable?

Why this increase now?

The reasons are clear enough: since 2015 the workforce has shrunk, and operating staff are missing in many places. The government wants to hire drivers, conductors, maintenance teams and staff for the operations hotline. The goal is not only routine reinforcement; it’s also about improved frequencies, more punctual trains and, for the first time, regular late-night services on weekends — small promises with a big impact for commuters and night-time travelers.

What is often missing from the public debate

You hear a lot now about job postings and mobility days at Plaça d’Espanya — that’s important. What is less often discussed, however, is the technical and spatial limitation of the network itself. Sections of track to Sa Pobla or Manacor are still single-track in places. That means: even with more drivers, timetables quickly hit a barrier if there are no passing loops, switches or modern signalling in place.

Another underestimated point is the training pipeline. Creating training positions is one thing; the time until someone is operational is another. Driver training, maintenance technician courses, safety training — all this takes months, sometimes years. Those who post vacancies today will not be able to fill all gaps immediately.

Concrete stumbling blocks — and how to avoid them

There are solutions that do not rely solely on more staff but instead use the existing infrastructure more sensibly. These include:

1. Prioritising routes: Start late-night tests on busier routes such as Palma–Inca or Palma–Manacor, rather than serving thinly used lines.

2. Appropriate infrastructure steps: In the short term, adding more passing loops and pragmatic switch improvements can create capacity. In the long term, signal modernisation and double-tracking of sections are needed.

3. A training offensive with perspective: Partnerships with vocational schools, scholarships, and mandatory practical time on the line will shorten the wait until staff are available.

4. Staff retention: Good shift models, allowances for night and weekend work, housing support for commuters — otherwise the same problem may reappear after a few years.

What passengers can expect — and what not

Those who commute daily to Inca, Manacor or Sa Pobla can be hopeful: better availability, fewer last-minute cancellations and initial late options on weekends are realistic goals. The authorities say they plan to start tests for late services in the coming months — provided recruitment and operational safety are on track.

Realistically, improvements will come in stages. On some sections additional trains are immediately possible, on others only after technical upgrades. For commuters that means: patience, keeping a close eye on timetable changes and being prepared to ask questions at information points — often a friendly chat with staff or the hotline helps more than you’d expect.

A pragmatic timetable for the coming months

Short term: public job postings, mobility days at stations and initial hiring rounds. Medium term: training partnerships, pilot late-night weekend lines and targeted infrastructure improvements. Long term: systematic modernisation of signals and double-tracking where necessary.

The island has countless commuter stories about delayed trains and hectic transfers. More staff is an important step, but not a cure-all. If policymakers and SFM pair the staffing increase with targeted investments in training and track infrastructure, noticeably better connections can be expected — first quietly, then more clearly felt when you catch a later train on a relaxed Saturday evening.

Tip: Pay attention to announcements at Estació Intermodal, follow SFM's official channels and use mobility days to ask questions. A friendly conversation at the information desk is often the best preparation for your next trip.