Metro and Tram Strikes to Disrupt Valencia During Las Fallas

In Valencia, metro and tram drivers will stage strikes during the main week of Las Fallas. The Spanish union of train drivers and rail assistants (SEMAF) announced a series of stoppages on Metrovalencia that will hit several key dates of the festival.

The strikes will take place on 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 24 and 26 March. The timetable will vary by day. On 13 March: from 11:00 to 15:00 and from 21:00 to 23:59. From 14 to 19 March: from 00:00 to 02:00 or 02:30, from 11:11 to 15:15 or 16:30, and from 20:00 or 21:30 to 22:30 or 23:59. On 24 and 26 March: from 06:00 to 09:30, from 12:00 or 12:30 to 16:00 or 16:30, and from 20:00 or 20:30 to 22:30 or 23:00.

In parallel, the strikes will also affect trams in Alicante. There, stoppages are scheduled for 13, 16, 18, 20, 24 and 26 March, and will run from 07:00 to 10:00, from 13:00 to 16:00 and from 19:00 to 21:00.

The drivers’ union says it is striking because talks with the Valencian authorities have reached a dead end. Workers are demanding better safety standards, infrastructure upgrades and fairer working conditions.

According to the union, the current situation causes a “critical increase in stress and anxiety for the train driver, who is forced to keep to the timetable in conditions beyond their control”, while operating on worn-out infrastructure.

The strikes could seriously impact transport in Valencia, as they coincide with the busiest days of Las Fallas, when hundreds of thousands of residents and tourists rely on public transport to get to events. Passengers are advised to plan trips in advance and factor in possible disruptions to metro and tram services.