Madrid rail services face delays from cable theft and power failure

Travelers in Madrid faced significant delays on Friday July 17, 2026 due to two separate incidents: a cable theft on the high-speed line connecting Madrid with Andalusia and Toledo, and a power supply failure at Atocha station affecting Cercanías commuter trains. Source: ABC, El Confidencial, Infobae

• The high-speed disruption was caused by a possible cable theft between Puerta de Atocha and Los Gavilanes, affecting Renfe, Avlo, Iryo, and Ouigo services. Source: ABC
• The Cercanías disruption began at 6:12 AM due to a lack of electrical supply during works at Atocha, affecting lines C-3, C-4, and C-5. Source: La Vanguardia, El Confidencial
• A secondary fault on the C-4b line near Colmenar Viejo also caused delays until around 9:00 AM. Source: El Confidencial, Infobae

Ongoing works

Adif had previously announced planned works from July 17-31 that would reduce frequencies on various lines, compounding the disruption. Source: Infobae The power failure occurred during these works, with technicians working to restore normal service.