Renfe strike on 29 October in Catalonia: schedules and trains running on Rodalies, AVE y Regionales

Rail transport is facing a day of disruptions in Catalonia. The train drivers' union SEMAF has called a strike at Renfe for Thursday, 29 October 2026, which will affect both commuter journeys and regional and long-distance services.

The protest will begin at 00:01 and end at 23:59, so restrictions will be in place for almost the entire day.

The Generalitat de Cataluña has already set minimum service levels and published the planned timetables for the different Rodalies y Regionales lines.

Which trains will run during the strike on 29 October

The reduction in frequency will depend on the time of day.

During peak demand periods, especially early in the morning and late in the afternoon, around two out of every three usual trains will run.

Outside of peak hours, the guaranteed service will be reduced to about a third of normal operations.

The minimum services for Rodalies y Regionales will be as follows:

From 6:00 to 9:30: 66% of the usual service will run.

From 9:30 to 17:00: 33% will be guaranteed.

From 17:00 to 20:30: 66% will run again.

From 20:30 until the end of the day: 33% will be maintained.

These percentages may be distributed unevenly depending on the needs of each line. Therefore, not all routes will necessarily maintain exactly the same proportion of trains.

Timetables for Rodalies y Regionales by line

The Generalitat de Cataluña has published official documents with the planned services for the day of the strike.

Passengers can check the timetables for their line before heading to the station.

Rodalies de Barcelona:

Línea R1 — timetables for 29 October

Línea R2 — timetables for 29 October

Línea R3 — timetables for 29 October

Línea R4 — timetables for 29 October

Línea R7 — timetables for 29 October

Línea R8 — timetables for 29 October

Regional trains:

Línea R11

Líneas R13 y R14

Línea R15

Línea R16

Líneas R17 y RT2

Línea RG1

Líneas RL3 y RL4

The documents include the specific timetables for minimum services and allow passengers to check which trains are scheduled during the day.

Does the strike affect AVE and long-distance trains?

Yes. The strike also includes Renfe's high-speed and long-distance services.

For these trains, minimum services have been set at 73% of the usual operations.

This means that some scheduled services may not run on Thursday, 29 October.

Travellers planning to use AVE or other long-distance trains should check the status of their journey through Renfe's official channels.

Why are Renfe drivers striking?

The action has been called by the SEMAF union, which is demanding improvements in various aspects related to rail safety.

Among their main demands are a review of protocols for dealing with adverse weather conditions and better coordination of communications in risk situations.

The union is also calling for the hiring of new drivers and improvements to the reliability of rolling stock.

The demands therefore focus on the conditions needed to guarantee safety and the proper functioning of the service.

Recommendations for travelling on Thursday, 29 October

The reduction in frequency may lead to longer waiting times and larger crowds at certain stations.

For this reason, it is advisable to check the special timetables before leaving home, especially if using Rodalies to get to work or an educational centre.

It is also wise to allow extra time for journeys and check for possible updates during the day.

Official information on minimum services and line-by-line timetables is available on the Generalitat de Cataluña website.

The strike is scheduled for the whole of Thursday, 29 October, with more significant restrictions outside peak hours and a return to normal service expected after the action ends.