Train disasters drive passengers away from Spain's high-speed network, in blow to tourism

Spain's two ‌deadly ​train accidents this year have driven passengers away from the world's second-largest high-speed rail network, a concern for a country heavily reliant on tourism and business travel, experts and business groups said.

The October 28 collision, which killed 69 people, shut the Madrid-Andalusia ‌high-speed line for the second time in nine months, forcing its nearly 19,000 daily passengers to seek alternatives. The line remains closed. According to competition watchdog CNMC's data, the number of long-distance high-speed rail passengers fell 15% in January-June to 18.7 million following January's high-speed train collision near the village of Adamuz in southern Spain that killed 46 people, with most ‌travellers switching to rental cars and domestic flights. Based on Reuters' calculations, that was almost six times the impact a 30-day closure of the line might normally be ‌expected to have.

The impact of the latest crash is yet to be quantified but is likely to be heavier, experts say, as they fear further erosion of confidence in Spain, the world's second-most visited country after France, as a safe travel destination. "All accidents are serious, but when you have two within just nine months ... you have a strong impact on reputation," said Juan Pedro Aznar, a researcher at Esade ⁠business school, adding ​that restoring confidence would require making technical fixes ⁠a political priority.

Carlos Garrido, head of tourism industry group Mesa del Turismo, urged authorities to present a comprehensive infrastructure and maintenance plan. Canadian tourist Isobel Hamilton, 50, said the latest crash prompted her and her ⁠husband to change plans and travel outside Madrid by bus. "We were uncomfortable about keeping a rail trip in our plans ... Even if everything had been restored and was running normally I probably would ​still have chosen to take the bus," she said.

This week, the national government approved a decree containing measures to strengthen rail safety and social protection for ⁠train drivers and control room staff. The main train drivers' union described the measures as the first real step towards improving security. The Transport Ministry could not immediately be reached for comment on additional measures.

ANDALUSIA COUNTS THE ⁠COST While ​most international tourists arrive by air, the high-speed rail network has played a key supporting role in the growth of major tourism and business destinations across Spain over the past few decades.

The Chamber of Commerce in Andalusia's capital Seville estimates that additional air, bus and car services cover only 60% of the halted train traffic, with ⁠daily losses for the region reaching almost €1.5 million ($1.7 million). Last-minute flight bookings have risen as much as 61% so far in November, according to an industry source. The ⁠disruptions have also triggered a surge in demand ⁠for carpooling, with anecdotal evidence pointing to clients also favouring rental cars and buses over slower trains that still serve the southern route.

"In the long run, we'll end up regaining confidence in train services, as long as there isn't another accident," said Marc Selgas, ‌a professor at St. ‌Pol Hospitality & Culinary Business School in Barcelona. ($1 = 0.9042 euros)