Valencia-Barcelona line reopens, other lines might stay closed for weeks

The Valencian community has been hit by a disastrous wave of extreme weather which killed hundreds and shattered much of what met its way. The rail infrastructure and the rail freight sector were also significantly affected, with railways being destroyed. Traffic along a few lines has already been reinstated, including the Valencia-Barcelona one.

For other sections, however, it might take a few weeks at least. For example, the line connecting Reus with Zaragoza, which is quite an active rail freight segment, is still unavailable. Concerning the Madrid-Valencia axis, the high-speed railway is still not available, while it is not clear if the rolling highway service between the two cities was affected.

Some of the regional lines, known as Cercanias, are also still closed, which also affects rail freight traffic. More specifically, there is no estimated reopening date for the C1, C2 and C3 lines of the Cercanias network. The C5 and C6 lines have now been reopened exclusively for rail freight or infrastructure maintenance trains, state-owned operator Renfe said. The port of Valencia is also implementing measures to “avoid logistical collapses”, including the prioritisation of transport of essential goods. Moreover, the connections between the port and Tarragona and Zaragoza are working.