It was the worst moment of the railway crisis. There were disruptions on practically all lines, multiple daily alerts indicating problems with Rodalies (commuter rail) and more speed restrictions than ever. Users were at their limit and, to top it off, the train drivers went on strike. All this happened last February, when the Rodalies service experienced one of the most complicated moments in its history. Far from what users perceived, however, the statistics compiled by Renfe to analyze delays point in another direction: according to the operator, in February trains had an average delay of only 2 and a half minutes. speed restrictions than ever. Users were at their limit and, to top it off, the train drivers went on strike. All this happened last February, when the Rodalies service experienced one of the most complicated moments in its history. Far from what users perceived, however, the statistics compiled by Renfe to analyze delays point in another direction: according to the operator, in February the trains had an average delay of only 2 and a half minutes.This is reflected in theMonthly Report on Commuter Rail Service Punctuality that Renfe prepares for all autonomous communities each month. It specifies that the delay is 2 and a half minutes if all trains are taken into account (punctual, early, and delayed) and that, if only the trains that are late are taken into account, then the average delay climbs to 26 minutes. But how is it explained that the month when the network worked worst, with a train drivers' strike included, the trains were delayed so little on average? Renfe explains that this statistic only takes into account delays that are "attributable to the operator and over which Renfe can act to improve", and not any other external element, such as all infrastructure incidents, for example. In fact, Renfe's figures indicate that if only problems arising from the operator itself are taken into account, 90% of trains were delayed by less than five minutes. On the other hand, if all circumstances are added up, only 16% of trains arrived on time. "The publication of this data – continue the operator's spokespeople – is a further step in the transparency policy that no other operator is undertaking," they point out.The company's own president, Álvaro Fernández Heredia, explained it this way in a message responding to the spokesperson for the Dignitat a les Vies platform, Anna Gómez, on the social network X.

The Civil Guard has fewer and fewer hypotheses on the table to try to find out why two trains collided in Adamuz, in the province of Córdoba, on January 18, an event that caused 46 fatalities. In fact, the Spanish police are now practically only investigating one of the hypotheses: a track breakage would have caused a derailment of an Iryo train traveling towards Madrid, which collided with an Alvia train that was moving in the opposite direction at that time.

Problems are piling up on the R2 Sud Rodalies line, in Garraf, since the tunnel maintenance works began two weeks ago. The alternative transport plan designed to ensure train circulation while the work continues is not working. The reason? Some of the drivers have refused to work with the new schedules defined by Renfe for this operation, which has rendered the new timetable for the trains useless, as they now run on a single track due to the works. The Spanish drivers' union Semaf alleges that the company did not comply with the established deadlines to give sufficient notice of the changes.

The tragedies in Adamuz and Gelida in January, which caused 47 fatalities, cast doubt on the entire Spanish railway system, not only because the accidents called into question the maintenance and safety of the network, but also because since then train travel has not been the same. In Catalonia, Rodalies still suffers from line closures, speed restrictions and service delays, and high-speed journey times have lengthened. Trips from Barcelona to Madrid now take half an hour longer due to the system, and there are unexpected delays and stops on the tracks without anyone providing any explanation to users. The reason is the speed restrictions imposed by the ministry – especially on the Zaragoza-Calatayud stretch – following incidents reported by train drivers. What complaints are we talking about? Were there more incidents than usual after Adamuz? Did the labor dispute between the Semaf union and the ministry, which ended in a strike, have anything to do with it? And more importantly, what actions has Transport taken to resolve the state of the infrastructure? ARA made a transparency request to the Spanish government to clarify these points, but the request has been rejected. In other words, the public administration has refused to release this information, and the Communications Department of the Ministry of Transport refers to the official response given through the transparency process.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office will also investigate the tragic train accident in Adamuz, Córdoba. in which 46 people died on January 18thSpecifically, the European Union Public Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation into possible fraud involving European funds in the maintenance of the high-speed rail line connecting Madrid and Seville, the section where the accident occurred. "This exceptional confirmation comes after significant public interest. No further details will be made public at this stage," stated the European Public Prosecutor's Office in Madrid. This EU body is responsible for investigating crimes that may affect the EU's financial interests. In this case, according to EFE, the investigation seeks to determine whether there was embezzlement and misappropriation of European aid in the use of European funds. SER reports that the investigation is looking into whether there was misappropriation in the management of the more than €100 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) allocated to these works. The Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, has confirmed that the European Public Prosecutor's Office has been investigating the accident since it occurred. In his opinion, the agency intervenes in "all cases involving European funds." "For whatever reason, it's being presented today as a major development, but it isn't," he stated in a social media post. On January 30, European prosecutors Luis Miguel Jiménez Crespo and Juan José Navas Blánquez requested from the Ministry of Transport "all signed contracts and the corresponding file numbers related to the section of the railway network where the accident occurred." Meanwhile, the investigation into the causes of the accident is being conducted by an investigating court in Andalusia.

