Rodalies rail network hit by widespread delays ahead of strikes

Catalonia's Rodalies commuter rail network suffered widespread delays on Monday, with cancellations affecting services across all lines and passengers facing waits of up to 40 minutes.

The disruption follows a difficult weekend during which some trains were delayed by as much as an hour.

Operator Renfe said the problems involved "incidents related to train drivers and trains," which were being investigated.

Rodalies warned passengers that trains were running outside their usual schedules and journey times could increase.

Services on the R7 line were suspended, with passengers advised to use the R4 and a replacement bus service operating between Cerdanyola del Vallès and Cerdanyola Universitat.

The disruption comes amid an ongoing dispute between train drivers and Spain's Transport Ministry over railway safety, which has intensified following October's fatal accident in Toledo.

Train drivers are due to strike on Tuesday and Thursday, while a general strike is scheduled for Wednesday.

Rodalies director Oscar Playà attributed the disruption to the wider climate of industrial unrest.

He urged drivers to respect minimum service requirements and advised passengers to seek alternative transport during what he called a "complicated week."

Overcrowding and uncertainty

At Barcelona's Sants station on Monday morning, commuters described overcrowding and uncertainty.

Emília Herrero, travelling from Sant Vicenç de Calders, said she had paid extra to take a regional train rather than a local service.

"The train was very crowded – I've been standing since Sant Vicenç,” she said, describing the situation at her departure station as one of "despair."

In L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, passenger Àlex Carrasco said there was "a lot of chaos" after Renfe arranged a last-minute additional train.

Meanwhile, Helena Domínguez, travelling from Torre Baró, said delays were so commonplace that she sometimes switched to the bus, only to find that "you end up being late for work anyway."

Playà said improvements to passenger information and the network's infrastructure were under way, but acknowledged that change would take time: "We don't have an immediate magic wand."