Hundreds of rail services in Spain have been cancelled this week due to a three-day strike by train drivers and other rail workers.
More than 300 trains have been cancelled during the strike, which runs from Monday to Wednesday (9-11 February), as unions take industrial action over safety and labour improvements.
The walkout comes just weeks after a major collision between two trains in southern Spain, which killed 46 passengers and left hundreds more in hospital. This was followed two days later by another incident when a driver was killed and nearly 40 passengers injured after a train derailed near Barcelona.
Train operators Renfe, Iryo and SNCF’s Ouigo have been forced to cancel around 330 high-speed and medium-distance services due to the three-day strike, with commuter services in Spain also impacted.
Renfe is planning to operate 73 per cent of scheduled high-speed and long-distance trains, while 65 per cent of scheduled medium-distance services are due to run during the strike period.
Rail operators have advised passengers to check the status of services before they go to stations as schedules could vary in the next few days.
Unions are in dispute with the Spanish government and train operators over their calls for increased safety guarantees on the country’s rail network.