Update 3 November 2026
- Read first: this 3 November block overrides the older sections below (dated 27-30 October) wherever they differ.
- Confirmed: a 24-hour general strike on Wednesday 11 November, called by CCOO and UGT with CGT, CNT, ELA, LAB, CIG and the Confederation of Tenants' Unions, over housing and the cost of living. By 2 November, 4,342 works councils, union branches and assemblies had declared their adhesion, including committees at Renfe and Metro de Madrid (Tercera Información, 2 November). No precise timetable or march route is published.
- Minimum services: still not published for 11 November in the sources read on 3 November (Renfe, Aena, metro and EMT). The Transport Ministry's Renfe minimum services are fixed only for the 29 October strike.
- New: Renfe driver strikes around the date. The Semaf union has called total stoppages on Tuesday 10 November and partial stoppages on Thursday 12 November, either side of the general strike: Madrid Cercanías can be disrupted from 10 to 12 November, especially lines C-1, C-3 and C-4 (Moncloa, 30 October; El Español, 29 October). Alternatives: metro (L10 and L12 MetroSur) and interurban buses of the Consorcio Regional de Transportes.
- What to do: plan without commuter trains from 10 to 12 November, keep flexible tickets and recheck your journeys on 9 November.
Sources read on 3 November 2026: Tercera Información (2 November), Moncloa (30 October), El Español (29 October).
Update 30 October 2026
- Confirmed: a 24-hour general strike on Wednesday 11 November, called by CCOO and UGT with the CGT, the Sindicato de Inquilinas (CSI), Acción Social de Solidaridad Obrera and Co.Bas, over housing and wages; the unions ratified it on 7 October. Registration with the Labour Ministry on 19 October is reported by one source, while another found no completed formal notice: treat the legal details (hours, scope) as still open.
- Minimum services: still not published on 30 October in any source we read. The Transport Ministry order for trains and flights is expected in the days before the strike; the unions point to a ruling that declared air-sector minimum services abusive during an earlier strike (8 March, year not given by the source) and ask to negotiate first. Madrid metro and EMT depend on the Community of Madrid and the city council.
- Around the date: Catalan teachers hold rallies on 4 November and join the strike on the 11th; the general election campaign starts on 13 November, for the vote of 29 November (Merca2, 23 October).
What we know on 27 October 2026
| Service | Situation on 27 October | When to know |
|---|---|---|
| Madrid metro | Minimum services to be set by the Community of Madrid: proposal presented to the unions on 23 October, percentages not published, contested by the unions (25 and 27 October); no metro-specific strike confirmed | Community of Madrid, a few days before |
| EMT buses | Minimum services to be published | Madrid city council and EMT, a few days before |
| Renfe (Cercanías, AVE) | Minimum services for 11 November to be published (those for the separate Semaf strike on 29 October are already set) | Transport Ministry, a few days before |
| Flights (Aena) | No cancellation announced; minimum services to be published | Aena and your airline |
| Demonstration in Madrid | No route announced; the Sindicato de Inquilinas has promised a calendar of assemblies and rallies (Que.es, 23 October) | Government Delegation in Madrid |
- Who: CCOO and UGT announced the strike on 7 October; the CGT joins, the CIG, ELA and LAB unions back it in the Basque Country and Galicia, and the Sindicato de Inquilinas is associated with it (elDiario de Madrid, 7 October; Diario de Avisos, October).
- Why: pay rises of 4 to 7%, rent caps, an end to evictions without alternative housing, and access to affordable housing. The unions cite the eviction and death of Maricarmen Abascal, 87, in the Retiro district as the trigger (Diario de Avisos, October).
- Status: the call is filed, but according to the law firm Cuatrecasas (20 October), the form (full or partial stoppage), the hours and the details remain to be specified. The CEOE employers' body contests its grounds. CCOO and UGT leaders call it an "atypical general strike": they measure its success by mass afternoon demonstrations across the country rather than by the work stoppage (Infobae, 22 October).
- Political context: general elections on Sunday 29 November 2026, with a campaign starting on the night of 13 November, two days after the strike. On 26 October more than 2,000 UGT and CCOO delegates met in Getafe to prepare the strike (noticiasparamunicipios.com, 27 October). The Government Delegate in Madrid resigned on 25 October (elDiario.es, 26 October).
