> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://barna.news/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Barcelona-Madrid AVE resumes with delays after fire - URL: https://barna.news/barcelona-madrid-ave-resumes-with/ - Published: 2026-10-14T08:21:20.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-14T08:21:20.000Z - Description: High-speed rail services are gradually resuming between Barcelona and Madrid following a train fire near Zaragoza on Monday, with delays expected for several days. - Author: Barna.News - Tags: accident ## Service resuming on single track with delays Passengers at Barcelona Sants station faced widespread delays on Tuesday 13 October as high-speed AVE services to Madrid slowly resumed after a fire damaged a train near Ricla in Aragon the previous afternoon. The incident, which broke out in the rear cab of a Madrid-to-Figueres AVE around 16:05 on Monday, forced the evacuation of nearly 300 people, though no injuries were reported. Adif, Spain's rail infrastructure manager, reopened only one track between Ricla and Plasencia de Jalón for safety reasons, restricting train speeds to 80 km/h while crews remove the damaged locomotive and repair infrastructure. This bottleneck has reduced capacity and caused cascading delays across the network. ## Passengers face queues and uncertainty By early Tuesday afternoon, Sants station saw heavy crowds, particularly in the morning, with some passengers describing scenes of "chaos". Only those with assigned platforms could access the waiting areas, leaving dozens gathered in the main concourse. Long queues formed at Renfe ticket offices, while others monitored departure boards for updates. At around 16:00, one AVE scheduled for 16:00 was delayed until 16:23\. Later, a 16:25 service was pushed to 16:59, and a 16:56 departure was expected at 18:00\. A train to Marseille also faced a 42-minute delay. > The journey was fine, but with an hour's delay. Llum, a passenger arriving from Figueres, said her operator had warned her in advance of the delay, helping keep the atmosphere on board calm. Others, like Claudio, who was travelling to Madrid for work, arrived earlier than usual, saying, "I came with more time because I saw there were incidents." ## Delays expected to continue Renfe has reorganised some departures by coupling trains and adjusting timetables to maximise use of the single track. The operator confirmed these measures would continue throughout Tuesday and warned passengers to expect delays. Sílvia Paneque, government spokesperson and Minister of Territory, said disruptions would persist "for the coming days" and depended on how long it took to safely remove the damaged train. "At this moment, it is being analysed how to remove the train with maximum safety; this is what Renfe has conveyed to us," she said. Tourists like Jackie, waiting for a train to Valencia, expressed hope their routes would not be affected, but commuters and business travellers expressed frustration. "Lately, whether it's Rodalies or AVE, it's rare for things to run smoothly," Llum added. --- ## What passengers should do Passengers are advised to check their train status in real time via the [Renfe website](https://www.renfe.com/es/en/inspirate/rutas/barcelona-madrid?ref=barna.news) or app before travelling. The operator recommends arriving at Sants station at least 45 minutes before departure to allow for potential changes and boarding procedures. --- *Primary sources:* [*renfe.com*](https://www.renfe.com/es/en/inspirate/rutas/barcelona-madrid?ref=barna.news)*,* [*grupo.renfe.com*](https://grupo.renfe.com/es/es/sala-de-prensa/noticias/2026/10/restablecimiento-progresivo-de-la-circulacion-entre-madrid-y-barcelona-alta-velocidad?ref=barna.news)*,* [*rodalies.gencat.cat*](https://rodalies.gencat.cat/web/.content/06%5FAtencio%5Fal%5Fclient/Justificants/2025/11%5F06.pdf?ref=barna.news)*. Reported by regio7.cat, N.V, Catalan News, lavanguardia.com, eleconomista.es, eldiario.es, catalunyapress.es, elpais.com, cronicaglobal.elespanol.com, Regió 7.* --- ### Related on Barna.News - [Fire on AVE Train Halts Madrid-Barcelona Service](https://barna.news/fire-on-ave-train-halts-madrid/)