Trainline homepage
RailcardsBusiness

No tickets in your basket.

Why not plan a trip?

My Bookings
Loading...
Loading...

Train strikes in Spain

Renfe and OUIGO

Renfe strike

29 October 2026

The SEMAF trade union (the Spanish train drivers’ union) has called a 24-hour strike across the Renfe trains for Thursday 29 October 2026, from 00:00 to 23:59. The strike will affect rail services throughout Spain.

A minimum level of service has been established to ensure that some trains continue to run, although cancellations and changes to services may occur.

Important information for passengers

  • Minimum services: Commuter services (Cercanías) will operate at 75% of their usual frequency during peak hours and 50% for the rest of the day. Medium-distance services will operate at 65%, while high-speed and long-distance services will operate at 73% of their normal levels.
  • Changes and cancellations: Passengers whose AVE, Avlo, long-distance, medium-distance or Avant tickets are affected can request a full refund, including any add-ons, without cancellation fees. Alternatively, they can change their ticket to travel on another train or date at no extra cost, subject to Renfe’s terms and conditions.
  • Possible disruption: Minimum service levels do not guarantee that every train will run. Passengers are advised to check their journey status and review Renfe’s latest announcements before travelling.
  • Commuter services (Cercanías): Refund requests for unused tickets or travel passes must be submitted through the usual customer complaints channels.

For the latest information on affected trains, passengers should check Renfe’s official channels and the terms and conditions applicable to their ticket.

OUIGO strike

30 October and 2 November 2026

In response to the train drivers’ strike called by the SEMAF trade union for 30 October and 2 November 2026, the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility has set a minimum service level of 71% for OUIGO. Accordingly, 55 of the 77 scheduled services are expected to operate on those dates.

Affected passengers may choose to change their ticket free of charge or request a refund, in accordance with the applicable conditions based on the notice period and OUIGO Spain’s General Conditions of Carriage.

The cancelled trains and those scheduled to operate as part of the established minimum service levels are listed below.

Train strikes: a quick guide

A train strike can seriously disrupt your travel plans. If you’ve got a journey booked, your train may be affected by:

  • Cancellations
  • Delays
  • Changes to departure times

When this happens, train operators usually offer:

  • Free ticket changes
  • Full refunds

However, the exact process depends on the operator.

If your journey is affected, it’s important to know what to do in advance. On this page, you’ll find everything you need:

  • How to check if your train is affected
  • Your rights to change or refund your ticket
  • What steps to take next

What to do during a train strike in Spain

1. Check if your train is affected

Look up your train using:

  • Train number
  • Departure time

You can quickly see whether it’s:

  • Running
  • Cancelled
  • Or delayed

You’ll also find information on reduced (minimum) services, showing which trains are guaranteed to run

 

2. Check reduced service levels

During strikes, operators such as:

  • Renfe
  • iryo
  • OUIGO

run a limited timetable to maintain essential travel.

This helps ensure some services still operate, even if many trains are cancelled or delayed.

 

3. Change your journey or request a refund

Depending on the operator’s conditions, you can usually:

  • Get a full refund, or
  • Switch to another train free of charge

 

4. Consider alternative transport

If disruption is severe, you may want to:

  • Take a coach or bus
  • Travel at a different time

 

5. Contact customer support if needed

If your journey is complex or you need help, contact customer support for assistance.

Renfe strike

If your Renfe (AVE, Avlo, Cercanías) train is cancelled:

  • You can request help via Trainline
  • Claims can often be submitted on your behalf

 

Contact Customer Support

OUIGO strike

In the event of your train cancellation, OUIGO will contact you via email and WhatsApp (if you provided them with your phone number) and will offer you the following options:

Change your journey to another OUIGO train for free

  • You have up to 30 days from the date of your cancelled trip to make this change
  • To manage this change, you must go to your OUIGO Spain booking confirmation
  • Once you log in with your email address and travel locator, you will be able to choose your new travel date/time

Receive a voucher to use on future trips

  • You will find it in your OUIGO Spain booking confirmation
  • The validity is 12 months from the date it was issued
  • You can only use it on the OUIGO Spain website

Request a refund

  • You can request a refund to the original payment method
  • To process your return, please go to your OUIGO Spain booking confirmationto request it
  • If OUIGO Spain has already issued the voucher mentioned in point 2, you’ll see a “Deactivate” option in the same place
  • In order to process the refund, we need you to provide us with a screenshot of the email that the operator sends you once you request the deactivation of said voucher

iryo strike

If your iryo train has been cancelled, we're here to help.

Contact us through an online form and we will handle the claim for you.

 

Contact Customer Support

FAQs

Europe’s leading train and coach app

We help customers across Europe make more than 172,000 smarter journeys every day.

Get a link