Rodalies train drivers have triggered a major transport crisis in Catalonia. Consequently, only six out of 140 scheduled drivers reported for duty this morning, causing a near-total shutdown of the commuter rail network. This mass absenteeism has left thousands of passengers stranded. Meanwhile, it has forced the regional government into urgent crisis talks with operators and unions.
Sílvia Paneque, the Catalan Minister of Territory, confirmed the figures in an evening press conference. She admitted that the service could not operate without drivers. Therefore, this coordinated refusal to work comes just 48 hours after a fatal accident on the R4 line claimed the life of a 28-year-old trainee driver.
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Rodalies train drivers trigger safety shutdown
The collapse in service stems directly from safety concerns among staff. These fears follow the incident between Gelida and Sant Sadurní d’Anoia. A passenger train collided with a containment wall that had been knocked onto the tracks by severe storms, killing the trainee in the driver’s cab. You can learn more about the fatal Gelida train accident that preceded this shutdown.
Although ADIF, the state agency responsible for rail infrastructure, declared the lines safe yesterday, Rodalies train drivers have refused to accept these assurances. In addition, the core of the dispute revolves around drivers demanding a written safety guarantee before resuming their duties. RENFE cited the lack of personnel as the sole reason for the inability to reactivate the service this morning.
New safety inspections agreed for Rodalies routes
Following an urgent meeting lasting several hours, the Generalitat has brokered a tentative agreement to restore confidence. Joint teams comprising technicians from ADIF and RENFE, alongside drivers from the SEMAF union, will conduct extraordinary supervisions of thirteen specific routes within the Rodalies network.
Despite this agreement, the government has not yet announced when trains will run again. The logistical disruption has been severe, affecting commuters across the region since yesterday. Furthermore, it has resulted in a significant traffic surge following the Rodalies suspension. The administration has opened an informative file on RENFE to investigate the service failure, though it has stopped short of issuing sanctions at this stage.
Dispute over ‘hidden strike’ by Rodalies drivers
The government is treading carefully regarding the legal status of the drivers’ actions. When asked if the mass absence constituted a “hidden strike,” Paneque refused to apply specific labels. She stated that the government’s role was to act on the consequences rather than categorise the situation.
This official narrative has been contradicted by union representatives. Francisco Cárdenas, a driver and UGT representative for Renfe Catalonia, claimed in a radio interview that drivers were present at their workplaces but that “there are no trains to move.” This conflicts directly with the minister’s statement that only a handful of drivers showed up.
Drivers have become a powerful force in the ongoing political negotiations regarding the transfer of Rodalies management. Last March, unions called off a strike only after receiving assurances that the new operating company would remain within the RENFE Group, limiting the direct control of the Generalitat.
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