There was a run of persistent delays across the so-called high-speed Extremadura corridor. A service departing from Badajoz at 7:25 am on Thursday arrived in Madrid later than scheduled, accruing more than an hour of delay en route. The arrival time in Madrid was expected around 11:43. The plan, which had already fallen short on the third day of service, saw the train stop at Atocha with a delay of 70 minutes.
Adif told this outlet that the disruption stemmed from a circuit occupancy error, occurring about 30 kilometers from Cañaveral. In cases like this, signaling faults can misread when another object occupies the track. In response, the operator activated a contingency plan and continued the journey at a reduced speed once the issue was addressed. The delay exceeded 40 minutes beyond the initial setback, compounded by infrastructure-related problems. Additionally, a minor five-minute delay was noted in Mérida as passengers boarded.
Officials indicated there were no issues with the convoy itself from Renfe.
The fault was resolved by 10:15 am, allowing the train to proceed normally past Navalmoral de la Mata and to continue without further delay unless another incident occurred.
Five services, five delays
The Extremaduran Alvia did not arrive on time for any of its regular services, which began on Tuesday.
A human error in the first log service at the San Nicolás fork, during the segment from Badajoz to Mérida, led the train to switch to the older line instead of the new one, delaying it by 15 minutes. In the afternoon a 20-minute delay followed. Sources cited by this newspaper described the issue as related to signs and aging roadways. Adif attributed the delays to trains arriving late and to cordless phones affecting communications.
What might have appeared as minor delays on the first day triggered greater concern as Wednesday approached: the train reached Madrid-Atocha station about 60 minutes late. Renfe sources cited two causes for the Alvia delay: first, a technical maneuver to separate the two units in circulation from Badajoz, which shifted the departure by about 10 minutes; and second, a traction incident that limited speed later in the journey. That incident also affected the return shuttle at 16:38, which left Madrid-Atocha 20 minutes late. The same locomotive that had operated the morning service from Badajoz to Madrid was undergoing repairs in the capital, which impacted loading operations such as pantry, water, and other basic services needed to prepare the train.
The prior day also saw a unit labeled as a fast service, the Intercity Madrid-Badajoz, depart from Madrid at 8:50 am. The delay there was traced to a malfunction in the convoy at Navalmoral de la Mata.