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When will Madrid Andalusia high speed train reopen: high-speed AVE train stationary at Granada station platform under clear morning light with Sierra Nevada peaks beyond

When Will the Madrid to Granada High-Speed Line Reopen?

Why the Urda collision cut off Madrid–Granada AVE trains, what Renfe's 13 December ticket block means, and how the 29-day Adamuz repair set the reopening pace.

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A decade writing about Andalusian transport logistics, airport access, and independent travel through southern Spain.

Updated Published
After two high-speed trains collided near Urda in Toledo province on 28 October 2026, infrastructure manager Adif suspended rail traffic between Madrid and southern Andalusia until further notice[4]. Although Renfe blocked ticket sales until 13 December 2026, the state operator confirmed that date is a precautionary commercial cap and trains to Granada will return earlier if Adif clears the tracks[5][6][7]. Earlier in the year, the 29-day Adamuz closure from 19 January to 17 February 2026 demonstrated that reopening requires judicial sign-off, crane recovery, overhead catenary rebuilding, and staged testing before Madrid–Granada AVE sets roll again.
Normal trunk line traffic
47 trains/day
Daily services carrying roughly 10,000 passengers on the Madrid–Seville line[1]
Gap between 2026 crash sites
201 km
Railway distance separating the January Adamuz and October Urda incidents[2]
January 2026 Adamuz closure
29 days
High-speed suspension from 19 January until service resumed on 17 February[3]

Why a crash in Toledo cuts Granada off and what operator ticket blocks mean

Granada has no independent high-speed track to the Spanish capital, so any collision on the Castilla-La Mancha or Córdoba trunk severs direct rail service to the city. Trains on the 568-kilometre Madrid–Granada route take 3 hours 5 minutes to 3 hours 19 minutes, sharing the main line via Ciudad Real and Córdoba before branching through Puente Genil, Antequera-Santa Ana, and Loja[8][9]. At Córdoba station, the branch toward Málaga and Granada leaves the Madrid–Seville trunk, making that single northern corridor the sole high-speed gateway into Andalusia[10]. One blockage in Toledo drops Granada from the timetable at once.
Each operator reacted to the 28 October suspension by locking its booking calendar to a different horizon, which confused passengers checking when services might return. None of those booking blocks represents an engineering schedule from Adif:
  • Renfe froze ticket sales across the Madrid–Andalusia corridor until 13 December 2026, while clarifying that the freeze does not mean rail traffic will remain suspended until that date and that service will resume if Adif restores circulation earlier[5][6][7].
  • Iryo blocked ticket purchases on its website for this line until 9 November 2026[11].
  • Ouigo suspended all its services until at least 2 November 2026 inclusive and informed affected travellers in a statement[12].
During the opening days of the October stoppage, Renfe ran special conventional-line trains only between Madrid, Ciudad Real, and Puertollano, adding about 90 minutes to that northern leg without reaching Córdoba, Seville, Málaga, or Granada by rail[13]. Travellers who cannot wait for the line to clear can weigh coach, flight, and car options in our guide to Madrid to Granada alternatives when the high-speed line is suspended.

What has to happen at kilometre 118 near Urda before trains run again

Rail operators cannot set a reopening day on their own. Adif is the sole body that authorises track circulation, and it cannot rebuild the line until the court and accident investigators release the site[14]. At around 08:53 on Wednesday 28 October 2026, Madrid–Seville Renfe AVE train 2080 struck the rear of Iryo train 6076 near kilometre point 118 at Urda, derailing the last two Iryo carriages[15][16]. Restoring a high-speed line after a multi-train crash takes several weeks because legal evidence collection and heavy recovery precede civil engineering[14].
The covered lanes of the Alcaicería market in Granada, with hanging lanterns and arched doorways

Explore nearby · Monument

Alcaicería

Granada's historic silk market, rebuilt after 1843 in Neo-Moorish style. Small shops sell ceramics, taracea woodwork, spices, and leather goods. Free to enter.