Minimum services: to be published
Minimum services are set by the competent authority, not by the unions: the Transport Ministry for Renfe and flights, the Community of Madrid for the metro and intercity buses, Madrid city council for the EMT. They are usually published a few days before the strike, often as a percentage of service per line or time slot. None had been published on 27 October. On 22 October CCOO and UGT asked the Transport Ministry for "proportionate" minimum services (Infobae). The Community of Madrid presented its proposal to the unions on 23 October without handing over written documents; on 25 and 27 October UGT Madrid and CCOO Madrid judged it "abusive", denouncing a lack of transparency and clearly disproportionate points, notably in education and health: they refuse to sign the minutes, have requested the technical reports and reserve the right to go to court, while the Community replies that the unions offered no alternative (Gacetín Madrid, 25 October; noticiasparamunicipios.com, 27 October). To be published by 9 November.
How to check, step by step
- From today: search "servicios mínimos huelga general 11 noviembre" in the national press.
- Around 6 November: check the Madrid metro website, the EMT and the Community of Madrid.
- Around 9 November: open Renfe, Aena and your airline's page.
- On the morning of the 11th: check the Government Delegation for rallies, and the official Madrid metro and EMT accounts for network status.
What if you fall ill or are injured during the trip? A disruption makes nothing easier after an accident. A health and repatriation insurance (SafetyWing, bought online, for the length of the trip) covers care and the trip home. It does not cover trip cancellation: read its conditions before counting on it for a strike. See our travel insurance guide.
Airport and stations on 11 November
With a reduced metro, the trip to Barajas depends on a taxi or a private transfer; allow three hours before a flight. See Madrid-Barajas airport for options, and Madrid's train stations for Atocha and Chamartín. For a train on a fixed date, keep an exchangeable ticket.
What to do in Madrid on 11 November
The centre is best seen on foot: the Prado Museum, the Retiro Park and the Royal Palace fit within a few kilometres. Book with free cancellation, as some museums may close or cut their hours. Avoid the Puerta del Sol and Cibeles, the usual rally points, and bus trips. See also Protests in Madrid: what to do and what to avoid and Strikes and protests in Madrid: calendar and tips.
Refunds and bookings
Keep your tickets, receipts and a screenshot of the announcement. For a flight, the airline must offer a refund or rerouting; the fixed compensation under EU Regulation 261/2004 depends on the cause of the disruption. Before booking anything non-refundable (hotel, train, excursion), reread the cancellation terms.
Flight cancelled or delayed by a strike: are you owed compensation?
- Who is covered: EU Regulation 261/2004 (EU261) applies to flights leaving the EU (any airline) and flights into the EU on an EU airline.
- Amounts: €250 up to 1,500 km, €400 from 1,500 to 3,500 km (or intra-EU flights over 1,500 km), €600 beyond 3,500 km, if the flight is cancelled less than 14 days before departure or arrives 3 hours or more late. The amount can be cut by 50% if you are rerouted at times close to the original.
- Strike: the case on this page — Here, the strikes are by third parties. An air traffic control strike, an airport staff strike or a general strike is usually an extraordinary circumstance: no compensation, but the airline must still offer a refund or rebooking and care (meals, hotel).
- Claim for free: directly with the airline, using the form on its website; keep your boarding pass and all proofs. Deadline depends on the country — Spain: 5 years.
- Claims service: AirHelp checks your flight for free and handles the claim, taking a commission only if it wins (about 35% of the compensation, VAT included, plus 15% if legal action is needed). You can also claim yourself at no cost.
What to do safely during the general strike
Here is a plan B to keep your trip going without taking risks.
- Areas to avoid on protest days: Sol, Cibeles, Atocha, Colón, plaza de España.
- Outing away from the marches: Toledo and Segovia, day trip, far from the squares where people march.
- Airport transfer: transfer from Madrid-Barajas airport, no train, metro or bus to catch.
- For the airport leg, Welcome Pickups offers a private driver booked in advance, so you do not depend on trains, the metro or buses.
- Calm hotel, free cancellation: hotels in Salamanca, quiet area, refundable if your plans change.
FAQ
Will the Madrid metro run on 11 November?
Probably with a reduced service, but the minimum services are still to be published and are contested by the unions. Check the Madrid metro and the Community of Madrid around 6 November.
Will my flight on 11 November be cancelled?
Nothing is announced as of 27 October. Check Aena and your airline: the flights concerned are specified in the days before.
Can the strike be cancelled?
Yes, a call can be changed or lifted after negotiation. It was neither cancelled nor postponed according to sources up to 27 October.
Sources checked on 27 October 2026: noticiasparamunicipios.com (27 October), Infobae (22 October), Gacetín Madrid (25 October), Telemadrid (13 October), elDiario de Madrid (7 October), elDiario.es (26 October), Diario de Avisos (October), UGT (joint statement), Cuatrecasas (20 October), Que.es (8 and 23 October), COPE (21 October), Euronews (6 October). This page will be updated as soon as the minimum services are published.
