The circulation of the high-speed trains that link Madrid with Valencia and Alicante has been restored normally after having been suspended throughout this Friday due to an incident in the railway infrastructure that has affected the three operators that provide service on this line ( Renfe, Ouigo and Iryo).
Adif has communicated in a note that traffic has resumed on both roads once the repair work on an element of its electrical system, the catenary, in the vicinity of Monteagudo de las Salinas (Cuenca) has been completed.. Once circulation has resumed, Adif has indicated that it is analyzing the causes of the different incidents.
INFO: Suspension of circulation on the Madrid-Levante High Speed Lines.
👉🏻 https://t.co/zaZC19grne
For Renfe trains stopped along the way, a bus shuttle service is established between Albacete and Cuenca. In addition, Renfe has enabled empty material…
— InfoRenfe (@Inforenfe) October 13, 2023
In the middle of the Pilar bridge, the breakdown has affected thousands of travelers: Ouigo sources have explained to EFE that eight trains have been suspended and 3,983 passengers are affected; and from Iryo they estimate that 3,000 passengers have been affected by the cancellation of 12 trains, although two of them have relocated the passengers. Renfe has not provided figures. The tracks affected by the incidents were released this Friday afternoon, shortly after 6:00 p.m., once the trains stopped on the route have been removed and Adif has intensified the repair work, the railway infrastructure manager has reported..
This Friday morning, as reported by Adif, at 8:20 a.m., an incident at the facilities in Monteagudo de las Salinas (Cuenca) and, from 8:47 a.m., a lack of tension in the catenary between this municipality and Bifurcación Albacete forced to travel on a single track on this route. As a result of this lack of tension, a train operated by the operator Ouigo (of the French SNCF) has been stopped on the route..
Furthermore, since 11:56 a.m. yesterday, an incident that affects the electrification system (pantograph/catenary) has caused the stoppage of a high-speed train, which interrupts circulation on both tracks on the Monteagudo-Albacete Bifurcation section..
Due to an incident at the @Adif_es facilities in Monteagudo, the circulation of the High Speed trains on the Madrid – València and Madrid – Alicante lines is interrupted.
Customers who wish to change their ticket or cancel it may do so without…— InfoRenfe (@Inforenfe) October 13, 2023
As a result of their evacuation, the railway infrastructure manager has announced that circulation on this high-speed line is suspended today..
Renfe has reported that a bus shuttle service is established between Albacete and Cuenca for its trains stopped along the route.. In addition, the public operator has enabled empty material from Fuencarral to rescue the passengers of the Ouigo train stopped on the route, who have already been evacuated. Likewise, it has reinforced information and customer service personnel in the affected stations..
Renfe is contacting affected travelers to save them the trip to their station of origin and to inform them that they can change their ticket to travel another day or cancel it free of charge..
Atocha and Chamartín remain open all night
Adif reported that the Madrid stations of Chamartín and Atocha will remain open throughout the morning “to accommodate travelers who need it”. In Atocha, in addition, a room on the first floor was kept open for travelers arriving from Albacete via the conventional network..
The extension of the business hours of some restaurants at the Chamartín station was also managed to serve travelers.. Specifically, the Navelgas cafeteria extended its hours from 10:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.; and Areas will keep the Coffe And Bakery location open until that time. The opening hours in the morning will be at 6:30 a.m.