Why does Renfe say that the trains were only 2.5 minutes late in the middle of the Rodalies chaos?

BarcelonaIt 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.

Renfe's data contrasts with that of the website puntual.cat, which indicates that during the month of February, the main suburban train lines suffered total delays exceeding 20 minutes and, in some cases, such as the R2 Sud or R3, the lack of punctuality exceeded 38 minutes on average.

"We calculate the time when the train was scheduled to arrive and the actual time it finally passes," explains David Cortés, programmer, collaborator of puntual.cat and member of Dignitat a les Vies. "It doesn't matter who is responsible, we think this is the useful data, and not this propaganda data they want to give, which is useless," criticizes Cortés, who recalls that the platform made its website, made through open data, available to the public administration, and it was rejected.""The public needs to know the complete data, the delays attributable to Renfe and also the others to get an idea of the whole picture," agrees Joan Carles Salmerón, director of the Terminus Transport Studies Centre. "I think it's correct for Renfe to study which delays are attributable to them, in order to improve, but users need to have all the information, including that of the other operators," of whom no one ever speaks, points out Salmerón.

Various sector sources suggest that behind the selection and reading of the figures lies the battle between the two companies – Renfe and Adif – which depend on the Ministry of Transport and are struggling not to become solely responsible for the crisis. The two companies separated in 2005 to comply with European regulations which, with the liberalisation of the sector, required the management of tracks and operations to be independent to guarantee free competition and allow other companies to operate trains using the same network. "This necessary separation, in other countries where railways function better, such as France or Germany, has been done differently – explains Salmerón –. In these cases, the operator and the infrastructure manager have remained, at least, within the same holding company, with the same president and with joint management. Here, a joint transparency effort is needed, which currently does not exist".