⚠️ Renfe strike: 31 July 2026
A 24-hour strike will affect Renfe services on 31 July 2026. Some services could be changed or cancelled, though there are guaranteed minimum service levels for Cercanías, Mid Distance (Media Distancia), High Speed (Alta Velocidad) and Long Distance (Larga Distancia) trains.
Updated on 29 July 2026
Planned minimum service levels
The following trains will run:
- Cercanías: 75% of trains in peak hours, and 50% during the rest of the day.
- Media Distancia (Mid Distance): 65% of usual services, with 432 out of 662 trains running.
- Alta Velocidad y Larga Distancia (High Speed and Long Distance): 73% of usual services, with 251 out of 343 trains running.
Service levels for Cercanías and regional trains may differ slightly in some territories:
- Catalonia: 66% in peak hours and 33% during the rest of the day.
- Basque Country: 50% in peak hours and 25% during the rest of the day.
- Trambahía (tram-train) in Cádiz: up to 75% in peak hours and 50% during off-peak hours.
Exchanges and refunds
Travellers whose train has been affected can choose to:
- Ask for a full refund, including supplements, without cancellation fees.
- Exchange your ticket to travel on another train or another date, subject to availability.
If your new ticket is cheaper, you'll be refunded the difference. If your new ticket is more expensive, you'll have to pay the difference in price (except for Premium tickets).
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
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.