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Spain has a sprawling railway network relied upon by thousands of locals and travellers each day, but there will be a significant reduction in services this week due to a nationwide strike.
Under Spanish law, a minimum service must continue to ensure commuters aren’t left stranded, but so far, euronews reports that more than 330 high-speed and medium-distance trains have been cancelled, leading to a highly disruptive week for those who rely on train travel.
Below is a roundup of everything you need to know about the rail strikes in Spain, including how each operator has been affected, why workers are striking, and how you can go about claiming compensation.
Why are train drivers striking in Spain?
In January, following several rail accidents in Spain – including the deadliest in decades, which tragically killed 45 and injured over 150 people – the Spanish Railroad Engineers and Trainmen’s Union called for the strike to improve safety standards across the country’s railway network.
According to Spanish paper El Mundo, a handful of specialised train drivers, hired by state-owned network manager Adif, were apparently left without work for extended periods. This is just one part of a wider criticism of Spain’s rail infrastructure maintenance.
There were three rounds of talks between the Union and Ministry of Transportation, but the two parties failed to reach an agreement.
Which services are affected?
Even during strike action, Spanish law dictates that essential public services must run at least a reduced capacity. Below is a roundup of what we can expect from each operator over the next three days, which has been laid out by the central government:
- Renfe: 75 percent of peak-time commuter services will run during the strikes, as will 50 percent of off-peak services. That’s along with 65 percent of medium-distance train services, and 73 percent of high-speed and long-distance trains.
- Ouigo: 73 percent of this operator’s services will run, which is 80 out of 110 trains.
If you have a train booked with either Ouigo or Iryo, all the details about cancelled services are available on their websites. Renfe has said that affected customers have been contacted via email.
There’s also information on the UK Foreign Office website about the affected line where the January 18 collision took place, including on the replacement services introduced by Renfe.
How long will the strikes last?
The strike window is from today, Monday February 9, until Wednesday February 11. Services should be back to normal on Thursday February 12.
What to do if your journey is impacted by the strikes
Under EU law, you’re entitled to a full refund within 30 days if your train has been cancelled because of strike action, and you’re also eligible to change your booking at no extra cost, either because of a cancellation or because you decide not to travel.
Operator Renfe has said this applies no matter how you booked your train, but for all the details on how to claim a refund, head directly to the service provider’s website.
📍 Check out the very best things to do in Spain.
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