I got hit with the last general strike on the day I left Madrid. The taxi was running, but the train runs were limited. The airtraffic at Barajas airport was reduced. My flight was canceled, but I got rescheduled on a flight leaving one hour earlier. They gave me about 12hrs notice about the change of plane. This is a type of event that the airlines can just cancel the flights and refund you the money which is of little use to you. Landing in Barcelona instead might have improved your odd of making to your cruise a little bit by not having to deal with the Renfe segment, but if the plane cannot reach any Spanish airport, it would probably not help.

One of the several resources I used to find info was www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/europe/spain.

Here is what happened last time: www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17545174.

If your flight is a code share flight operated by someone other than the issuer of your air tickets, once they cancel the flight, you need to deal with the company that issued your ticket. I got mega run around calling different code share partners as I got rebooked on different code share partner airlines. I had a Spanish telephone SIM with internet data, which was godsend during time like this.

What does your cruise company say?

If you do make it to Madrid, you "might" find seats on a few trains that must run on strike day. I would be loathed to guess just how bad the ticket counter/ticket machine lines can get. If you can still travel on Nov 15 and make your cruise, that might be a possibility. If you are planning to stay in Barcelona on Nov 14th, you might need to stay Nov 14th in Madrid, so have a plan on what to do if you are stuck in Madrid on Nov 14th. Beside Renfe ticket counters, you can also buy Renfe tickets at Corte Ingres department store travel section - with a premium. I have never had to change the tickets canceled due to strike, so I am not sure how it works.

A bus, or even renting a car from Madrid to Barcelona might be options.

I am flying into Madrid from the US and arrive on Nov. 15 so I don't think I will be affected. However, in your case, I would definitely contact your cruise co. for some advice. Is there any way you can go earlier or as the previous poster said, go straight to Barcelona....

I'd see if you can change your tickets and fly directly into Barcelona. They are required to have a minimum of services but I've never been able to figure out exactly what this means. I wouldn't count on trains OR buses to be fully operating. You'll also need to get from Bajaras airport in Madrid to either a bus or train station to make the connection which is why I'd try to do a ticket change. It may be difficult to catch a taxi or bus from the airport into Madrid. If your cruise doesn't depart until mid-day on Nov 15 you may see if you can purchase a train ticket early for the morning of Nov 15 and you'd still arrive on time. If you purchase a ticket that is not deeply discounted it can be partially or fully refunded if you end up making your original train (just need to get the refund on the 14th).

I've had experience during 3 general strikes (I'm 2 for 2 on my last 2 trips . During 2 strikes I was in larger cities (San Sebastian and Sevilla). Many cafes were closed (but not all) and some shops but taxis were operating, especially later in the day. However, this wasn't my experience last month when they had a strike specific to the Basque region and I was in the small village of Lekeitio. Everything was shut down. I was staying at a smaller hotel that didn't normally serve meals other than breakfast but they offered lunch and dinner for their guests only. Hotels with restaurants and bars would only serve their clients. It was quite eerie walking around in the middle of the day with everything shut tight. With the current economic climate there may be much participation in this strike. I'd definately have a back up plan just in case.

Please don't let this ruin your trip. Did you book via a travel agent? They may be able to help you out with alternatives.

I hadn't heard about these kinds of strikes. Are they generally a one day event--like a protest? Or longer duration?

Travel Insurance might be helpful ...

Usually one day - the next day it's all back to normal! In the strikes I've witnessed there it is generally without violence but there are some peaceful demonstrations. However last March when I was in Sevilla there were some issues in Barcelona. But it was in an isolated area.

They have similar strikes in other countries where a lot of people strike for one day (or longer). They definitely do in France. I think they had one when I was there a few weeks ago, but luckily it was the day after I was due to leave.

Of course taxi drivers don't go on strike, they are pretty much working for themself, but it can be hard to get one if everyone wants one.

There is a cheap airport bus that goes right from Madrid airport to Atocha train station, actually, if that's where you need to go. If you have a whole lot of luggage, that will be tricky but it would for you anyway, so let's hope you don't.
Here is information the airport express bus in Madrid http://www.esmadrid.com/en/barajas-airport-express

If you are going to Atocha, I'd take that rather than a taxi anyway.

