Madrid-Barcelona high-speed trains now face reduced schedules and longer journey times. Adif, Spain’s railway infrastructure manager, has agreed with operators Renfe, Iryo, and Ouigo to cancel the final daily services in both directions. Consequently, passengers on remaining services should expect trips to take approximately 25 minutes longer. These measures start on Thursday, 5 February, to allow essential overnight maintenance.
Maintenance window requires track closures
According to railway sources, the decision secures a wider window for conservation tasks. Previously, late-night trains arrived during hours now designated for infrastructure review and repair. Therefore, by removing these services, Adif guarantees maintenance teams can work unimpeded. Meanwhile, operational speed on the line has been adjusted for safety, resulting in the 25-minute extension for all other trains. Operators are now optimising schedules to align with these constraints. In addition, Renfe and Iryo have ended compensation for delays caused by Adif speed restrictions.
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Specific cancellations for Madrid-Barcelona high-speed trains
The three main operators have adjusted their timetables in response to Adif’s request:
- Renfe: The operator cancelled AVE trains departing Madrid-Puerta de Atocha at 20:27 and 21:07. Similarly, trains leaving Barcelona-Sants at 21:05 and 21:15 have been removed.
- Ouigo: This low-cost operator suspended the 06:25 departure from Barcelona and the 21:02 departure from Madrid. To accommodate affected passengers, the company uses double-length trains on adjacent services. For example, passengers from the morning Barcelona train moved to the 07:35 service.
- Iryo: The Italian operator cancelled its final daily services between the two cities last week. This ensures sufficient rotation times for its fleet.
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