€53.8 billion by 2043 to prevent the collapse of infrastructure in Catalonia. This is the calculation made by the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce through its new Infrastructure Observatory, which produced the study. Strategic projects for Cataloniawhich affects airports, railways, roads, ports, logistics, and water transition. "Current investment must be doubled," summarized the Chamber's vice president, Miquel Martí. Without addressing the investment deficit, "the system will collapse," he said. The Chamber representative called for a national agreement on the matter, led by the Catalan government. The president of the Chamber and of the Council of Chambers of Commerce of Catalonia, Josep Santacreu, stated that the necessary effort cannot be undertaken "without a united effort," such as "a major national agreement on infrastructure," and called for "local management" of these projects.

Resignation is the prevailing feeling on the first day of the launch of the alternative services. railway maintenance works in the Garraf tunnelsEarly Monday morning, Adif began work to improve this infrastructure, which is badly damaged by marine corrosion. This also meant it was the first day of the alternative road plan, using buses, organized by Renfe to mitigate the effects and ensure mobility for its customers. However, many users say they have long been accustomed to the bus due to the constant disruptions and construction, especially on this section of the rail network. Therefore, today's work didn't "surprise" them. Others lament the fact that the new system will force them to get up earlier or reorganize their workday. This is the case for Andy, who commutes to Barcelona every day and now says he will have to get up 40 minutes earlier. "The train is never good, I've gotten used to the bus," explained Cesc Lacalle, a student, in statements to ACN. Yolanda, another traveler, explains the same thing: for months she's preferred to leave "with more time" but with the option of arriving on time, she says. Selena, who says she usually travels by bus for convenience, considered this morning, during rush hour, that the increased service is "a great solution, as far as possible."

The latest Commuter Rail Plan, the most up-to-date, is almost 300 pages long. It's the document that details all the railway works planned from now until 2030 to improve the Catalan network: it explains what they consist of, specifies their cost, and establishes a timeline. These range from the most ambitious projects, such as the Sagrera station, the doubling of the R3 line, and the undergrounding of the Montcada station, to much smaller, faster, and even cheaper projects that can significantly improve the network's capacity. One of these smaller planned projects is in Tordera. It's classified under the section of "strategic" works programmed to "improve network capacity" and involves building a siding in front of this station, on the section of the R1 line between Blanes and Maçanet-Massanes. "This section is single-track, without sidings, for a length of more than 15 kilometers," the plan notes. "To facilitate the resolution of incidents that may disrupt the normal operation of the line, it is proposed to reinstate the siding and platform formerly in use at Tordera station," the document continues.

A scare in La Garriga. Part of a bridge spanning the Onze de Setembre avenue in the town collapsed this Saturday morning. The incident caused no injuries, but forced the closure of the central avenue. The Town Hall explained that the area is affected by the R3 line doubling works, which have kept rail service suspended since autumn. The council maintains that it is a safety risk zone and alleges that the collapse is due to "poor execution of the works." Therefore, they announce that they will demand explanations and accountability from Adif, the infrastructure manager and the company responsible for the project. According to municipal sources, the Onze de Setembre avenue is a busy thoroughfare and a main route between the eastern and western parts of the town. The collapse occurred mid-morning, at a time when no vehicles were passing, which is why no injuries were reported. The R3 roadworks have caused mobility restrictions in this area since January, and the City Council says they have been complaining for some time that the work is not being carried out "properly." The mayor of La Garriga, Meritxell Budó, explained to ARA that she believes there is a "lack of coordination" that is leaving the works unfinished. In a message on social media, the Councilor for Economic Development, Commerce, Mobility, and Climate Action, Àlex Valiente, explained that the situation in the municipality with the construction "creates hazardous situations." Valiente asserted that the council has been denouncing this "at every follow-up meeting" for some time. "And in the end, it happened," he concluded before demanding "immediate solutions."

Let me start with a piece of news that shouldn't be news, but you'll soon understand why I'm opening the analysis with it: 50 days after the fatal accident in Gelida, Trains ran between Ripoll and La Garriga this morning.For now, there will be one train per direction every hour, with speed limits on sections where risks still exist. The alternative road service that has been in place for the last month and a half will continue. Applause, and that's about it.

For months, users had been demanding action, and the Catalan government had assured them it would address the issue. Finally, this Thursday, Renfe announced that it will replace some of the trains offering Avant services to provide more daily seats between Lleida, Tarragona, and Barcelona starting next week. These regulated-fare high-speed trains, used to connect major cities, have become an alternative, albeit a more expensive one, for most commuter rail users, given the constant chaos of the conventional Catalan rail network. as NOW already explainedBut demand has increased so much that the service was also on the verge of collapse.

A month and a half later tragic train accident in Adamuz The investigation into the train crash—which resulted in 46 deaths—is ongoing, and all hypotheses regarding the causes remain open. In a report submitted to the court overseeing the investigation and signed on February 17, the Civil Guard admitted that it did not yet have sufficient evidence to completely rule out or confirm any of the possibilities. Precisely in response to this report, the investigating magistrate authorized officers on Monday to review the data from the black boxes and the surveillance camera footage from the two trains involved in the accident. One hypothesis that remains open and strong is that the cause of the crash was a problem with the railway infrastructure. Investigators are certain that a rail and a weld broke, but so far they have not been able to determine whether the rail break caused the weld to fail, or vice versa. In any case, the reasons for this breakage would also need to be clarified, and the Civil Guard is considering several possibilities. On one hand, there is the possibility that a defective rail caused the derailment of the Iryo train, which collided with the Alvia train traveling in the opposite direction. Investigators have requested data from Adif (Spain's railway infrastructure manager) regarding the batch of rails used on this section to clarify the matter. Another possibility is that a rail weld was defective and broke, so the Civil Guard has also requested information on the workers who performed the welding.

