Spain's Rail Safety Measures Heightened Following Recent Tragedy

Mon Feb 02 2026 15:35:13 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In light of recent rail disasters and track faults, Spanish authorities have imposed temporary speed limits on high-speed train routes.

After a crack was detected in a high-speed rail line, the Spanish transport ministry has reduced speed limits on the Madrid-Barcelona route to enhance safety. This measure follows a tragic collision that claimed 45 lives, underscoring the need for increased oversight on the nation's rail infrastructure. Local services in Catalonia have also faced significant disruptions, prompting urgent calls for improvements in safety and investment.

Spanish rail authorities have temporarily reduced the speed limit on part of the high-speed line between Madrid and Barcelona after a fault was detected on the track.

Transport Minister Óscar Puente stated that a crack had been found on Sunday night in the line 110km (68 miles) west of Barcelona, between Alcover and l'Espluga de Francolí, in the Catalonia region.

This measure comes just days after a high-speed collision resulted in the tragic loss of 45 lives in southern Spain, amidst severe disruption to local rail services in the northeast of the country.

The transport ministry has assured that the fault in the line does not pose a danger to trains traveling along it, allowing operations to continue under the new restrictions.

The enforced speed limit will now be set to 80km/h (50mph) until further notice. Typically, high-speed trains on this route can travel up to 300km/h, making it one of Spain's busiest links.

This latest speed reduction follows previous temporary limits imposed on several sections of the Madrid-Barcelona line, which had recently been set at 230 km/h due to drivers reporting vibrations or anomalies on the route.

In addition to the main high-speed lines, some sections of the Madrid-Valencia line have also seen temporary reductions to 160km/h and 200km/h.

Meanwhile, the local Rodalies rail service in Catalonia is experiencing severe disruption. Recent incidents, including a tragic accident where a trainee driver was killed due to a collapsed wall, have heightened scrutiny on rail safety.

Political pressures are mounting, with the Catalan Republican Left (ERC) party alleging decades of underinvestment in the Rodalies network. Business leaders have echoed concerns about reputational damage accompanying the operational failures.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is set to address Congress regarding the ongoing rail crisis. Investigations are still active into the Adamuz high-speed crash, with reports suggesting problematic welds between older and newer sections of track may have contributed to the derailment.

Opposition politicians have leveled accusations against Transport Minister Puente, claiming misleading statements regarding public safety following the crash.