Four sequential steps govern how fast the Toledo bottleneck clears. First, the investigating magistrate placed the judicial proceedings under secrecy and prohibited removing any wreckage or track components from the crash zone without court clearance[17]. Second, technical investigators from AITAT (the independent authority that replaced the former CIAF on 15 July 2026) must complete on-site inspections alongside the judicial inquiry before track access is authorised[18][19].
Third, heavy cranes must lift the derailed carriages and clear debris from the site, a complex task that remained underway on 29 October while teams searched the wreckage[18]. Only after the court lifts its prohibition can Adif's engineering brigades cut away twisted rail, lay new concrete sleepers and ballast, restring overhead catenary wires, and run test trains to verify track geometry. If you already hold a seat on a disrupted departure, check what Renfe, Iryo and Ouigo owe you when a train is cancelled before modifying your booking.

What the 29-day Adamuz closure taught Granada travellers

The closest benchmark for how long a major trunk wreck halts Granada trains is the 29-day closure following the Adamuz crash in Córdoba province earlier in 2026[3]. At 19:45 on 18 January 2026, a Málaga–Madrid train derailed at kilometre point 318.693 in Adamuz and fouled the adjacent track, where an oncoming Madrid–Huelva train also derailed[16][20][21]. Early estimates proved far too optimistic. Officials initially floated 2 February as a tentative reopening target, but on-site rescue lasted until Thursday 22 January and Adif did not receive judicial authorisation to access and rebuild the track until 28 January, ten days after the collision[22][23].
Once judicial clearance arrived on 28 January, Transport Minister Óscar Puente announced that rebuilding would take roughly ten calendar days, yet actual reconstruction and safety testing took 20 days until 17 February[3][24]. Adif deployed around 40 technicians and 20 specialised vehicles to strip out damaged sleepers and rails and reinstall overhead catenary anchors, electrical conductors, and cantilevers on Track 1[25][26]. During that month-long gap, Renfe ran seven daily trains each way between Madrid-Puerta de Atocha and Villanueva de Córdoba[27].
Timeline
  1. 18 Jan 2026

    Adamuz derailment at km 318.693

    A Málaga–Madrid train derailed at 19:45 in Adamuz (Córdoba) and invaded the adjacent track, derailing a Madrid–Huelva train[16][20].

  2. 22 Jan 2026

    On-site rescue operations conclude

    Emergency rescue work at the Adamuz crash site lasted until Thursday 22 January, pushing back early 2 February reopening hopes[22].

  3. 28 Jan 2026

    Judicial clearance grants track access

    Ten days after the crash, judicial authorisation allowed roughly 40 Adif technicians and 20 vehicles to begin track reconstruction[23][25].

  4. 17 Feb 2026

    Madrid–Granada AVE and Alvia resume

    After nearly a month closed, Renfe, Iryo, and Ouigo returned, with Madrid–Granada AVE and Alvia Granada–Almería running in the first wave[3][29].

  5. 18 Feb 2026

    Madrid–Málaga restarts with bus transfer

    Málaga trains resumed on Wednesday 18 February, using a road coach link for Antequera-Santa Ana station[28][30].

When Adif finally signed off on the repaired corridor, high-speed traffic returned in two stages across 17 and 18 February 2026[28]. On Tuesday 17 February, one day short of a full month after the crash, Renfe restored its regular high-speed schedule on the Madrid–Granada, Madrid–Seville, Madrid–Cádiz, and Madrid–Huelva routes, together with the Alvia Madrid–Granada–Almería service[29]. Madrid–Málaga trains followed a day later on Wednesday 18 February, initially using a road bus connection for Antequera-Santa Ana station[30]. Travellers piecing together split tickets through Andalusia can pair those rail hubs with our Córdoba to Granada travel guide.

