Spain’s Railway Union has called a 24-hour strike for Wednesday, July 15, 2026, resulting in the cancellation of 328 trains across the country. The stoppage affects 94 of 343 scheduled high-speed and long-distance trains and 234 of 650 medium-distance trains operated by Renfe, the national rail provider.
In response, the Spanish Ministry of Transport has mandated minimum service levels during the strike, requiring at least 73% of high-speed trains and 66% of medium-distance trains to operate. This contrasts with the June 29, 2026 strike when only 1.83% of Renfe workers participated, allowing most services to run “normally across most of
the rail network,” according to Renfe.
The strike is rooted in the dispute over the future of Renfe Mercancías, the freight division. The Railway Union opposes the planned creation of a joint venture with Medway, part of the MSC group, accusing Renfe of abandoning its freight service. The union warns this threatens the workforce and fosters uncertainty without guarantees. The strike also follows breaches of an agreement made in November 2023 between Renfe workers and the Ministry of Transport.
Travelers scheduled to use Renfe services on July 15 are advised to verify train status before traveling. Affected passengers can change
tickets to other services or dates without extra charges or cancel without fees through official Renfe channels. Renfe highlighted the low worker participation during the June 29 strike, which limited disruption despite similar cancellation figures.
The Railway Union has alleged that Renfe “acted illegally to prevent the free exercise” of the strike and plans to pursue legal action addressing these alleged irregularities. The union describes the current situation as a “serious threat to Renfe’s workforce and creates an atmosphere of uncertainty” without guaranteeing worker protections.
