Adif expects to resolve O Irixo catenary failure tonight after day of delays on Madrid-Galicia line
A pantograph snag on an Avlo train near O Irixo on Wednesday cut traffic for 10 hours, stranding hundreds. Adif says full repair is expected tonight, with single-track operation causing 20-minute delays on Thursday.
Incident and immediate impact
On Wednesday at around 10:35, an Avlo train travelling from Madrid to Santiago de Compostela caught its pantograph in the overhead catenary near O Irixo, in the province of Ourense. The incident damaged the electrification infrastructure and brought all traffic on the Madrid-Galicia high-speed line to a halt. Both directions between Ourense and Santiago were cut off for approximately ten hours, until 20:00. The disruption also severed connections to Vigo and A Coruña, which share the same track section toward Madrid.
Passenger experience
Hundreds of travellers were stranded on trains and in stations, with many complaining on social media about a lack of information, air conditioning, and assistance. At Madrid's Chamartín station, the backlog grew throughout the afternoon. One passenger told El Confidencial that her 17:00 departure was pushed to 20:30, while later services had no fixed time. Renfe sent SMS messages to some passengers suggesting they travel on another day, but not everyone received the alert, leaving many uncertain.
Repair progress and Thursday operations
Overnight, technicians removed the damaged train and restored the catenary on the section between O Irixo and Santiago, allowing double-track operation there. However, the stretch between Ourense and O Irixo remains limited to a single track while repairs continue. As a result, AVE, Avlo, Alvia, Avant, and Regional services passing through the area face delays of up to 20 minutes. The first two morning trains on Thursday, one from Santiago at 6:48 and one from Ourense at 6:55, were cancelled and replaced by road transport.
Timeline of the disruption
- Avlo train pantograph catches catenary near O Irixo, cutting power.
- Traffic resumes after 10-hour halt; single-track operation begins.
- Two early trains cancelled; road transport provided. Delays up to 20 minutes.
- Full catenary repair expected; normal service from Friday.
Outlook
Adif plans to complete the final repair, focused on a catenary switch, during the night of Thursday to Friday, once the day's last commercial services have passed. The company expects normal operations to resume from the start of service on Friday morning.