Why two collisions in ten months put LZB signalling and delayed ERTMS under scrutiny

Two serious accidents on the same high-speed corridor within 9 months and 10 days (separated by just 201 railway kilometres between Adamuz at km 318.693 and Urda at km 118) have turned engineering attention onto the trunk line's ageing protection technology[2][16]. At Adamuz a derailment preceded the collision; at Urda the collision caused the derailment[21]. Despite a €780 million integral remodelling of the Madrid–Seville corridor between 2022 and 2026, activation of the European ERTMS safety system remained unfinished when the October crash happened[31].
The Madrid–Seville line still relies on its LZB signalling system, even though a contract to deploy ERTMS (representing €104.72 million in ongoing execution) was awarded to Hitachi Rail in mid-2021 for 52 months of works that should have finished in April 2026, with activation now expected in 2027[32][33]. A computer failure at 08:30 on Wednesday 28 October knocked out LZB across a 63-kilometre stretch, causing six trains (including the Iryo and Renfe sets that collided) to stop and switch to Lateral Signalling Block (BSL) operation[34][35]. Signalling checks now form the core of Adif's safety verification before trains return. Travellers on fixed schedules can compare flight backups in our Granada airport guide.

How a staged reopening unfolds for Granada and when to rebook vs hold your ticket

Even if you are only travelling inside Andalusia, a trunk cut in Toledo or northern Córdoba disrupts regional connections to Granada. During the February 2026 closure, intra-Andalusian Avant regional high-speed trains linking Córdoba with Seville, Málaga, and Granada suffered cancellations and bus substitutions because Renfe could not perform routine maintenance on its S104 trainsets at its workshops in Cerro Negro (Madrid) and Los Prados (Málaga)[36]. Checking whether Madrid trains are running is not enough. Regional Avant timetables also take days to normalise once trainsets reach their maintenance bases.
Deciding whether to hold your rail ticket or book an alternative comes down to your travel date and flexibility. Both Renfe and Iryo enabled free changes and cancellations for passengers booked on suspended services, while Ouigo notified affected travellers and suspended its departures through at least 2 November[12][37]. To connect the capital with southern Spain during the autumn stoppage, Wizz Air announced two new domestic routes linking Madrid with Málaga and Seville starting 6 November 2026[38]. Those extra flights help absorb demand into western Andalusia, though passengers bound for Granada still need an onward ground connection from Málaga or Seville.
Cancelled train to Granada compensation for Renfe, Iryo and Ouigo passengers: a departures board showing cancellations above a quiet AVE platform in warm evening light

Deep dive · Article

Cancelled Train to Granada: What Renfe, Iryo and Ouigo Owe You

Cancelled train to Granada? Compare the EU refund floor with Renfe, Ouigo and Iryo rules, from the 100-minute rule to vouchers and how to claim in Spain.

If your trip falls more than three weeks after a crash, holding a refundable AVE ticket costs nothing because Renfe will reopen sales and resume service as soon as Adif clears the track before the 13 December block expires[7]. Travelling within the immediate suspension window requires a faster pivot. Lock in a direct Madrid–Granada coach or a flight into Granada, Málaga, or Seville first, using our guides to how to get to Granada and getting around Granada to connect from the bus station or airport into the city centre.

Frequently asked questions

When will Madrid Andalusia high speed train reopen for Granada passengers?

Adif suspended traffic between Madrid and southern Andalusia until further notice after the 28 October 2026 Urda crash, and only Adif can authorise reopening once judicial, recovery, and track repair works finish[4][14]. Earlier in 2026, the comparable Adamuz closure took 29 days from 19 January to 17 February before Madrid–Granada AVE trains resumed[3][29].

Does Renfe blocking tickets until 13 December mean no trains will run before then?

No. Renfe froze Madrid–Andalusia ticket sales until 13 December 2026 as a precautionary commercial measure, and company sources confirmed to EFE that service and ticket sales will resume immediately if Adif clears the line before that date[5][6][7].

Why does a train crash at Urda in Toledo stop AVE trains to Granada?

All Madrid–Granada AVE trains travel along the shared Madrid–Seville trunk through Ciudad Real and Córdoba before branching via Puente Genil, Antequera-Santa Ana, and Loja over a 568-kilometre route[8][9]. Any blockage north of Córdoba cuts off Granada alongside Seville, Córdoba, and Málaga[10].

