Spain considers suspending Madrid-Barcelona high-speed rail services for improvement works

Spain is considering suspending high-speed rail services between Madrid and Barcelona while improvement works are carried out, Transport Minister Óscar Puente said on Friday.

"It is one of the things we are currently considering," he said at a news conference in Madrid, noting that the current approach has prioritised keeping services running during maintenance work.

"In Germany, in almost all cases, when a line needs to be upgraded, services are suspended and the entire renovation is carried out, leaving passengers without the service during the works. Our system is the opposite," he said.

Puente acknowledged that Spain's approach affects the service's "reliability and punctuality," but said it did not compromise safety.

Puente rejects resignation questions

The remarks came as Puente faced questions over the government's response to Wednesday's rail disaster in Urda, Toledo, which has left at least 69 people dead.

Asked whether he would consider resigning, the transport minister said his priority was to explain what had happened and find solutions rather than discuss his own future.

"My duty is not to talk about my continued tenure but to resolve the problem, establish what happened and provide clear explanations, and above all offer solutions wherever possible," he said.

He also insisted he would not shirk responsibility, saying: "I will not hide behind anyone" and that he would not use "any employee as a shield."

Earlier, Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez said trust in the high-speed rail system was "broken," as he promised solutions after the Toledo incident.