The strike called in Renfe and Adif for this Friday will mean the cancellation of 310 long and medium distance commercial trains, including the AVE service. Numerous travelers will be affected throughout the day by the suppression of 89 long-distance trains and another 221 medium-distance trains, in response to which Renfe offers users the alternative of traveling on another train or means of transport or a refund of the amount of the ticket.
The strike day called by the union Comisiones Obreras in Renfe and Adif is being held throughout the day today. By tomorrow, Saturday, normality is expected to return to train services, without scheduled interruptions.
The Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility has established minimum services, both long distance and medium distance as well as Cercanías. This Friday, 73% of long-distance trains and 65% of medium-distance trains will run. In the case of Cercanías, the minimum services are 75% during peak hours (from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., from 1:50 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.) and 50% the rest of the day.
In Rodalies, the minimum services established by the Department of Business and Labor of the Generalitat establish that from 6:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. they will be 66%, while in the rest of the day they will be 33%.
In total, 310 trains will stop running throughout the day due to the strike. 89 long-distance trains, including AVE, and another 221 medium-distance trains have been cancelled. In addition, 202 of the 268 scheduled freight trains will not run either.
Yes, it is a right that you have as a train passenger and that generally applies to all rail journeys and services within the European Union.
If the cancellation notice has been given at least 48 hours in advance, Renfe is obliged to provide you with transportation on another train or means of transport at the time closest to the one purchased. If you do not wish to make the trip, you can cancel or change your ticket to another date without any cost.
If you have been informed of the cancellation of your train within four hours prior to its scheduled start, you will also be entitled to compensation for double the amount paid.
In principle, there are no other compensations provided. The regulations expressly establish that the carrier will be exempt from liability for delays or cancellations caused by force majeure. However, the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) maintains that a strike cannot be considered “exceptional circumstances.” In this sense, it considers that they should be compensated under the same conditions as those provided for in Renfe’s punctuality commitment.
The OCU recommends that travelers affected by any of these incidents keep a copy of the tickets or invoices for the expenses incurred due to the delay or cancellation. As established by the rules, any traveler may claim, through judicial or arbitration, justified damages or losses that the cancellation of the trip or the delay in arriving at the destination causes.