How long did it take to reopen the Madrid–Granada line after the January Adamuz crash?

The corridor stayed closed for 29 days, from 19 January until 17 February 2026[3]. Judicial clearance at Adamuz took ten days until 28 January, followed by 20 days of track and catenary reconstruction by around 40 Adif technicians before Madrid–Granada AVE and Alvia services resumed in the first reopening wave on 17 February[23][25][29].

Why are regional Avant trains to Granada affected when the crash happened near Madrid?

During a trunk closure north of Córdoba, Renfe cannot rotate its S104 Avant trainsets between Andalusia and their heavy maintenance bases at Cerro Negro in Madrid and Los Prados in Málaga, leading to cancellations and bus replacements on Córdoba–Seville–Málaga–Granada regional services[36].

Can I cancel or change my Madrid–Granada train ticket for free during the suspension?

Yes. Renfe and Iryo enabled free ticket changes and cancellations for passengers booked on suspended Madrid–Andalusia services, while Ouigo suspended trains through at least 2 November 2026 and informed all affected travellers[12][37].

Sources

38 references Show
  1. Antena 3 Noticias (31 Oct 2026) (opens in a new tab)

    “La conexión entre Madrid y Sevilla registra normalmente 47 trenes diarios y mueve a unos 10.000 viajeros cada día.”

  2. Hosteltur (29 Oct 2026) - distance between crashes (opens in a new tab)

    “Son dos puntos separados por unos 201 kilómetros de referencia ferroviaria, dentro del mismo corredor, cuya circulación ha vuelto a quedar interrumpida.”

  3. Diario Córdoba (16 Feb 2026) - one-month closure (opens in a new tab)

    “Los trenes de alta velocidad de las tres compañías que operan en el corredor -Renfe, Iryo y Ouigo- vuelven a transitar después de casi un mes sin servicio.”

  4. Antena 3 Noticias (28 Oct 2026) (opens in a new tab)

    “El administrador de infraestructuras ferroviarias, Adif, ha interrumpido el tráfico entre Madrid y el corredor sur "hasta nuevo aviso".”

  5. Ceuta TV / EFE (28 Oct 2026) - ticket freeze (opens in a new tab)

    “Renfe ha paralizado la venta de billetes en el corredor de alta velocidad entre Madrid y Andalucía hasta el próximo 13 de diciembre tras la colisión de dos trenes en Urda (Toledo).”

  6. Ceuta TV / EFE (28 Oct 2026) - precautionary measure (opens in a new tab)

    “No obstante, la compañía ha aclarado que esta decisión no significa que la circulación ferroviaria vaya a permanecer interrumpida hasta esa fecha.”

  7. Ceuta TV / EFE (28 Oct 2026) - earlier resumption (opens in a new tab)

    “Fuentes de Renfe han indicado a la Agencia EFE que, si Adif, el gestor de la infraestructura ferroviaria, decide restablecer la circulación antes del 13 de diciembre, la operadora también retomará el servicio.”

  8. La Moncloa / Ministerio de Fomento AVE Dossier - distance and time (opens in a new tab)

    “Estos trenes Ave emplearán entre 3 horas 5 minutos y 3 horas 19 minutos en recorrer los 568 km de alta velocidad que conectan Granada con Madrid.”

  9. La Moncloa / Ministerio de Fomento AVE Dossier - route stops (opens in a new tab)

    “La nueva conexión entre Granada y Madrid incluye además otras ciudades andaluzas como Loja, Antequera, Puente Genil y Córdoba, así como Ciudad Real”

  10. Wikipedia - Madrid-Seville high-speed rail line (opens in a new tab)

    “At Córdoba the Madrid–Málaga high-speed rail line leaves the line from Madrid.”

  11. ABC Economía (28 Oct 2026) - Iryo block (opens in a new tab)

    “La web de Iryo no permite adquirir ningún viaje de esta línea hasta el próximo 9 de noviembre.”

