Major roads across the Barcelona metropolitan area have recorded a significant Barcelona traffic increase following a week of severe transport disruptions. According to new data from the Servei Català de Trànsit (SCT), the combined impact of chaos on the Rodalies rail network and the closure of the AP-7 motorway led to a 4.4% rise in overall traffic. That debate has been building for months — we covered it in the recent 48-hour total shutdown of Rodalies.

Between Wednesday—when the disruptions began—and Sunday, 3.92 million vehicles were recorded entering and exiting the nine main arteries of the metropolitan ring. This marks a notable increase from the 3.76 million vehicles counted during the same period the previous week. That debate has been building for months — we covered it in the fatal train accident in Gelida.

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Impact of the AP-7 Closure on Barcelona Traffic

The disruption stemmed from a fatal accident involving a train and a collapsed containment wall. Consequently, this forced the closure of the AP-7 motorway in the southbound direction due to structural instability. This closure had an immediate knock-on effect on alternative routes. That debate has been building for months — we covered it in temporary suspension of Barcelona’s Low Emission Zone.

To mitigate the gridlock, authorities lifted tolls on the C-31 South and C-32 South to divert drivers towards the coast. As a result, traffic on these two roads surged by 11.6% compared to the previous week.

Òscar Llatje, the coordinator of road safety and mobility for the SCT, described the shift as a “considerable increase”. Speaking to the Catalan News Agency (ACN), he noted that the movement of vehicles from one corridor to another contributed to a sharp drop in traffic on the B-23. This road connects the city to the AP-7. Traffic on the AP-7 itself plummeted by 9.1% between Wednesday and Sunday due to the blockage.

Rodalies Chaos Pushes Commuters to Cars

While the motorway closure redistributed existing drivers, the suspension of Rodalies train services forced many rail commuters onto the roads. The C-17, which runs through key commuter towns like Montcada i Reixac and Mollet del Vallès towards Vic, saw traffic volumes rise by nearly 10%.

Other major routes also experienced lighter but consistent increases due to the lack of train services:

  • C-33: +5.5%
  • A-2: +4.4%
  • C-58: +3.5%

However, Llatje clarified that these figures do not represent a “massive” permanent shift from train to car. He described the numbers as significant but not overwhelming.

Unexplained Sunday Surge in Barcelona Traffic

While traffic rose steadily throughout the latter half of the week, Sunday saw a dramatic spike of 17.8% across the nine main metropolitan roads. The increase was particularly sharp on the coastal routes where tolls had been lifted.

Traffic authorities have not yet pinpointed a conclusive reason for this specific surge. However, officials speculate it may have been driven by students and residents returning to Barcelona from outside the city. Many likely used private vehicles rather than risking the unreliable rail network. For more information on transport disruptions, you can read the BBC’s coverage of European transport news.

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