Spain cuts Madrid–Seville trains and adds second controller rule

Spain will run fewer high-speed trains between Madrid and Seville after the Urda crash. Control-room orders will also need a second human check when automatic safety systems fail.

Óscar Puente announced the steps on Tuesday, 3 November, after a Cabinet meeting. He resigned as transport minister later that day and left the 29 November election race.

The crash happened near Urda, Toledo, on 28 October. A Renfe AVE hit an Iryo train after the automatic safety system failed. The collision killed 69 people and hurt hundreds. Thirty-eight people were still in hospital when the plan was announced.

Fewer trains, with longer sets

Services will be cut until a safety review ends and ERTMS Level 2 starts work. The new system is due in early 2027 and will replace LZB on the route.

Puente said operators could join two train units to keep seat numbers near current levels. He said a longer train every 15 minutes could carry about as many people as a shorter one every seven minutes.

The aim is to leave more space between trains without a large loss of seats. Passengers may still face fewer departure times while the plan is in place.

Two people to check key orders

A second controller must now check decisions made when automatic block help is not available. Puente said staff will share tasks in a new way, rather than double the size of control rooms.

Renfe has set a 40 km/h limit when its automatic safety system is down. Iryo wants the same rule to apply to all train firms.

Control rooms will also get new alerts, digital records and clear train maps. The ministry plans to test an AI tool with a digital model of the high-speed network. Puente said this use of AI is still new ground.

The State Railway Safety Agency will run a one-off urgent audit. Other steps cover staff rest, fatigue checks, more training and tests of closed luggage spaces.

Fare cap during the closure

The government will also limit prices for other ways to travel while the line is shut. The rule covers air and road travel, plus rooms tied to affected trips.

The cap will use prices from before the emergency. No single euro limit applies to every trip, and the ministry has not set out the full formula.

Officials said some fares had risen to eight or nine times their old level after the crash. The rule aims to stop sharp rises while rail travel is cut.

Adif said on 3 November that the line was still shut between Mora y Orgaz and Urda. Puente said the aim was to restore the route within 10 days.

The Cabinet also approved €30 million in aid and advance payments for victims and families. Half is for urgent aid and half for advances.

Sources: Spain English, elDiario.es, Diario de Cádiz and The Guardian.