  12. ABC Economía (28 Oct 2026) - Ouigo suspension (opens in a new tab)

    “Ouigo ha suspendido todas sus circulaciones «hasta al menos» el próximo dos de noviembre incluido y, como ha señalado en un comunicado, todos los viajeros afectados han sido informados”

  13. Hosteltur (30 Oct 2026) (opens in a new tab)

    “De momento, Renfe ha habilitado servicios especiales por vía convencional entre Madrid, Ciudad Real y Puertollano, en ambos sentidos, con aproximadamente 90 minutos adicionales de viaje.”

  14. ABC Economía (28 Oct 2026) - investigation and removal (opens in a new tab)

    “La reanudación del servicio en casos como este suele tardar varias semanas. Ahora se abre además un proceso de investigación y de retirada de los convoyes afectados de la vía.”

  15. El Debate (28 Oct 2026) (opens in a new tab)

    “En concreto, en torno a las 08:53 horas el tren AVE 2080 con salida de Madrid y destino Sevilla chocó con el tren Iryo 6076 que iba por delante y causó el descarrilamiento de los últimos dos vagones del Iryo”

  16. Hosteltur (29 Oct 2026) - kilometre points (opens in a new tab)

    “El 18 de enero, el accidente de Adamuz (Córdoba) se produjo en el punto kilométrico 318,693 de la línea Madrid-Sevilla. El siniestro de este miércoles, 28 de octubre se sitúa en el kilómetro 118, cerca de Urda (Toledo).”

  17. RTVE Noticias (29 Oct 2026) - judicial secrecy (opens in a new tab)

    “La magistrada ha declarado secretas las actuaciones y ha prohibido retirar elementos de la zona del siniestro, así como tomar o difundir imágenes del lugar.”

  18. RTVE Noticias (29 Oct 2026) - debris removal (opens in a new tab)

    “La retirada de escombros continúa para tratar de levantar los vagones siniestrados y encontrar posibles víctimas. Mientras tanto, ya están en marcha las investigaciones judicial y técnica”

  19. RTVE Noticias (29 Oct 2026) - AITAT authority (opens in a new tab)

    “Este análisis corresponde a la nueva Autoridad Administrativa Independiente para la Investigación Técnica de Accidentes e Incidentes Ferroviarios, Marítimos y de Aviación Civil (AITAT), que sustituyó el 15 de julio de 2026 a la Comisión de Investigación de Accidentes Ferroviarios (CIAF).”

  20. Adif Press Release (19 Jan 2026) (opens in a new tab)

    “A las 19.45 h., un tren que realizaba el recorrido Malaga-Madrid descarriló en Adamuz (Córdoba), invadiendo la vía contigua. Por la vía contigua circulaba otro tren Madrid-Huelva, que también descarriló.”

  21. Hosteltur (29 Oct 2026) - crash mechanics (opens in a new tab)

    “en Adamuz el descarrilamiento precedió al choque y en Urda el choque provocó el descarrilamiento.”

  22. Diario Córdoba (16 Feb 2026) - rescue until 22 Jan (opens in a new tab)

    “Aunque en un principio se barajó el 2 de febrero como fecha para la reapertura de la alta velocidad, primero hubo que esperar a las labores de rescate, que se prolongaron hasta el jueves 22 de enero”

  23. Diario Córdoba (16 Feb 2026) - judicial clearance 28 Jan (opens in a new tab)

    “Después, no se pudo trabajar en la reposición de las vías hasta que el 28 de enero Adif recibió la autorización judicial para proceder a reponer la infraestructura en el tramo del siniestro.”

  24. Diario Córdoba (16 Feb 2026) - 10-day estimate (opens in a new tab)

    “El ministro de Transportes, Óscar Puente, anunció entonces que en un plazo aproximado de diez días naturales la alta velocidad entre Andalucía y Madrid podría estar de nuevo en funcionamiento.”

