Renfe Driver Strike Disrupts Rodalies and Halts Madrid Lines
A Renfe drivers' strike on Nov. 10 halted Madrid commuter lines and disrupted Rodalies in Catalonia, with more stoppages planned through Nov. 17.
A 24-hour strike by Renfe train drivers on Tuesday, Nov. 10, halted several commuter lines in Madrid and hit Rodalies (the commuter rail network in Catalonia), according to Spain in English. It is the first of three consecutive days of rail disruption in Spain this week.
The walkout was called by SEMAF, the Sindicato Español de Maquinistas Ferroviarios (Spanish Railway Drivers’ Union). Rodalies and Cercanías Madrid, the commuter service around the capital, both said the minimum services set for the strike day were not being respected. RTVE Noticias reported the same complaint.
What Rodalies and Renfe told passengers
Rodalies Catalunya said in a post on Nov. 10 that trains were not providing their scheduled service because the minimum services, the reduced timetable that must still run during a strike, had not been met. It recommended alternative transport and sent riders to its website for service information.
Renfe had warned a day earlier, on Nov. 9, that rail service would be heavily affected, with delays and very limited seats for passengers who needed to be moved to other trains. The company advised looking for alternatives and avoiding trips that are not essential. Changes and cancellations carry no cost, Renfe said.
Madrid lines out of service
Cercanías Madrid reported that no trains were running on lines C-2, C-3, C-4, C-5 and C-8. Only isolated trains were circulating on C-1, C-7 and C-10. The operator also advised passengers to look for other ways to travel and to check its official channels for updated information on the service.
A week of stoppages
- Tuesday, Nov. 10: 24-hour strike by Renfe drivers.
- Wednesday, Nov. 11: general strike, expected to disrupt rail travel again. Spain in English ties it to the housing crisis and says it comes ahead of an election.
- Thursday: another round of stoppages by Renfe drivers.
- Tuesday, Nov. 17: a wider railway strike, already scheduled.
What this means for rail users in Catalonia
People who rely on Rodalies face disruption on three days in a row, from Tuesday through Thursday, with a broader rail strike set for the following Tuesday. On Tuesday, Rodalies itself said the scheduled service was not being delivered, and Renfe said changes and cancellations on affected journeys cost nothing.
The dispute over minimum services is already part of the story on the first day. Both Rodalies and Cercanías Madrid say the level agreed for the strike was not kept, and they point passengers to their official channels for the current state of the network.
Source: Spain in English
