HIDDEN in the Pyrenees mountains is what’s considered to be the ‘unluckiest’ train station in the world – which could soon welcome new international routes.
The Canfranc Estación has been through the ringer from fires to smugglers, but could soon see international visitors arrive by rail.
5
5
Win one of 8 incredible holidays to the Caribbean, Mexico and Greece by voting in The Sun’s Travel Awards – enter to win here.
Canfranc Estación first opened as an international railway station in 1928 and was considered a major hub by the French and Spanish.
Found right on the border, it was set to be the ideal spot for cross-border travel between the countries.
However, it closed 42 years later after many disasters.
The first took place in 1931, when the train station’s lobby was damaged in a fire.
Just five years later in 1936, during the Spanish Civil War, the Spanish-side tunnels were closed in order to stop arms smuggling across the border.
Finally, in 1970 a train derailed on the French side of the line and destroyed a nearby bridge.
France then abandoned it and consequently the station closed, resulting in the nickname ‘Titanic of the Mountains’.
Yet after years of closure, the railway station was given a new lease of life when it reopened its doors in 2023, this time as an incredibly grand five star hotel.
Ditching its ‘Titanic’ nickname, the building is called as ‘A Royal Hideaway Hotel’.
5
5
Inside, the decor leans into its 1920s heritage, from the grandeur of the lobby to the rounded windows, tile flooring, ticket booth and clock.
There’s a total of 104 rooms and suites inside which range from a Deluxe Room, to a Duplex Suite which stretches across two floors.
Of course whichever window you look out of, you get incredible views of the Pyrenees mountains or Canfranc.
Guests can choose to dine in a French restaurant that’s found inside a restored train carriage on the abandoned tracks.
Any visitors wanting to relax can do so at the hotel’s Wellness Centre where there’s an indoor spa, heated swimming pool and tea station.
Currently, services to Canfranc are extremely limited with the only train journey on offer between the mountain municipality and the Spanish city of Zaragoza.
A new railway station in Canfranc is found opposite the hotel and at the moment only handles domestic trains, but that could be set to change.
Currently, the European Union is funding the reconstruction of the 310km Zaragoza-Pau line, which could reopen in 2028, according to the BBC.
The reopening of the line would mean reconnecting with France by rail – and could welcome international travellers by rail rather than the ever increasing road traffic.
The hotel’s assistant general manager Pilar Alfaro said: “For the hotel, it would mean welcoming more international guests arriving by train, adding to the romantic allure of the journey itself.”
For more impressive railway stations that used to be hotels, have a look here – lots have original features and converted rail carriages.
5
