Spain rail: ticket sales drop by 30% after Adamuz accident forcing companies to moderate prices

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Passengers at the Santa Justa station in Seville after the reopening of the high-speed line. EFE Rail transport Spain rail: ticket sales drop by 30% after Adamuz accident forcing companies to moderate prices

Three out of five Spaniards set price as the main reason for travelling by train, according to Trainline's data

Edurne Martínez

Madrid

Tuesday, 24 February 2026, 14:14

The Spanish railway sector is trying to regain passenger confidence after weeks of falling demand due to the accident in Adamuz (Cordoba) on 18 January.

Demand has dropped by 30 % in the whole network compared to the same period last year. This has forced railway companies to "moderate" prices on the routes that were still operating following the accident in order to stimulate demand.

This data comes from independent ticket sales platform Trainline. The company's general manager in Europe, Pedro García, says that the "mourning" period and the shock after the train crash has made passengers more reluctant to travel by rail.

According to a Trainline survey, between 40 and 50% of users admit to being more worried about getting on a train now than before the accident. Although García reminded the public that the train, along with the plane, is the safest mode of transport, he understands that "an accident has a short-term impact on consumer confidence".

Even so, demand is beginning to recover and there are already signs of improvement ahead of Easter.

According to the survey, price is the main factor in choosing to travel by train for 60% of passengers. Only after that do availability of direct connections and possibility of combining different operators on the same journey come.

Another feature that has motivated 82% of people surveyed to say that they would use the train more and their car less for routine journeys is the Abono Único: a 30-day pass that allows them to use all state rail and bus transport at an affordable price. The fact that the pass includes urban transport is important for 32% of them, while economic savings are key for 28%.

"Rail liberalisation has transformed the Spanish market, but the digital factor connecting passengers to the system still requires a clear and balanced governance framework. Independent ticketing platforms play a structural role in facilitating understanding, comparison and access to rail, helping passengers navigate an increasingly complex ecosystem," Trainline's Guillerno Serrano says.