The rail connection operated by Ouigo between Alicante and Madrid will be suspended for today, Friday, 30th October, and Monday, 2nd November, owing to a drivers strike. The company confirmed on Thursday the cancellation of all its trains across these dates, a measure affecting all of its Spanish routes and impacting nearly 20,000 travellers.
This decision marks a shift from the operator’s initial plan, which had anticipated maintaining part of its services via minimum operations. Nevertheless, a ruling by the National Court has provisionally suspended the conditions established by the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility.
Consequently, Ouigo has suspended 40 trains throughout Spain during the two strike days, including services scheduled on the Alicante-Madrid corridor. The company has not provided a breakdown of passenger numbers affected specifically on this route.
The cancellation also affects travellers using company services to depart from other stations in the province, such as Elche, on journeys forming part of routes heading towards the capital.
Passengers with bookings for either of the two dates will receive direct information from Ouigo. The company will allow tickets to be modified at no extra cost or a full refund to be requested, alongside offering an additional financial compensation.
A judicial ruling triggers train cancellations
The origin of the suspensions lies in the labour dispute between Ouigo and the Spanish Association of Railway Drivers (SEMAF). The union called two strike days on 7th October for 30th October and 2nd November due to disagreements regarding collective bargaining agreement applications.
To guarantee a portion of rail activity, the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility approved average minimum services of 72% on 27th October. The operator subsequently organised its movements and informed passengers which trains would remain outside that schedule.
However, the National Court issued a ruling on Wednesday, 28th October, provisionally suspending the ministerial resolution. Ouigo learned of the decision on Thursday and considered that it could not guarantee which services would be able to run during the strike.
The firm chose to cancel all scheduled departures to prevent passengers from arriving at stations without certainty regarding their journeys. The measure affects both trains initially cancelled and those the company had planned to maintain.
Ouigo explained that the suspension responds to its desire to avoid greater confusion at stations and reduce inconvenience for travellers. Furthermore, it affirms that it maintains talks with SEMAF to attempt to resolve the labour dispute.
The decision arrives during a week marked by rail transport difficulties following the serious accident recorded in Urda, within the province of Toledo. The operator expressed support for those affected by the incident and for all sector professionals.
Ticket refunds and compensations of up to 200%
Users who acquired tickets to travel between Alicante and Madrid on Friday or Monday can choose between two alternatives. The first consists of changing the travel date without paying any supplement. The second permits a full recovery of the booking amount.
In addition, Ouigo announced an immediate additional compensation of up to 200% of the ticket price, regardless of whether the passenger requests a change or a refund.
The company statement does not specify criteria for determining the exact percentage each client will receive. Therefore, affected individuals must consult the conditions communicated for their reservation.
The operator is contacting travellers via the email address provided when purchasing their tickets. Customer service channels also remain open to resolve queries regarding cancellations.
Passengers can consult reservation information and company notices on the official Ouigo website concerning the strike.
In any case, the announced suspension does not affect the entire All Saints long weekend. Trains scheduled for Saturday, 31 October, and Sunday, 1 November, maintain their usual schedule, according to information communicated by the firm.
Therefore, travellers from Alicante with journeys booked for Friday, 30th October, or Monday, 2nd November, must manage their changes or refunds, whereas services on Saturday and Sunday remain scheduled.
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