Malaga train chaos: cockroach infestation and breakdowns force multiple cancellations

Hundreds of train passengers suffered delays as a bizarre combination of mechanical failures and a cockroach infestation led to the cancellation of at least six services on the busy C1 Cercanías line.

The disruption began early on 24 February, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded at stations between Malaga Centro-Alameda and Fuengirola.

According to Renfe, the state-owned rail operator, the chaos was triggered by a technical fault on one train and the discovery of insects on two others.

The presence of cockroaches forced Renfe to immediately withdraw two carriages from service for emergency fumigation. This hygiene crisis, coupled with a separate mechanical breakdown, resulted in a "trickle" of cancellations throughout the morning.

The issues were not confined to the coast. On the C2 line (Malaga-Álora), passengers reported delays of up to 35 minutes, further compounding a difficult morning for the province's transport network.

Affected travellers were advised to wait for the next available scheduled services, leading to significant overcrowding on the remaining operational trains.

This latest string of incidents adds to growing frustration among regular users of the Malaga suburban network, who have endured more than 30 separate service disruptions in the past month alone.