Train travel across Spain is being disrupted this week as Renfe drivers strike over safety, following two deadly crashes on the Madrid-Seville high-speed line that killed 115 people this year. If you have a Spanish rail booking on 10 or 12 November, assume nothing until you've checked your specific departure.
The walkout on Tuesday, 10 November hit hard: around 40% of long- and medium-distance services were cancelled, along with roughly 90% of Madrid's commuter trains and about half of Barcelona's local services, according to figures from operator Renfe carried by Reuters.
The SEMAF union says it is not asking for anything new — it wants safety commitments agreed back in February with the transport ministry, Renfe and infrastructure manager Adif to actually be implemented, and negotiations to restart. According to the Catalan government, working groups on safety regulations, emergency protocols and operating procedures have been suspended since April. Both of this year's fatal crashes happened on the same high-speed corridor between Madrid and Seville, which helps explain why drivers are pushing so hard.
More disruption is confirmed for Wednesday, 12 November, with staff across the Renfe group involved. The transport ministry has set minimum service levels for that date averaging 65% for medium-distance trains and 72% for high-speed and long-distance routes, with separate arrangements for commuter networks. In Catalonia, minimum services on the 10th were set at 66% during peak hours and just 33% off-peak.
One important caveat: these minimum percentages are what operators are required to run — they are not a promise that your particular train will operate. Some departures will simply vanish from the schedule.
If you're caught in it, the sensible move is to verify your exact train with Renfe before heading to the station rather than trusting the timetable you booked months ago. Build in generous buffer time for connections, and have a fallback in mind — especially if a cancelled train could make you miss a flight or a long-distance connection. Spain's bus network and domestic flights are viable backups for key corridors like Madrid-Seville, and booking flexibility is worth paying for during strike days.
The strikes come at a awkward moment for a country that leans heavily on rail for both domestic travel and tourist routes — the Madrid-Barcelona and Madrid-Seville lines carry huge numbers of visitors. Anyone travelling in Spain this week should treat rail plans as provisional until confirmed, and keep an eye on Renfe's channels as talks between the union and the ministry develop.
