Six hours on the AVE high-speed train to travel from Barcelona to Madrid: "We don't know when we'll be able to resume service."
Delays and some cancellations are also being reported at Barajas airport.
Barcelona"I'm informing you that we're stopped. We'll resume our journey shortly, but we don't know when. We're stopped due to traffic on the network and the snow. And also due to structural problems." This message, issued this afternoon by a driver of a high-speed train stopped between Barcelona and Madrid, reflects the chaos on the AVE high-speed rail lines in recent hours. This chaos adds to the disruption experienced in recent days on the Cercanías commuter rail network. Furthermore, flights departing from Madrid are also experiencing delays this Wednesday due to the snowstorm.
Right now, according to Renfe sources, AVE trains are taking between one and two hours longer to complete the Barcelona-Madrid journey. This means the trip can take more than five hours. In some cases, it has taken six hours. There are several reasons for this situation. According to Adif sources, several speed restrictions have been implemented in recent days on certain sections of track, slowing the trains down. These limitations are linked to track inspections being carried out by operators following the tragic train accidents in Córdoba and Gelida. But this Wednesday, the snowstorm blanketing central Spain has added to the problem. Especially on the Zaragoza-Madrid line, trains must travel even slower due to the snow. The same is true on the approach to Madrid, one of the storm's epicenters. For example, on some sections where trains could travel at 300 km/h, they have to reduce their speed to 230 km/h. These limitations primarily affect braking and acceleration, and each driver has the autonomy to adapt to the restrictions differently, according to sources at Adif (Spain's railway infrastructure manager). Several passengers are indignant about the long journey times between the two cities. One passenger lamented that it took her six hours to get to Madrid from Barcelona on Tuesday. Other passengers boarded a high-speed train at 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday and were still stopped halfway through their journey after 1:00 p.m. The train driver's explanation wasn't entirely clear, and the minutes ticked by, even though he had promised an immediate resumption of service.
Delays at Barajas
High-speed train delays between Barcelona and Madrid are adding to a complicated situation at Barajas Airport. All of this is making travel between the two cities expensive. Aena, the Spanish airport authority, indicated that operations at the Madrid airport are slowing down due to the snowstorm. Cleaning crews are working on one of the four runways, and de-icing operations are underway on aircraft, causing flight delays. Aena is currently advising passengers to check with their airline for the status of their flights in the coming hours. The paralysis, however, is not only affecting travel this Wednesday. Trains are running slowly, and there are fewer and fewer flights between Barcelona and Madrid in the coming hours. Vueling is currently not allowing ticket purchases until Friday. And there is confusion among some buyers. One witness explained that they bought a flight from Madrid to Barcelona with Iberia this morning, scheduled for midday. A few hours later, they received a message saying it was canceled. However, the same flight could still be purchased on several websites that facilitate ticket purchases, although this option did not appear on the Iberia website. Iberia sources confirm that they had to cancel the flight to Barcelona scheduled for 1 p.m. due to the snowstorm. However, they indicate that there are no further disruptions. Aena confirms that two flights have been canceled: one that was to depart at 1 p.m. and one that was scheduled to arrive this afternoon.
The Adamuz line will be restored in ten days
Beyond the recent high-speed rail debacle, the Spanish government announced on Wednesday that it expects to restore service on the Madrid-Seville line within ten days, around February 7th. The line was closed on January 17th following the tragic accident in Adamuz, which claimed 45 lives. Transport Minister Óscar Puente informed X that judicial authorization was received on Wednesday to begin repairing the infrastructure damaged in the Córdoba accident. "Our goal is to have it completed in approximately ten calendar days," the minister predicted, although the Ministry of Transport clarified that the timeframe will depend on weather conditions.