Starting December 22, commuter trains on the C3 line will resume service between Loriguilla and Buñol. This section of track was severely damaged by a major flood caused by DANA. Restoration work took several months and required significant investment—with 120 million euros allocated to this segment alone. The reconstruction was overseen by Adif, which was responsible for the complete overhaul of the infrastructure.
Passengers will have access to 26 trains per day—13 in each direction. Trains will depart from València Font de Sant Lluís and run to Buñol, stopping at València Sant Isidre, Xirivella-Alqueries, Aldaia, Loriguilla, the Circuit R.Tormo platform, Cheste, and Chiva. For those heading to Valencia’s main train station, transfers to the C6 line or the metro at Sant Isidre are available.
Alternative routes
Until full rail service is restored, buses are also available to passengers. Every day, 46 buses run between Valencia and Buñol, stopping in all towns along the C3 line. This is a temporary measure that will remain in place until all works are completed and the train schedule is stabilized.
The temporary departure point for trains is the Font de Sant Lluís station. This is due to the major renovation of the València Nord station, where it is currently impossible to accommodate diesel trains on covered platforms because of incompatibility with ongoing construction work.
Major reconstruction works
Service restoration was only possible after completing complex operations to rebuild the railway tracks, engineering structures, and all systems destroyed by the disaster. On the C3 line within Valencia, Adif invested €120 million in infrastructure restoration. This not only brought back the previous service level but also increased reliability and safety.
On the section between Buñol and Utiel, spanning about 46 kilometers, train service has not yet resumed. Here, a complete modernization of tracks and equipment is underway, with more than €100 million allocated for the work. The project is on schedule, but the exact reopening date has yet to be announced.
New viaducts
Special attention was given to restoring bridges that were nearly destroyed by floodwaters. The most challenging projects were three viaducts: Barranco Grande, Cheste 1, and Cheste 2. Their previous structures were either severely damaged or completely washed away. The new bridges were built to accommodate the altered riverbeds and are designed to handle increased loads. The Barranco Grande viaduct now spans 136 meters, while Cheste 1 and Cheste 2 each measure 216 meters. This is significantly longer than before, providing extra resilience in the event of future natural disasters.
The restoration of rail service between Valencia and Buñol has become an important milestone for the region. It not only brings back a familiar route for thousands of passengers, but also serves as an example of how infrastructure can be modernized after devastating natural disasters.
