Multiple riders dead and injured as bullet trains collide in Spain
At least 10 people have died, and several others were injured, after two high-speed passenger trains collided near Toledo in central Spain on Wednesday, 28 October, forcing authorities to suspend rail services between Madrid and the southern region of Andalusia.
The collision occurred shortly after 9 a.m. local time between Los Yébenes and Urda, about 100 kilometres south of Madrid. A Renfe AVE train travelling from Madrid to Seville struck the rear of a stationary Iryo train, according to the Spanish broadcaster Cadena SER.
🇪🇸 Horrifying footage from inside a high-speed train that crashed and derailed today in Toledo, Spain. At least 39 people were killed and hundreds were injured. https://t.co/OcEin3UucO
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 28, 2026
Esther Padilla, spokesperson for the Castilla-La Mancha regional government, confirmed the initial death toll but warned that it could increase.
«The information we are receiving is not good at all. There are at least 10 dead and it is possible that the number will increase,» Padilla told local media, according to The Guardian.
WATCH: Horrifying footage shows train car apparently torn in half after collision between Los Yébenes and Urda in Toledo, Spain; at least 179 injured https://t.co/gY1zpqWSWh
— Klaxon Wire (@KlaxonWire) October 28, 2026
The impact derailed at least two carriages, with some falling down an embankment beside the tracks. Footage broadcast by regional television showed damaged railway carriages and debris scattered around the accident site.
What caused the collision?
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. The Renfe train reportedly proceeded despite a red railway signal before striking the Iryo one, which had stopped on the tracks for reasons yet to be established.
Investigators have not confirmed why the train continued or what caused the Iryo service to stop.
VIDEO: Wagon lies entirely off tracks after train collision between Los Yébenes and Urda in Toledo, Spain; at least 39 dead https://t.co/81mgJOUkyl
— Klaxon Wire (@KlaxonWire) October 28, 2026
Manuel Galán, mayor of Urda, told Spanish public broadcaster TVE that emergency services had asked his municipality to prepare a sports hall for passengers.
Rail infrastructure operator Adif suspended high-speed services between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia following the collision. Renfe subsequently announced free ticket changes and cancellations for affected passengers.
Spanish government responds to deadly crash
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his shock at the accident and said he remained in contact with the transport minister and regional authorities.
«Emergency services are working on the ground to assist those affected and ensure their safety,» Sánchez wrote on X, expressing solidarity with the victims and their families.
Consternado ante el grave accidente de trenes en Toledo. Permanezco en constante contacto con el ministro de Transportes, @oscar_puente_, y con el presidente de Castilla-La Mancha, @garciapage. Los servicios de emergencia están trabajando sobre el terreno para atender a las personas afectadas y garantizar su seguridad, en coordinación con todas las administraciones implicadas. Mi cariño, solidaridad y apoyo a todas las víctimas y sus familias.
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) October 28, 2026
Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo also expressed concern and called for support for emergency workers. Spain’s main political parties suspended their scheduled activities for Wednesday.
The accident comes just nine months after another major railway disaster in southern Spain.
In January 2026, 46 people were killed when a train derailed near Adamuz in Córdoba province and collided with another service. It was Spain’s deadliest railway accident since 2013, when 80 people died in a derailment near Santiago de Compostela.
