Esther Padilla, spokesperson for the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha, told CNN that one of the trains was carrying 146 passengers and a baby, while the other had 397 passengers on board.
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
Reacting to the incident, a Spanish government source told El País: “It could be worse than Adamuz.”
🇪🇸 Spain records at least five fatal high-speed rail accidents in 2026 1) Adamuz rail disaster (January 18) A high-speed Iryo train derailed in Adamuz (Córdoba) on the Madrid–Seville line after a fractured rail weld. Seconds later, a southbound Renfe train slammed into the derailed carriages, killing 46 and injuring 292. 2) Gelida train derailment (January 20) Commuter train hit a collapsed wall damaged by Storm Harry. Trainee driver killed, at least 37 injured. 3) Cartagena train accident (January 22) A passenger train in Cartagena collided with a crane arm on the tracks. Six people were injured. No fatalities. 4) Talavera la Real accident (February 12) Another rail incident in Talavera la Real added further pressure on infrastructure manager Adif. 5) Toledo high-speed collision (October 28) Today’s rear-end collision between an Iryo and a Renfe train on the Madrid-Andalusia line in Toledo has left at least 39 dead and shut down major southbound traffic. At least 86 were killed across the five accidents. Earlier incidents alone injured at least 335 people. Today’s Toledo crash happened on the same line as the January 18 Adamuz disaster. Video from the scene of the deadly Toledo rail collision
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 28, 2026
According to emergency services sources cited by the Spanish newspaper, an AVE high-speed train collided with an Iryo train that was stopped on the tracks. Two carriages reportedly plunged down an embankment following the collision.
Following the accident, Spanish state-owned railway company Renfe announced the suspension of train services between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia.
Political parties in Spain also cancelled their scheduled events following the tragedy.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed shock over the accident in a post on X, saying he remained in constant contact with Transport Minister Óscar Puente and Castilla-La Mancha regional president Emiliano García-Page.
He added that emergency services were working at the scene to assist those affected and ensure their safety.
Rafael Escudero, spokesperson for the Railway Union, described the accident as “very unusual” in comments to El País.
A passenger travelling in one of the rear carriages told the newspaper that he felt a “strong impact” approximately 40 minutes into the journey.
The cause of the collision remains unclear, and an investigation is underway.
According to the newspaper’s report on the initial findings, an operator at Madrid’s Atocha control centre mistakenly instructed a Renfe train to proceed despite an Iryo train blocking the track. The report said this may have led to a rear-end collision between the two trains, although the speed at the time of impact had not yet been determined.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident.