The Madrid commuter rail service will be undergoing significant changes throughout the second week of February: in addition to the train drivers’ strike called by the main railway unions, there will also be a series of occasional disruptions and ongoing construction work, which together will be affecting normal train service.
Firstly, the train drivers’ strike is in effect throughout the country from Monday, February 9, and will continue on Tuesday, February 10, and Wednesday, February 11. The strikes, called by the railway unions after failing to reach an agreement with the Ministry of Transport, are a protest to demand safety measures following the fatal railway accidents in Adamuz (Córdoba) and Gelida (Barcelona).
The Secretary of State for Transport and Sustainable Mobility has established minimum services with the following percentages (except in the case of Catalonia and the Basque Country, where the competence lies with the autonomous regions):
- Commuter trains: 75% of current service during peak hours and 50% of current service during the rest of the day. Even so, Cercanías Madrid acknowledges that there will be “significant reductions in service,” so it is advisable to plan trips in advance.
- Medium-distance trains: 65% of normal services.
- High-speed/long-distance trains: 73% of normal services.
For those who do not wish to travel during these days of strike action—or whose trains are affected by it—they can change or cancel their tickets free of charge through all sales channels.
The C-3 and C-4 at Sol, no trains on February 14 and 15
Closure of the Sol tunnel for several days. | Editorial credit: Renfe
In parallel with the strike, users of the C-3 and C-4 lines of Cercanías Madrid will encounter additional traffic disruptions this week: the Sol station will be closed for improvement works on the railway tunnel. As a result, the lines will modify their usual route.
As a result, trains on line C-3 departing from Aranjuez will not reach the city center and will terminate at Atocha. As for line C-4, services from Colmenar Viejo and Alcobendas-San Sebastián de los Reyes will terminate at Nuevos Ministerios, and those from Parla and Getafe Sector 3 will also terminate at Atocha.
Works on the C-4 line of Cercanías Madrid
Image courtesy of: Draceane / Wikimedia Commons
Likewise, improvement works are being carried out at Parla station to renovate its tracks, and between January 17 and February 20, “the frequency of trains on the C-4 line of Cercanías Madrid between this station and Getafe Sector 3 will be reduced,“ as explained by Renfe in a statement. In this final phase of the works, the frequencies will be as follows:
Frequency on weekdays
• Parla – Getafe Sector 3 – Colmenar Viejo/Alcobendas-S.S. Los Reyes: 10 minutes all day, alternating between Alcobendas-S.S. Los Reyes and Colmenar Viejo.
• Alcobendas-S.S. Los Reyes/Colmenar Viejo/Getafe Sector 3: 10 minutes during peak hours, alternating between Acobendas and Colmenar Viejo.
• Frequency during rush hour between Cantoblanco and Getafe Sector 3: 5 minutes.
Frequency on weekends
- Parla – Getafe Sector 3 – Colmenar Viejo/Alcobendas-S.S. Los Reyes: 10 minutes all day, alternating between Acobendas and Colmenar Viejo.
Alternative means of transport
As an alternative while the work is being carried out, you can use different bus lines that cover the route:
- 460 Madrid (Plaza Elíptica) – Parla – Batres
- 461 Madrid (Plaza Elíptica) – Parla
- 462 Getafe – Parla
- 463 Madrid (Plaza Elíptica) – Parla – Torrejón de Velasco
- 464 Madrid (Plaza Elíptica) – Parla – Yunquillos
- 469 Madrid (Plaza Elíptica) – Parla