THE reopening of high-speed rail services between Madrid and Andalucia remains uncertain following last week’s derailment in Adamuz (Córdoba).
While the Ministry of Transport had initially set Feb 2 as the target date for fully restoring the connection, Transport Minister Óscar Puente has acknowledged that it may not resume by this deadline.
Speaking on Monday with TVE’s La Hora de La 1, Puente explained that ongoing judicial proceedings are preventing technicians from intervening along the entire affected stretch of track, slowing repair work and creating uncertainty around the timetable.
Although teams are advancing preparatory tasks such as work on the catenary and material stockpiling, the minister stressed that the final decision will depend on when court authorisation is granted.
A partial reopening using a single track at reduced speed remains a possibility, but would lead to longer journey times.
The suspension of high-speed services has continued to disrupt travel between Madrid and cities including Seville, Malaga, and Granada, prompting airlines such as Iberia and Air Europa to add extra flights on key routes.
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Meanwhile, the incident has renewed scrutiny of the state of Spain’s railway infrastructure, after a rail union revealed it had warned the Ministry last September about what it described as a ‘critical state’ of the network, citing insufficient maintenance, ageing systems and a rising number of incidents.
As investigations into the cause of the Adamuz accident continue, the government faces growing pressure to not only restore services swiftly, but also addresses broader concerns about safety, investment priorities and the long-term reliability of the rail system.
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