Strawberry Train services have been temporarily suspended by the Spanish Railways Foundation (FFE – Fundación de los Ferrocarriles Españoles). The suspension is reflected on the website of one of Spain’s most historic tourist trains, although the organisation has not yet explained the reasons.
Tickets for this weekend’s passengers have been cancelled, with refunds now being processed.
According to information obtained by this publication, the Costa and 5000-series coaches used by the iconic train are understood to have failed an inspection that operator Renfe was required to carry out following the entry into force of Ministerial Order TRM/367/2026, which regulates the operation of heritage rolling stock on the Iberian-gauge network (RFIG).
A user on the social network X, who tends to harshly criticise alleged poor practices in the sector, claims that the defects affect significant components. However, this information should be treated with caution until it has been officially confirmed.
In 2020, Renfe and the FFE reached an agreement for the public operator to spend €400,000 on a comprehensive restoration of the coaches, which were in poor condition. The work, which included a new timber body, was carried out in Madrid at the workshops of Siderúrgica Requena.
From these pages, we hope that the necessary measures will be taken to enable the Strawberry Train to return to service as soon as possible.