Due to the serious train accident, high-speed trains between Madrid and Andalusia may be suspended until February 2nd. Iberia and Air Europa are increasing service on flights Malaga-Madrid and Seville-Madrid. We’ll tell you everything below if you’re looking for alternatives to the train.
Cancellation of the rail link between Madrid and Andalusia
The cancellation of the rail link between Madrid and Andalusia after the serious accident in which two trains derailed on January 18 has left thousands of travellers without an alternative way to travel.
High-speed rail service between Madrid and Andalusia remains suspended, with no official date set for its resumption.
This means thousands of passengers will be unable to travel to their destinations and will have to find alternative transportation, such as buses or cars.
Air Europa and Iberia offer additional flights Malaga-Madrid
The two Spanish airlines Air Europa (low-cost) and Iberia have announced additional flights between Madrid and Malaga.
Iberia has scheduled one extra daily flight in each direction between Madrid and Seville and Madrid and Malaga until Friday.
Air Europa will offer 360 additional seats per day between Madrid and Malaga, also until Friday. After these dates, further additional flights will continue until February 2nd.
Prices have skyrocketed
Due to extremely high demand, prices initially skyrocketed, particularly with the low-cost carrier Air Europa. A typical flight from Malaga to Madrid costs around €50 each way. This has drawn strong criticism from consumers, who accuse the airline of profiting from the situation.
This has led Iberia to lock in its prices, setting a maximum of €99 per journey in economy class until rail service is restored. Air Europa, meanwhile, continues to offer a maximum price of €150 for the same route, which is normally three times cheaper.
Air Europa flights Malaga – Madrid
The low cost airline Air Europa has added two flights to its route Malaga – Madrid, at least until this Friday.
As we mentioned before, the low-cost airline has received heavy criticism for raising its normally affordable prices sky-high, making them much more expensive than first-class airlines.
Iberia flights Malaga – Madrid
Iberia is temporarily expanding its operations in Andalusia with additional flights until February 2nd.
Iberia is reinforcing its flights between Malaga and Madrid by offering extra flights and limiting the maximum price to €99 each way.
There will be an additional daily flight between Madrid and Seville, and between Madrid and Malaga, until Monday, February 2. Furthermore, Iberia Express is adding another flight on the Madrid-Seville route on January 27, 28, 29, 31, and February 1.
In addition, Iberia has implemented a flexible policy for customers travelling from Andalusia to Madrid to connect with the airline’s flights. Given the disruptions to the rail network, those experiencing difficulties traveling normally can request a change of dates or a refund voucher for their tickets.
Alternative road service Madrid – Andalucia
More than 200 services are affected by the suspension of rail traffic between Madrid and the cities of Seville, Cordoba, Malaga and Huelva.
The bus company Alsa intends to increase its service between Granada and Madrid.
Renfe (Spain’s national state-owned railway company) offers special services between Madrid, Seville and Malaga. It combines the train journey with a section by road between Cordoba and Villanueva de Cordoba.
What happens to tickets cancelled due to train cancellations?
Travellers who were unable to board their train because their journey was cancelled: You are entitled to a full refund of the ticket price, provided the request is made within 30 days of the cancellation.
Travelers can request a free refund of their original ticket and purchase a new one. Or exchange it with a refund of the difference. You can request it through the usual channels: ticket offices, agencies, website, app, or by calling +34 912320320.
