The long-planned tram connection along Barcelona’s Avinguda Diagonal has moved forward, with the Metropolitan Transport Authority (ATM) giving initial approval to the civil-works blueprint for the second phase between Verdaguer and Francesc Macià on Wednesday 17 September 2025. The sign-off unlocks the administrative process required before the works can be tendered, in coordination with Barcelona City Council.
ATM’s approval covers the tram infrastructure for this 3 km stretch that will stitch together the current end of Trambaix at Francesc Macià with Verdaguer, adding three new stops named Diagonal | Cinc d’Oros, Balmes and Casanova. Francesc Macià will be remodelled from a terminus into a through-station with side platforms, and designed as an interchange with bus services and the future FGC L8.
The move is one of three dossiers needed for the Verdaguer–Francesc Macià connection to become reality. In parallel, the City Council must advance two further dossiers covering the Diagonal re-urbanisation and a major sewer collector that will run beneath the tram platform. Both are slated for an initial vote at the Urbanism and Mobility Commission on 21 October.
Funding remains a defining piece. City Hall estimates a total outlay of €116 million to complete the link to Francesc Macià, split between €53 million for re-urbanisation of the Diagonal and €63 million for the sewer overhaul. Works will be coordinated between the ATM and the municipal teams and are contingent on budget availability.
Practically, the second phase will reconfigure traffic and public space along a signature Barcelona axis while creating a cleaner, higher-capacity corridor for everyday journeys. The stop at Diagonal | Cinc d’Oros will serve one of the city’s busiest junctions, while the Balmes and Casanova stops plug important north-south streets into the network. Turning Francesc Macià into a through-station should also cut turn-back delays and smooth operations across the tram system.
What happens next is procedural but crucial. Following the ATM’s initial approval, the affected agencies will be asked for their reports, after which final approval can be sought and the works tendered. If the municipal dossiers clear their October hurdle, the City and ATM will then agree the coordination mechanisms for construction. For residents and commuters, the short-term impact will be diversions and works, yet the prize is a continuous, inter-connected tram spine along the Diagonal that promises more reliable, lower-emission mobility across the central city.
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