Works in the Sol tunnel and recent service cuts on the C-3 line have exhausted the patience of travelers connecting the south of the region with the capital. Neighborhood associations and collectives from Pinto, Valdemoro, and Getafe have united to denounce what they consider an "unsustainable" deterioration of the Cercanías commuter rail service. They criticize the management of these interruptions, which they claim disproportionately affects their towns, and have formally requested the creation of a working group with officials from Adif, Renfe, the Ministry of Transport, and the Regional Transport Consortium to jointly address the line's "deficiencies".
Among the signatory organizations are the Colonia Marconi Neighborhood Association, La Tenería Neighborhood Association, ACUSVAL, and Queremos Pinto Verde. These entities are demanding urgent solutions for the daily incidents and delays. Their primary request is for a "real" calendar of investments and actions to prevent the situation from becoming chronic, highlighting difficulties with transfers at stations like Atocha, Sol, or Chamartín, as well as a "lack of signage and support staff".
We are not second-class citizens
Under this premise, they demand that no train be canceled without "immediate" implementation of a road transport alternative. They also request increased staffing at key stations such as Valdemoro, Pinto, Getafe Industrial, and Atocha to assist affected travelers. The associations are considering protests if "firm commitments" and tangible solutions are not achieved.
Furthermore, they point to a delay in the implementation of the ERTMS system, a technology designed to improve safety and train frequency. The limitations of the C-3 have become more apparent recently, in addition to the works in the Atocha-Sol and Nuevos Ministerios tunnel, which have led to station closures on weekends in May and June. In April, a signaling failure at Atocha already caused delays and route changes.
Travelers have reported overcrowding, stopped trains, and prolonged waits during peak hours. There have also been nocturnal service cuts between Villaverde Bajo and Aranjuez, which have particularly affected municipalities like Valdemoro, Pinto, and Getafe Industrial, offering fewer public transport options. In these instances, Renfe has provided alternative services.
The collectives describe a situation of "defenselessness" for those who rely on this route. They argue that train cancellations have become a "common practice," often occurring without prior notice, and sometimes trains disappear from departure boards minutes before arrival. Many travelers find their journeys unexpectedly interrupted at Atocha.
"Frequency on the C-3 has become merely theoretical," conclude the associations, highlighting ongoing issues with the passenger information system, where apps and station displays provide contradictory or outdated data. They believe the south of Madrid has suffered from a "structural deficit in investments" in the Cercanías network for years, now exposed by recurring works and disruptions.
They recall that the C-3 maintains frequencies of up to 20 minutes during peak hours and that any interruption in municipalities like Valdemoro or Pinto directly impacts the workday and work-life balance for thousands of people. The joint complaint aims to maintain institutional pressure and warns of further mobilizations if a "concrete and verifiable" response is not received from the administration.
