First hours of Malaga commuter rail strike bring delays as operator fears further disruption

The train drivers' strike has begun in Malaga with continuous delays and relative calm. Passenger numbers have decreased, as many have followed state rail operator Renfe's advice and opted for alternative means of transport.

Renfe has already reported some delays on this first day of the three-day strike. The operator does not rule out the possibility of drivers failing to meet minimum service requirements throughout the day, as is happening in other parts of the country.

During the early morning hours, disruptions happened mostly on the two lines of the Malaga commuter rail network.

On line C2, the 5.44am train from Málaga Centro Alameda to Álora was delayed by 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line C1 experienced several disruptions: the 8.10am train from Malaga to Fuengirola departed 15 minutes late, while trains departing Fuengirola at 9am, 9.20am and 9.40am all suffered 15-minute delays at the El Pinillo, Aeropuerto and Carvajal stations, respectively.

Other services that reported delays were the 9.20am train at Malaga Airport, the 10.10am train as it passed through Torremolinos, the 11am train in Torreblanca and the 11.40am train in Torremuelle.

There has also been the suspension of an Avant train service between Malaga and Seville, whose passengers have been transferred by road.

Service disruptions will continue throughout the week. The general strike, which train drivers are also joining, is taking place on Wednesday.

On Thursday, 12 November, there will be partial strikes in three time windows: from 6.20am to 9.20am, from 2.20pm to 5.20pm and from 9.20pm to 11.20pm. Given this schedule of strikes, passengers are advised to plan their journeys in advance and consult the company's official channels for updated information.

Wednesday's and Thursday's protests are due to a work stoppage Semaf (Spanish union of railway drivers) called.

The drivers' demands stem from their belief that the Ministry of Transport has failed to implement the required safety measures. These demands originated after the serious accident in Adamuz and have intensified following the Urda tragedy.

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