Rodalies service disruptions are set to continue across Catalonia this week. Consequently, the network’s 400,000 daily users face ongoing delays, speed restrictions and mandatory bus replacements. This situation follows a fatal landslide on 20 January and reveals severe infrastructure deficiencies.
Transport Minister Óscar Puente offered a blunt assessment in the Senate, admitting: “Rodalies is a terrible service.” Meanwhile, commuters will likely share this sentiment as trains run intermittently with speed reductions at nearly 200 points.
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Rodalies Service Disruptions: Status of Affected Lines
Renfe and Adif are finalising the definitive list of affected zones. However, several key closures are already confirmed for early February:
- R8 (Martorell – Granollers): This line will not operate. Ongoing work in a tunnel at Rubí has also severed rail freight traffic between Spain and France. Therefore, reopening is expected to take weeks.
- R1 (L’Hospitalet – Maçanet-Massanes): Adif continues work on the section between Blanes and Maçanet following a 23 January landslide. The slope remains unstable, making immediate reopening unlikely. Passengers should expect road replacement services here.
- R3 (L’Hospitalet – Puigcerdà): This line faces major uncertainty. A long-term closure between L’Hospitalet and La Garriga is in place until May 2026 for track doubling. Additionally, the section from Vic to Puigcerdà was cut last Monday due to safety concerns. Compounding the issue, the Pyrenees section currently lacks a snowplough.
- R4 (Sant Vicenç de Calders – Manresa): The line where the fatal Gelida accident occurred continues to face restrictions. Alternative road transport will run between Sant Sadurní and Martorell Central. Trains will run normally from Martorell Central to Terrassa Estació del Nord, but buses will likely be required onwards to Manresa.
The R2 line is expected to run without cuts, providing a rare reliable link. However, regional services in Girona and Tarragona will also see interruptions and road replacements.
Emergency Bus Fleet Deployment for Rodalies Disruptions
Anticipating the scale of the Rodalies service disruptions, the Generalitat has significantly reinforced its road transport capacity. The administration hired an additional 61 buses, bringing the total reinforcement fleet to 230 vehicles. In fact, demand is so high that buses have been brought in from other parts of Spain, including eight from Mallorca.
Infrastructure Inspections Intensify Amidst Disruptions
Adif announced it is actively working at 31 different points across the Rodalies network to secure trenches and slopes. The infrastructure manager conducted over 400 visual and technical inspections of tunnels, bridges and tracks to identify risks.
Special attention is being paid to coastal sections, such as the lines between Barcelona and Vilanova or Mataró, as well as steep terrain areas. More than 50 teams are currently deployed conducting these checks.
Adif has mobilised all available human and technical resources. However, the operator states infrastructure will only be handed back “depending on the evolution of the works.” Therefore, a return to full normality remains some distance away.
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