Rodalies commuter rail logs a third day of delays with the R7 cut, one day before the drivers' strike

The Rodalies and Regionals rail service in Catalonia is running on Monday, November 9 with widespread delays because of an "operational incident", following delays of up to one hour over the weekend, according to ACN. Rodalies warned at 7:04 that trains are running outside their usual timetable and may take longer than scheduled.

Renfe sources cited by ACN attribute the situation to "incidents related to the drivers and the trains", which they are analyzing. Traffic on the R7 is interrupted; Rodalies recommends using the R4 and has arranged a replacement road service between Cerdanyola del Vallès and Cerdanyola Universitat. Crónica Global reports tailbacks of up to six kilometers on the approaches to Barcelona.

Union sources said on Sunday that discontent over changes Renfe has made to drivers' conditions, including the removal of shifts that began outside Barcelona, may lie behind the disruption, according to El Nacional. Crónica Global says there is a shortage of drivers because of new rosters imposed unilaterally after the agreement with the Semaf union broke down. Renfe has not specified, in the reports consulted, how many trains have been cancelled.

A drivers' strike has been called for Tuesday and Thursday, with minimum services of 66% at peak times and 33% off-peak, and the general strike takes place on Wednesday, with 25% at peak times and no service for the rest of the day, according to Ara.