Spain: at least 68 dead after high-speed trains collide near Toledo

At least 68 people died in a rail disaster in Spain on Wednesday 28 October 2026, according to the authorities of the Castilla-La Mancha region. Rescuers were still searching the carriages, so the death toll may rise.

What happened

The collision happened shortly before 9am on the high-speed line from Madrid to Andalusia, near the town of Urda in Toledo province. Both trains were travelling from Madrid to Seville. One of them, an AVE, ran into an Iryo train. According to reports, the force of the impact derailed the last two Iryo carriages, which fell down an embankment.

There were 146 passengers on the Iryo train and 397 on the AVE. More than 50 people were injured, and some were taken to hospitals including those in Toledo and Alcázar de San Juan. Some media report a higher number of injured (80), so the figures are still uncertain.

Possible cause

Transport minister Óscar Puente said that earlier that morning the LZB system, which automatically controls high-speed train traffic, had failed. The fault affected about 63 km of the line, and the system stopped around six trains. According to initial findings, a worker in the traffic control centre gave one of the trains permission to proceed despite a red signal. Spanish media report human error. The minister described the permission as "inexplicable". The causes will still be investigated.

Impact on services

Traffic on the Madrid–Andalusia line was suspended in both directions. The operators launched assistance for those affected and their families, and support points were set up at stations including Madrid, Seville, Córdoba and Málaga.

This is the second serious rail disaster in Spain in 2026. In January, 46 people died at Adamuz in Andalusia.

What this means for you

Polish Radio reported that there is no information about any Polish casualties, and Polish services are monitoring the situation. People planning to travel by rail from Madrid to Andalusia should check announcements from the operators (Renfe, Iryo) and the infrastructure manager Adif, because services on this route have been suspended. The sources do not say how long the disruption will last.