Spain’s Rail Strike Ends, but Portuguese Travelers Still Face Delays

The Spanish Transport Ministry has formally ended the nationwide train-driver walkout after reaching a 25-point safety deal, yet pockets of disruption will linger through the weekend and could still derail cross-border trips from Portugal.

Why This Matters

• 330 high-speed services scrapped — seat availability between Porto, Vigo and Madrid remains tighter than usual.

• Services mínimos stay in force until at least Monday; expect up to 50 % fewer suburban trains in Spanish cities where many Portuguese commute or study.

• Safety upgrades fast-tracked: Spain pledges +50 % budget for rail maintenance — a model Lisbon may watch as it prepares the 2030 Ferrovia plan.

• Minor unions still plan selective stoppages; travellers should hold refundable tickets and monitor Renfe’s live alerts.

How a One-Day Strike Still Echoes

The stoppage began on 9 February as a protest over two fatal crashes that killed 47 people in January. Although the majority union SEMAF signed a last-minute accord the same afternoon, the initial 24-hour paralysis had already forced Renfe to cancel 330 AVE trains and hundreds of regional connections. The private operators Iryo and Ouigo matched the cuts, citing staff shortages.

Smaller groupings — CGT, Alferro and Sindicato Ferroviario — rejected the deal and continue “lightning strikes,” mostly on high-speed lines. Renfe says only 2 % of its workforce is part of these hold-outs, but even a handful of missing drivers can ground an entire Madrid-Barcelona rotation.

What ‚Services Mínimos‘ Actually Mean

Under Spain’s Real Decreto-Lei 17/1977, the government sets compulsory minimum operations when an essential public utility is hit by industrial action. For this dispute the Transport Ministry ordered:

• Suburban (Cercanías/Rodalies): 75 % at rush hour, 50 % the rest of the day.

• Alta Velocidad/Longa Distância: 73 % of normal timetable.

• Média Distância: 65 %, often buses fill the gap.

• Freight: 21 %, protecting supply chains for fuel and perishables.

Drivers assigned to these skeleton rosters must report for duty or face dismissal. The Constitutional Court upholds the rule on proportionality, balancing the right to strike with the public’s right to mobility.

Current Picture on Key Routes

• Porto–Vigo Celta: Continues twice daily, but Renfe warns of possible crew swaps in Vigo, adding 20-30 min to journeys.

• Lisbon–Madrid night service (Talgo replacement bus): Running, yet sleepers sold out through Sunday.

• Algarve holidaymakers using Seville’s Santa Justa station should check if their return leg aligns with a CGT stoppage window; some late-evening AVE trains will not operate.

Meanwhile, maintenance work unrelated to the strike has shut Sol station on Madrid’s Cercanías C-3 and C-4 corridors, compounding platform crowding.

What This Means for Residents

Day-trippers: Buy flexible tickets; Renfe waives exchange fees for all bookings until 15 February.

Students & cross-border workers: Allow extra time at Vigo-Guixar and Badajoz; security may meter entry to platforms during rush hour.

Business travellers: The Lisbon–Madrid air shuttle faces higher demand; return fares topped €200 on Thursday — double the seasonal average.

Investors in Iberian rail: Spain’s €700 M promise to harden track maintenance strengthens the argument for similar outlays on Portugal’s Atlantic Corridor, especially ahead of the 2028 World Expo bid.

Will More Strikes Follow?

Transport economists say the historic agreement removes the bulk of grievances, but the minor unions can lawfully call fresh stoppages with 10 days’ notice. A monitoring committee will meet every quarter; failure to deliver the pledged 50 % maintenance budget hike would reopen the conflict.

For now, the prudent move for Portuguese travellers is simple: assume partial normality, stay app-alert, and keep a Plan B — whether that’s a coach ticket or a colleague willing to jump on a video call instead of an in-person meeting in Madrid.