Train passengers trapped underground

PASSENGERS on a Murcia to Alicante local train were trapped on board for 45 minutes when it broke down in a tunnel with no mobile phone signal or information.

According to complaints received by Murcia consumer association Consumur, the train set off from El Carmen station on time at 14.10 last

Friday, but broke down within a few metres after entering the new tunnel at Santiago el Mayor. During the 45 minutes it was stuck there, the passengers were unable to communicate with the outside world and were not given any information over the train’s public address system or from personnel of rail company Renfe about how long they would be delayed or what the problem was. The train eventually returned to the station and the passengers were told they could continue their journey on a different train, but after waiting for several minutes on the other train with no air conditioning, they were told they would be delayed by another 40 minutes, when the next scheduled train to Alicante was due to leave. This meant they had to change trains yet again and they finally made it to Alicante one hour and 40 minutes late. Although Renfe personnel on the platform at the time allegedly told passengers they would not be entitled to any compensation, Consumur assured that it is possible even though the company website ‘confusingly’ excludes the local train service (Cercanias) from its punctuality promise. They said under the terms of the local trains passenger transport contract, claims can be made if a delay was not due to ‘force majeure’. If it lasted for more than one hour they are entitled to a 50% refund.