SFM reviews 150 years of rail transport with a book focusing on the autonomous era of Mallorca's railway
The publication traces the history of Mallorca's railway from its origins, with particular emphasis on the period that began in 1994, when the Government of the Balearic Islands assumed responsibility for rail services
Published in both Catalan and Spanish, the book is written by train driver and railway historian Carlos Olmo and has an initial print run of 1,000 copies
In 2025, Mallorca marked the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the railway on the island, commemorating a century and a half of infrastructure that has played a key role in its economic, social and territorial development.
To mark this milestone, Serveis Ferroviaris de Mallorca (SFM) has published 1875–2025. 150 Years of Railways in Mallorca, a book that traces the evolution of the island's railway network from the inauguration of its first line in 1875 to the present day. Particular attention is given to the period that began in 1994, when the Government of the Balearic Islands assumed responsibility for railway services transferred by the Spanish State. This transfer marked the beginning of the autonomous era of rail transport in Mallorca and led to the creation of the public company Serveis Ferroviaris de Mallorca, which has managed the network ever since.
The book was presented today at the Términus building in Palma, SFM's institutional headquarters, during an event attended by the company's Managing Director, José Ramón Orta, and the book's author, Carlos Olmo, an active train driver and researcher specialising in the history of Mallorca's railway.
The publication provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of Mallorca's railway over the past 150 years, placing its origins and the different stages of its development into context. It pays particular attention to the last three decades, coinciding with the autonomous management of the railway service, a period characterised by the restoration of rail services, the modernisation of infrastructure and the consolidation of rail as one of the island's main pillars of public transport.
The book is the result of years of research by Carlos Olmo, who combines his professional experience as a train driver with extensive historical research into Mallorca's railway heritage. This first-hand knowledge of the railway system, together with the publication's historical rigour, makes it an essential reference for understanding the evolution of rail transport in Mallorca and the transformation of the network during the autonomous era.
Holding the presentation at the historic Términus building reinforces the symbolic value of the publication, which aims to preserve and promote the island's railway heritage from a landmark closely linked to the history of rail transport and recently restored as SFM's institutional headquarters.
The first edition consists of 1,000 copies, including 600 in Spanish and 400 in Catalan.