Rail passengers on Barcelona’s southern corridor face major disruption this week as works at Castelldefels station force the closure of the R2 line between Sitges and Gavà. From Monday until Sunday 28 September, Renfe has rolled out an extensive replacement service of 55 buses offering 41,000 seats daily to cover both commuter and regional routes.
The alternative service includes direct and semi-direct buses from Sitges and Gavà, as well as connections from Garraf, Castelldefels beach and other points along the coast. Regional trains are being substituted with direct buses linking Cunit in Baix Penedès to Barcelona’s Zona Universitària.
Authorities have urged travellers to minimise mobility where possible. Manel Nadal, Secretary for Mobility and Infrastructure at the Generalitat, asked citizens to ‘reduce travel during this difficult week’.
To ease the transition, Renfe has hired 40 additional information staff, set up large signs and digital notices, and reinforced station loudspeaker announcements. In Sitges, the temporary bus stop is over 400 metres from the train station, while at Castelldefels beach it is three streets away, potentially adding to passenger inconvenience.
The line will reopen on Monday 29 September, after test trains run without passengers on Sunday to ensure safety. The construction project at Castelldefels is aimed at separating commuter trains from long-distance services to prevent bottlenecks. The redesign will allocate through trains to certain tracks, reserve others for terminating services, and build a new underpass for safer passenger access.
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