Overview

• Train drivers’ union SEMAF formally asked in early August to cap AVE speeds at 250 km/h on the Andalusian corridor and other routes, and the request has not received a public response.
• Drivers report strong vibrations and “bouncing” on some high-speed trains, citing risks such as bogie fissures and loose interior fittings, and note they can slow trains for safety when necessary.
• Appearing in Congress, Óscar Puente attributed this summer’s delays mainly to wildfires and an ageing fleet averaging over 20 years, and he referenced recent bogie cracks detected on Avlo units on the Madrid–Barcelona line.
• Renfe will suspend Avlo services between Madrid and Barcelona from 8 September, replacing them with AVE trains keeping similar frequencies and competitive prices, while Avlo continues in Andalusia.
• Large-scale renewal works on the 470.5 km Andalusian high-speed corridor, budgeted at about €700 million since 2021, continue alongside growing opposition pressure for explanations and remedies.