Lorraine Williamson
Madrid Andalucía travel disruption is still shaping Sunday travel plans, with the high-speed corridor between Madrid and Andalucía not yet fully restored and dozens of Andalucian roads affected by the wider spell of rough weather.
If you’re travelling today, the key is to check updates before you leave, keep your plan flexible, and assume journey times may be longer than normal — especially if you’re heading through Cádiz or inland routes that cross rivers and low-lying bridges.
Rail: high-speed link still interrupted
Infrastructure manager Adif continues to list the high-speed service between Madrid and Andalucía as interrupted, affecting connections with Córdoba, Sevilla, Málaga, Granada, Cádiz, Huelva and Algeciras. Meanwhile, work continues on site following the Adamuz incident. Adif’s “Estado de la red” page is the quickest official snapshot to check before you travel.
Renfe, meanwhile, has kept an alternative transport plan in place while the corridor remains disrupted. The operator says passengers can request a free refund of the original ticket and either buy a new ticket for services covered by the plan or change their booking with any fare difference returned.
There are also knock-on effects across regional services. In Córdoba, local reporting says some Avant services remain suppressed this weekend, with certain routes relying on road alternatives, and others offering limited options depending on the corridor.
The practical takeaway: even if your specific train is running, the network is operating under strain. Allow extra time for station changes and be ready for last-minute substitutions.
Roads: closures and diversions across Andalucía
On the roads, Andalucía remains in a high-alert posture. The region’s flood emergency plan (PERI) continues in an emergency phase, and official figures cited by agencies today report thousands of people still displaced, concentrated heavily in Cádiz, with smaller numbers elsewhere, including Málaga.
For drivers, the most useful reference is the DGT’s live road-closure dashboard, published as a continually updated PDF. It lists specific roads, kilometre points, and whether a closure is total or partial — exactly the detail you need before choosing a route.
Local reporting in Málaga also notes the broader disruption picture across the region, including the number of affected roads and the continuing clean-up after repeated episodes of severe weather.
What to do if you’re travelling today
The sensible approach is to treat this as a “check twice” day.
Start with your mode of travel. If you’re taking the train, use the Adif status page first, then confirm your Renfe booking and the current alternative plan. If you’re driving, check the DGT dashboard before setting off and again mid-route if conditions are changeable.
If your journey isn’t essential, consider shifting it to a calmer window. Repeated storms often leave hidden problems — saturated ground, weakened bridge approaches, and temporary traffic management that changes quickly.
Why this is lingering
Even when rain eases, recovery can drag on. Flood damage to roads and rail infrastructure often needs safety inspections, equipment checks and repairs that are slowed by wind, further showers, or limited site access. That’s why the biggest disruptions tend to outlast the worst of the weather.
For now, Madrid – Andalucía travel disruption remains a reality for rail passengers and a risk factor for drivers across parts of the region.