A train strike in Spain is causing major disruptions to passengers this week.
Train drivers and railway workers are walking out between 9-11 February. As of Monday morning, it has already resulted in the cancellation of more than 330 high-speed and medium-distance trains. Commuter services are also impacted.
The operators Renfe, Ouigo and Iryo have jointly cancelled these services as a result of the strike and are running minimum services, forcing thousands of passengers to change their travel plans.
Which trains are still running during Spain’s strikes?
In order to guarantee essential journeys for citizens in Spain, the Secretary of State for Transport and Sustainable Mobility has established minimum train services during the strike days.
Renfe Cercanías (commuter) services will be maintained at 75 per cent during peak hours and at 50 per cent during the rest of the day, while 65 per cent of the usual services will run on medium-distance trains. In the case of high-speed and long-distance trains, minimum services are set at 73 per cent of scheduled journeys.
These percentages are set by the central government in accordance with current railway legislation, although there are territorial exceptions. In Catalonia, the Generalitat is responsible for determining the minimum services for suburban and regional trains operating entirely within the region, whereas in the Basque Country this falls to the autonomous government for Iberian and metric gauge suburban trains.
Ticket changes and refunds during Spain’s train strikes
Renfe says affected passengers can cancel or modify their tickets at no additional cost, regardless of the sales channel used. This measure applies both to passengers whose trains have been cancelled and to those who decide not to travel during the strike.
The operators recommend that passengers check the status of services before going to stations, as train schedules may vary throughout the day.
How long will Spain’s train strike last?
The strike will continue until Wednesday 11 February. It comes after unions failed to reach an agreement with the Ministry of Transport and the companies in the sector.
The trade union organisations defend the stoppages as a measure to demand labour and safety improvements.
The beginning of the year was marked by several railway accidents in Spain, including the deadliest in decades, which has intensified the debate on safety on the network, working conditions and the need to reinforce operational protocols. This has increased pressure on both companies and the administration in the midst of negotiations with the unions.
Spain has fallen behind in rail network inspection
Several specialised train drivers who were hired for network supervision by state-owned railway network manager Adif have said that they were left without assigned tasks for extended periods, despite having contracts to carry out this work, according to Spanish newspaper El Mundo.
This complaint from train drivers is part of a wider criticism of the management of rail infrastructure maintenance, which some workers see as uncoordinated and ineffective.
The fleet designed to inspect the tracks has in many cases been inoperative or in prolonged approval phases, which, in the complainants’ view, has hampered the ability to continuously monitor the network.
This situation was the subject of an injunction from the Labour and Social Security Inspectorate, which pointed out the absence of work calendars and annual timetables for these drivers, a basic element to ensure that they could carry out their duties normally.