I would never fly into Madrid if you really want to go to Barcelona, anyway. Can you fly somewhere else? I would fly to Barcelona, of course, but if you can fly into London, Easyjet has about 3 flights a day (cheap) from London to Barcelona, for example.

It's not that taxi's would be hard to get if everyone wants one, it is that there is alot of (ahem) "pressure" for them not to work during a general strike. If you know anything about the trucking strikes in the US by the teamsters it is similar - even private owners are impacted as they are highly discouraged to be driving on this day.

I wouldn't necessarily depend on the airport express bus to be running during the strike. It may, but I would try to contact them in advance if this was a backup plan to get the Atocha.

If the strike is widely adhered to any transportation can be difficult. I recall during one strike my friend who managed a hotel in Sevilla had clients arriving at the train stations but they could not get a taxi to the hotel. She had her staff picking up guests. So you just don't know.....

Perhaps the airlines, knowing this strike problem, will change your tickets to arrive earlier, a day earlier because that is the only way it seems you could get to Barcelona without some type of "event".

I know it's too late now but arriving in a foreign country only 24 hours before a cruise seems very tight to me. Even under normal conditions there can be a weather situation or failed mechanics on any flight with not too many options to get you to your destination until the next day.

I do hope you can work it out.
Hopefully the airlines are the first ones to want to get you rebooked. Give it a try before it gets any more difficult.

Of course sometimes strikes are cancelled but I would even be willing to pay an exchange fee at this point and get there a day or two earlier to assure myself getting on that cruise.

Well, even if there is pressure to not work, which I'm sure there is, it is hard to get one when everyone wants one, also. I've given up at getting a taxi at the JErez train station once just because it was raining, it was impossible as they were in so much demand. It's the same in Paris. And when they have transit strikes, it is very difficult to get a taxi also even if there are some.

I imagine the airport express bus is public workers, so they will have reduced runs, probably (although you never know, sometimes some things are affected and not others in these general strikes).

There is another option although who knows how easy or great that will be if there is a general strike, also, that is the Aerocity private airport transport shuttle van
http://www.aerocity.com/en/

I just took it a few weeks ago and it was fantastic. I didn't pay and make a reservation in advance online as you can just book them upon arrival, which seemed safer to me. However, if there is a general strike, I imagine they will be very booked up, also, if they are running. It is a little cheaper if you book in advance, also (17 euro pp versus 20 on site).

So if one had to proceed to fly into Madrid and planned to go to Atocha, I might book and reserve Aerocity online for 17 euro a person figuring it couldn't hurt, even if somehow you lost that fee.

I really appreciate everyone's advice and information! I forgot to say that I am a former airline employee and my airline doesn't fly to Barcelona after the summer season. We are flying on a pass, so we don't have airline reservations. We have travel insurance on our train tickets, so we may be able to change them. All we have to hope for is that the flight isn't canceled. We may try to arrive on the 13th, go to Barcelona, and spend two nights there.

If you're flying on a pass and have flexibility then I'd definately arrive on the 13th and get to Barcelona before the strike day. If you paid full fare on your train tickets you can change the even without travel insurance. This would be the solution if you're loosing sleep over the strike as it would get you to Barcelona for your cruise without worries.

your train tickets , depending on the fare, will not be a total washout even without insurance like CathyM says. Try to get here earlier.. enjoy Barcelona and relieve yourself of some unnecessary stress. Lucky you have those passes!

Hope all goes OK.

Thank you so much for the support and good information!

Maybe you should also keep an eye on your BCN hotel location. Look for something centrally located so you don't have to rely on public transport all the time but have many sights in walking distance.

But even during the last strike of public transport in Catalunya this September it was never a real problem to get around. Metros and city buses were running on a guaranteed minimum service (with more trains per hour than I have in my home town without a strike lol) and it was never a problem to hail a cab on the street. And cabs are cheap there.

Don't expect an "the end of the world is neigh" scenario just because of the strike.. The locals handle things as smoothly as possible under the circumstances.