Rodalies Delays Hit 90 Minutes Despite Cancelled Strike
Rodalies trains in Catalonia ran up to 90 minutes late on Nov. 12 after rain and the general strike, even though the drivers' walkout was called off.
Commuters in Catalonia faced a second rough morning on Thursday, Nov. 12, even though the train drivers’ strike planned for the day was called off. Rodalies (the Catalan commuter rail network run by Renfe) was running late on several lines, with the R4 the worst affected at up to 90 minutes among the trains being monitored, according to La Vanguardia’s live coverage.
Renfe blamed rain and the operational fallout from Wednesday’s general strike. Too few trains were in position at the ends of the lines to start service normally, and the company set up replacement buses at various points on the network.
Where Rodalies is running late
Renfe’s latest figures cited by La Vanguardia showed 21 of the 62 monitored trains more than three minutes behind schedule, about 34%. The delays by line:
- R4: one train 74 minutes late, others 39 and 60 minutes behind, and passengers from Manresa toward Vilafranca del Penedès waiting up to an hour extra.
- R1: one train 60 minutes late, with passengers from Arc de Triomf toward Maçanet-Massanes waiting up to 58 extra minutes.
- R2 Nord: one train 44 minutes late.
- R2 Sud: one train 86 minutes late.
- RL4: one train 40 minutes late.
- R15: waits of up to 21 extra minutes at Torredembarra toward Móra la Nova.
The R2 also changed its routes between Gavà and Castelldefels from Thursday because of works, although the trains being monitored there had recovered punctuality. The R3, R13 and R14 kept alternative road services running.
High-speed trains and the metro
On the Barcelona-Madrid high-speed corridor, Renfe data showed 14 trains cancelled. Delays on the trains still running were put at 19 minutes in one report and 24 minutes in another. Between Barcelona and València, one Euromed was running 18 minutes late in the later summary, after seven minutes earlier in the morning.
FGC (Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya, the regional rail operator) reported normal service with regular frequencies. On the Barcelona metro, run by TMB, the L3 and L5 returned to regular frequencies, while the L1 had gaps of up to seven minutes between trains. The L2 stays closed between La Pau and Gorg for works until Dec. 3.
Roads: crashes, queues and a flooded route
The Servei Català de Trànsit (Catalonia’s traffic service) reported crashes on the C-58 and the AP-7. The C-58 crash caused queues on four kilometers into Barcelona toward the Nus Trinitat interchange, and a bus-VAO lane was opened. On the AP-7, a crash at Barberà del Vallès caused queues toward Girona.
The A-2, B-23, B-30, C-32 and both ring roads also had queues in the morning rush. The BV-2112 is closed in both directions at Sant Pere de Ribes, in the Garraf area, because of flooding. Trànsit gave no reopening time and told drivers to take other routes.
What this means for travelers today
Renfe recommended checking the service before traveling. Anyone who relies on Rodalies can find background on lines, tickets and compensation in our guide to Rodalies trains and delay refunds.
Evening plans are affected too. The women’s match between Barça and Arsenal at the Camp Nou starts at 18.45 and will divert seven TMB bus lines and the blue route of the Bus Turístic during the afternoon and evening.
Source: La Vanguardia