The Secretary of State for Transport, José Antonio Santano, has reacted in the controversy generated by the alleged removal of railway equipment from the area of ​​the Adamuz accident in January, "under cover of darkness and without judicial authorization." In a public appearance this Tuesday in Barcelona, ​​Santano denied any wrongdoing and defended Adif's work.

Nine Tuesdays of difficulties in rail mobility, this time also affecting Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC). The Catalan train operator faces the first of the five days of strikewhich has called on the Semaf union to strike on February 24th and 25th and March 2nd, 3rd, and 4th to demand greater safety on the service.

This article aims to define how train services in Catalonia can be separated with two objectives: to clearly identify the responsibilities of the Catalan government (Generalitat) and the central government, and to facilitate their management. The proposal negotiated between the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) and the central government does not achieve this goal. Responsibilities are shared, and management is entrusted to Renfe, an operator that has demonstrated its shortcomings in the current model. This is the solution that will most likely be implemented because it is the quickest and most practical: first, we recover the commuter and regional train services. When the system's limitations become apparent again in the short term, it will be necessary to remember that better alternative solutions exist. The one proposed here is one of them.

This Friday marks one month since the tragic Gelida train accident On the night of Tuesday, January 20, 2026, a commuter train derailed near Gelida, on the R4 line between Martorell and Sant Sadurní d'Anoia. The accident resulted in the death of a young trainee train driver and left five people seriously injured after a retaining wall collapsed onto the tracks. The accident caused a complete shutdown of the line and affected hundreds of passengers, highlighting the fragility of a railway infrastructure marked by decades of underinvestment and an aging train fleet.

The Renfe train drivers' strike lasted one day, because yesterday it was cancelled after negotiations between the unions and the ministry in Madrid.

The train drivers and the rest of the Renfe and Adif workersThe strike was called off at noon The train strike that began this Monday has been called off, according to Semaf General Secretary Diego Martín, after another meeting with the Ministry of Transport. Hours later, the railway unions explained that they had reached an agreement with the Spanish government to call off the strike. This agreement includes increased investment in track and train maintenance, improved safety measures, and strengthened mechanisms to ensure compliance, as Martín explained. Thus, the planned strikes for Tuesday and Wednesday have been suspended. This Tuesday, eight commuter rail lines—R1, R3, R4, R7, R8, RG1, R15, and RL4—continue to experience service disruptions, and alternative bus services have been arranged to cover their routes. The agreement reached by the unions Semaf, CCOO, and UGT—but not CGT, which is maintaining the strike—with the Spanish government is based on improved investment in infrastructure and working conditions in the sector. "It's a historic agreement for the railway," the union leader told the media. The general secretary of Semaf explained that the more than 25-page national agreement will "double" investment in rail and should establish "clear limits and responsibilities" for the main players in the sector. In fact, the largest union confirmed that they are calling off the strike because they have achieved "all the demands" they had made. Among the main measures included in the agreement is the classification of breaks of less than 45 minutes taken by train drivers as "driving time." Regarding Adif, the agreement establishes "fixed and permanent" regular meetings with workers and a 77% increase in maintenance spending by 2030, reaching the budgeted 1.179 billion euros. Regarding high-speed rail, spending will increase by 44%, rising from €435.6 million last year to €629 million. As for staffing, an agreement has been reached to create 1,200 additional contracts for maintenance and driving, among other roles, at Renfe, and 2,400 additional positions at Adif over a four-year period. Furthermore, the agreement, which has helped to demobilize the sector, includes the creation of a working group to develop a common protocol for responding to weather alerts and the insourcing of maintenance for some trains—including those used in Tarragona and Portbou—and for any new trains that are put out to tender. The agreement also highlights the fact that a committee must be established within a maximum of one month to harmonize and coordinate railway risk management actions, that a working group must be created with Adif to monitor the implementation and removal of temporary speed restrictions (TSRs), and that a document regulating notifications must be drafted by the workers.

The week begins under the shadow of two pieces of news, one good and one bad. The bad one? Train drivers' strikeThe good news? The AP-7 motorway reopened this morning after being closed for three weeks. All three lanes between Martorell and Gelida are now open in the direction of Tarragona.

Adrià Ramírez (Taradell, 1987) is the president of Public Transport Promotion (PTP), one of the user associations leading Saturday afternoon's demonstration against the management of the commuter rail service. The PTP, which is not affiliated with any political party, has been acting as a lobbying group for years within the rail sector and the public administration. "I encourage all train users to approach their nearest platform: that's often how things start to move," he says.