Renfe controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2026
Renfe and Iryo trains collide in Spain
Safety incident
A Renfe train struck the rear of a stationary Iryo train in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. According to the source article, the collision killed 69 people and injured scores of others. The report does not establish a cause for the crash. The incident involved trains operated by Renfe and Iryo and occurred in the Castilla-La Mancha region of Spain.
A Renfe train struck the back of a stationary Iryo train in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. The crash killed 69 people and injured scores, according to the article; it does not establish a cause.
Source excerpt
Spain began three days of mourning on Oct. 29 after its second high-speed rail collision this year killed 69 people and injured scores, with relatives desperately seeking news about their loved ones.
The collision happened in the central region of Castilla-La Mancha on Oct. 28 morning when a service by state operator Renfe ploughed into the back of a stationary train belonging to private Spanish company Iryo.
2023
Asturias and Cantabria train-gauge design failure
A procurement program for 31 trains for Asturias and Cantabria encountered a serious design error: the trains were being designed too wide for some tunnels on the intended routes. Renfe and ADIF faced criticism over responsibility for the failure, and the delivery schedule was pushed back, reportedly to 2026. The episode also produced political pressure and resignations among senior transport officials.