High-speed rail service between Madrid and Seville resumed on Tuesday, February 17th, nearly a month after a derailment near Adamuz, Córdoba, left 46 people dead and dozens injured. The reopening was marked by delays of up to 90 minutes on initial runs and a brief technical stop directly on the repaired section of track, according to reports.
The January 18th accident, involving both Renfe and Iryo trains, prompted a comprehensive safety review and extensive repairs to the damaged tracks and catenary infrastructure. Spain’s state rail infrastructure manager, Adif, completed the reconstruction and handed the line over to the three high-speed operators – Renfe, Iryo, and Ouigo – for final testing and preparations last week.
Transport Minister Óscar Puente stated that conditions were considered safe for a return to service, but emphasized that the final deployment schedule rested with the operators and their assessments. Renfe and Iryo both re-established high-speed service following the completion of the repairs, with train drivers offering a tribute to the victims by sounding their horns as they passed the site of the accident.
The Madrid-Sevilla high-speed line, inaugurated in 1992, is a key component of Spain’s extensive high-speed rail network. The Adamuz section, however, had been flagged as a potential trouble spot. A letter sent to Adif and the Agencia Estatal de Seguridad Ferroviaria (AESF) in August 2025 by the SEMAF train drivers’ union had already identified the area as prone to issues including “baches, garrotes or descompensación de catenaria” (bumps, potholes or catenary imbalance). Adif completed a 700 million euro renovation of the line, including the Adamuz section, last May.
The accident and subsequent investigation have ignited debate over railway safety in Spain, with the SEMAF union previously calling for speed limits to be reduced on certain corridors. A separate incident on the Barcelona line further fueled these concerns. While a Renfe train experienced a brief incident with the catenary during the reopening, service was quickly restored and did not cause significant disruption.
The cause of the derailment remains under investigation. The three final carriages of an Iryo train traveling from Málaga to Madrid derailed and encroached onto the adjacent track, resulting in a collision with a passing Renfe train.
