Barcelona-Girona high-speed rail services face mounting criticism as passengers struggle to secure seats amid growing demand.
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The popular route, which should take just 39 minutes, has become increasingly unreliable with frequent delays and capacity shortages leaving commuters frustrated.
Barcelona-Girona High-Speed Rail Faces Capacity Crisis
Organised passenger groups on Telegram have documented hundreds of delays this year alone.
Furthermore, journeys frequently extend by ten to twenty minutes without explanation from the operator. The service deterioration affects one of Spain’s most profitable and heavily used rail corridors.
Meanwhile, securing tickets has become increasingly challenging, particularly during peak hours. Regular travellers report needing to book weeks in advance to guarantee a seat. This situation mirrors other recent transport disruptions affecting Barcelona commuters.
The crisis reached government levels when Catalonia’s Secretary of Mobility, Manel Nadal, publicly complained about being unable to find high-speed tickets. Consequently, he had to use medium-distance services instead. He demanded immediate action from Renfe and the ministry to increase capacity.
Political Pressure Mounts Over Rail Service
Nadal’s social media post triggered widespread responses, including from Girona’s mayor Lluc Salellas. He revealed that local government requests for meetings with Transport Minister Óscar Puente have gone unanswered for weeks. Additionally, deputy mayor Gemma Geis expressed frustration and called for political unity in addressing the issue.
Some regular commuters criticised the official complaints, suggesting frequent travellers should know to book well in advance. However, the underlying capacity problem remains unresolved despite growing passenger numbers. This situation reflects broader challenges in Barcelona’s regional connectivity infrastructure.
According to recent reports, the Barcelona-Girona corridor remains Spain’s most used medium-distance line. Passenger numbers surged 44.7% last year, reaching 2.43 million travellers – the highest figure since 2014. Medium-distance services carried over 1.3 million passengers, while Avant high-speed trains transported 960,351 people.
The Barcelona-Girona high-speed rail capacity crisis highlights the urgent need for infrastructure investment. Therefore, both commuters and officials await concrete solutions from transport authorities.
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