Barcelona’s Rodalies R3 train line faces severe and prolonged disruption, with extensive infrastructure works expected to continue until January 2027, forcing many commuters to abandon rail services for alternative buses. This ongoing situation represents one of Catalonia’s longest railway blockages, significantly impacting travel for residents across the Vallès Oriental and Osona regions.
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Prolonged Disruption on Rodalies R3 Line
The Rodalies R3 train line has been undergoing intermittent works for over two years, primarily for the duplication of its single track. The current phase, affecting the section between Parets del Vallès and La Garriga, began in October and will last until early 2027. A partial train service between La Garriga and Ripoll was restored in mid-March, with trains departing hourly. However, passengers travelling from Barcelona cannot board a direct train. They must instead take a bus from Fabra i Puig to La Garriga. This alternative requires passengers to walk 430 metres uphill between the bus stop and the train station.
Fernando Jiménez, who works at the bar in La Garriga station, described the situation as “more dead than alive.” He explained that despite the train service, people have grown accustomed to using the free alternative buses. “Only four people travel from El Figaró and four students go to Vic,” he lamented. Jiménez noted his business survives mainly due to Renfe staff working at the station.
Commuters Face Extended Journeys and Unreliability
Commuters like Lourdes Castro, who uses the service daily to travel to Vic for work, highlight the inefficiencies. “The bus stops at all stations and takes longer than the train,” Castro stated. A journey that takes approximately 30 minutes by car can double to an hour by bus. The train journey from La Garriga to Vic typically takes around 40 minutes. Castro also mentioned the speed reductions imposed by Adif, the Spanish railway infrastructure manager, following previous Rodalies incidents. “Sometimes, it feels like the train stalls because it reduces speed so much,” she added. Despite the slowness, she finds it less unsettling than the train’s frequent shaking.
The journey from La Garriga to Ripoll now takes 2 hours 40 minutes, an increase from the previous 2 hours 15 minutes before the works. This extended travel time, combined with frequent incidents and a lack of reliable information, deters many potential passengers. Onboard, passengers experience constant flickering lights, sudden stops mid-track, and abrupt braking. Announcements often cite “traffic regulation reasons” for delays. One passenger, waiting at Balenyà, commented, “Every day is a different excuse.”
Single Track Causes Further Delays
The Rodalies R3 line is unique in Catalonia as it operates predominantly on a single track for much of its route. This infrastructure limitation means trains often must wait at stations for oncoming services to pass, causing a domino effect of delays across the entire line. For example, a 20-minute bus journey from Vic to Ripoll, which also stops at every village, can extend to an hour and a quarter. This explains why the number of train passengers increases from four to about twenty when the service reaches Vic, with most disembarking at Manlleu and Torelló. Only around ten passengers typically continue to Ripoll.
The unreliability and extended travel times mean that even Renfe staff express distrust in the service. A security guard at La Garriga station, for instance, takes the bus home after his shift rather than relying on the train. He also reported often being the sole passenger on many train journeys. This widespread lack of confidence has transformed the R3 into what many describe as a “ghost line.”
Historical Underfunding and Future Outlook
The current situation on the Rodalies R3 line underscores a history of underfunding and neglect within Catalonia’s regional rail network. Residents in the affected regions have grown resigned to what has become the normalisation of poor service, where chaos is a routine occurrence. The extensive works, which are among the longest in the region’s history, highlight significant infrastructure challenges.
Until the scheduled completion in January 2027, commuters will likely continue to face uncertainty, delays, and a reliance on less efficient alternative transport options. The ongoing disruption not only impacts daily travel for thousands but also affects local businesses dependent on station footfall, such as Fernando Jiménez’s bar at La Garriga station. The future of the R3 line hinges on the successful and timely completion of these critical infrastructure upgrades.
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Originally published by El País Barcelona. Read original article.
