The Valencian Regional Government will launch an emergency plan this Friday to mitigate the impact of the cancellation of Cercanías trains to Valencia-Nord during the Fallas mascletás time slot.
Lines C1 and C2 will terminate at Albal station between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. from today, March 13, until the 19th, to avoid crowds at the mascletás in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
The only way for trains to return to the center of Valencia during those hours is through a last-minute agreement between the administrations involved. However, negotiations begin this Friday with positions far apart.
Renfe’s decision responds to a previous request from Valencia City Council, which asked for this measure to be taken to avoid large crowds and congestion when trains arrive at Estació del Nord.
One alternative is to relieve congestion at the station via the Bailén and Alicante exits.
Valencia City Council maintains that any changes to rail operations are the exclusive responsibility of the State, and also warns that Estació del Nord would require the presence of the National Police to manage the large crowds expected on the days of the mascletás.
In the absence of a rail solution, the Valencia Metropolitan Transport Authority (ATMV) has set up two special bus lines from Albal station. The first will connect with Torrent Avinguda metro station, with staggered departures between 1:10 p.m. and 2:40 p.m., and then continue the journey to the city on Metrovalencia.
The second shuttle will go to La Torre, to connect with the EMT urban bus network.
However, the ATMV itself has acknowledged that the service will be insufficient if passenger numbers are high, as “the capacity of a train is equivalent to that of numerous buses.”
The Generalitat is urging citizens to plan their journeys at other times or to use the free parking available at the new València Sud station, which has 536 spaces, as an alternative to accessing the city center by metro.
The plan will be withdrawn immediately once Renfe rectifies its initial proposal and trains resume their usual route to Estació del Nord.