  25. Diario Córdoba (16 Feb 2026) - 40 Adif technicians (opens in a new tab)

    “Desde el 28 de enero, un equipo compuesto por unos 40 técnicos de Adif y una veintena de vehículos especializados ha estado trabajando en el tramo afectado para retirar traviesas y carriles dañados”

  26. ABC Córdoba (29 Jan 2026) (opens in a new tab)

    “En el ámbito de la electrificación, se han desarrollado trabajos previos para el futuro tendido de la catenaria de la vía 1, mediante la instalación de anclajes, conductores eléctricos y otros elementos asociados, como las ménsulas.”

  27. Diario Córdoba (16 Feb 2026) - Villanueva de Córdoba plan (opens in a new tab)

    “Siete trenes diarios han realizado el recorrido entre Madrid-Puerta de Atocha y Villanueva de Córdoba, la misma cifra que en el recorrido inverso-”

  28. Diario Córdoba (16 Feb 2026) - staged reopening (opens in a new tab)

    “La circulación de trenes alta velocidad entre Madrid, Córdoba y el resto de Andalucía (Sevilla, Málaga y Granada) reabre entre este martes, 17 de febrero, y este miércoles, 18 de febrero”

  29. Bolsamanía / Europa Press (18 Feb 2026) - Granada services restored (opens in a new tab)

    “Renfe retomaba un día antes de cumplirse un mes de la tragedia sus circulaciones habituales en los servicios Madrid-Sevilla, Madrid-Cádiz, Madrid-Granada, Madrid-Huelva y el Alvia Madrid-Granada-Almería.”

  30. Bolsamanía / Europa Press (18 Feb 2026) - Málaga Antequera bus (opens in a new tab)

    “En el caso de Madrid-Málaga, la compañía ferroviaria Renfe ha informado de que el servicio se recuperará desde este miércoles, aunque la conexión con la estación de Santa Ana de la localidad malagueña de Antequera será en autobús.”

  31. El País (30 Oct 2026) - €780M remodelling (opens in a new tab)

    “Así ha sido en la remodelación integral de 780 millones de euros llevada a cabo en el corredor Madrid-Sevilla entre 2022 y 2026, con trabajos pendientes aún como el de la puesta en marcha del sistema ERTMS de seguridad.”

  32. El País (30 Oct 2026) - Hitachi Rail ERTMS contract (opens in a new tab)

    “Este último fue adjudicado a mediados de 2021 y debía haber finalizado en abril de este 2026, tras 52 meses de obras por parte de la adjudicataria Hitachi Rail. Su activación se prevé el próximo año.”

  33. Ministerio de Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible (23 Jan 2026) (opens in a new tab)

    “Implantación del ERTMS por importe de 104,72 millones de euros, actualmente en ejecución, siguiendo en vigor el sistema LZB.”

  34. El País (30 Oct 2026) - LZB failure across 63 km (opens in a new tab)

    “Su caída por un fallo informático a las 8.30 del miércoles motivó que seis trenes se detuvieran en un tramo de 63 kilómetros, entre ellos el Iryo y el AVE de Renfe siniestrados.”

  35. Estrella Digital (30 Oct 2026) (opens in a new tab)

    “A partir de esa incidencia, los trenes afectados pasaron a circular bajo el régimen denominado Bloqueo de Señalización Lateral (BSL).”

  36. Diario Córdoba (16 Feb 2026) - Avant S104 maintenance (opens in a new tab)

    “imposibilidad de efectuar el mantenimiento habitual de los trenes S104 en las bases de mantenimiento de Los Prados (Málaga) y de Cerro Negro (Madrid), como consecuencia del corte de la línea de alta velocidad”

  37. ABC Economía (28 Oct 2026) - free changes and cancellations (opens in a new tab)

    “Renfe e Iryo han habilitado los cambios y anulaciones gratuitos.”

  38. Diario Córdoba (31 Oct 2026) - Wizz Air routes (opens in a new tab)

    “Wizz Air pondrá en marcha a partir del próximo 6 de noviembre dos nuevas rutas nacionales entre Madrid y Andalucía, que conectarán la capital de España con Málaga y Sevilla”