Spain’s train drivers call for strike as deadly derailments fuel concern

Union slams ‘constant deterioration of railway’ after major crash in southern Spain kills at least 43, injures dozens.Published On 21 Jan 2026The largest train drivers’ union in Spain has called for a nationwide strike to demand safety assurances after three derailments left dozens dead and wounded this week.Train operators’ union SEMAF said in a statement on Wednesday that it would “demand criminal liability from those responsible for ensuring safety in the railway infrastructure”.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Photos: Deadly high-speed train collision in Spain kills dozenslist 2 of 3Spain searches for remains of victims from deadly train crashlist 3 of 3Barcelona rail crash kills 1 days after deadly train wreck in Spain’s southend of list“This situation of constant deterioration of the railway is unacceptable,” the union said.The strike call came just days after a collision between two high-speed trains in the southern province of Cordoba on Sunday killed at least 43 people, marking the country’s deadliest train crash in more than a decade.In a separate incident late on Tuesday, a driver died and 37 people were injured after a commuter train hit a retaining wall that fell onto the tracks in Gelida, near Barcelona, according to regional officials.Another derailment of a train on Barcelona’s regional network was also reported on Tuesday after a rock fell on the line, but no injuries were reported, rail network operator Adif said.Spanish Transport Minister Oscar Puente said the government would “sit down and talk” with the union to try to avoid the strike, which he said was motivated by “the emotional state that the train drivers are experiencing right now following the death of two colleagues”.But the incidents have fuelled questions about the safety of Spain’s rail network, as well as criticism from opposition lawmakers and commuters.Raluca Maria Pasca, a 45-year-old waitress, said she had noticed that high-speed trains “have been shaking lately”.