By Fatma Younis
At least 68 people were killed Wednesday morning when two high-speed trains operated by Renfe and iryo collided between the towns of Mora and Orgaz in the Toledo region, marking Spain's second high-speed rail collision this year and its worst rail disaster since 2013.
Collision Details and Casualties
The crash occurred just after 9 a.m. local time. Emergency services responded to the scene, and authorities confirmed the death toll as the country's deadliest rail accident in over a decade.
Travel Disruption and Operator Responses
All high-speed services on the Madrid-to-Andalusia line were suspended, affecting trains to Ciudad Real, Cordoba, and Seville, according to Interrail. Adif, Spain's railway infrastructure manager, said at 12:40 p.m. that service was being restored on some high-speed sections between Madrid and Toledo and between Malaga and Seville.
Renfe is offering free changes and cancellations for affected journeys. iryo cancelled all services from Madrid Puerta de Atocha to the Southern Corridor with no estimated resumption time. Ouigo, owned by France's SNCF, also cancelled all trains between Madrid and Andalusia due to the line closure.
Official Travel Advice
The UK Foreign Office updated its guidance warning of significant disruption to rail services in Spain. It provided contact numbers for Renfe (+34 900 10 10 20) and the British embassy in Madrid (+34 91 714 6300) for consular assistance.
