"Red Lightning"

The historic tram in Sóller

A major tourist attraction on Mallorca's west coast is the famous tram which connects the small town of Sóller with the Port de Sóller district on the Mediterranean coast. It is colloquially referred to as "red lightning".

Romantic Tram on Mallorca's west coast

The "Red Lightning" tram links the coastal town of Port de Sóller with the small hinterland town of Sóller on the northwest coast of Mallorca. The latter settlement is located on the west coast of Majorca in the so-called "Valley of Gold", which owes its name to the thousands of orange trees growing there and the local olive oil industry. Sólller is nestled in behind the mountain peaks of the Serra de Tramuntana in the north of Mallorca , with its flanks of orange tree plantations and pine forest.

The roughly 15-minute journey in the historic railcars passes by fragrant orange groves before passing the old Mallorca's Ports facilities as you arrive in Port de Sóller. Three railcars and the attached no.5 and no.6 carriages date back to the tramway's inception in 1913. A special feature are the open sided wagons, which are fitted with wooden benches.

The historic tram's origins

The history of the tram is closely linked to that of the Tren de Soller historic railway of Mallorca (the railway line that as connected the small town in the Tramuntana mountains with the island's capital Palma de Mallorca since 1912. The tramline opened in 1913 as an extension of the route was opened in 1913. From the word go the railcar were operated using electricity. Initially, the train performed a dual function as a means of transporting people and goods.

Freshly caught fish and seafood were thus able to be quickly transported from the harbour to the harbour's hinterland city. Coal and ammunition were transported in the other direction to the former submarine and naval base at Port de Sóller. The energy supply was provided by a separate power station located at the Sóller railway station. The historic tram covers a distance of almost five kilometers and bounces back and forth between the two villages every half hour. A single trip with the "Red Lightning" costs 6 euros. (As of 2016)