The new train to El Prat: how the direct connection with Barcelona is progressing

Rail access to Barcelona-El Prat airport is nearing completion. The work is more than 95% complete. More than 7 million travellers will use it each year. Find out what the direct journey to Sants in just 20 minutes will be like.

The rail access that will link Barcelona-El Prat airport to the Rodalies network is entering its final stretch. The works, which have already reached 95% completion in their second phase, promise to transform travel between the city centre and terminals T1 and T2. Total investment exceeds 400 million euros, with 80 million allocated to the current phase.

The Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, headed by Óscar Puente, has inspected the works alongside Adif officials and senior figures in the sector. The new 5.2-kilometre route — 4.3 kilometres of it underground — starts on the Barcelona–Vilanova line (R2) and will have an intermediate station at T2, connected to metro line 9, and a final terminus at T1.

The main 3.1-kilometre section was excavated beneath the airport runways during the first phase. Work is now focused on the inside of the tunnel and the underground stations, where slab track, rigid catenary and evacuation corridors have already been installed. Final details are being completed on electrical systems, ventilation, lighting and fire safety.

At the T1 station, the platforms, main conduits, lifts and technical rooms are already ready. At T2, structural work, roofs and skylights are progressing, as are the installation of lifts, escalators and moving walkways. Public spaces are also being adapted for the future flow of passengers.

Outside, the new pergola allows the tracks of the Barcelona–Vilanova line to cross at a different level above the airport access. In addition, electrification and adaptation of the catenary have been completed.

In parallel, passenger information systems and electrical connections are being installed to ensure optimal commissioning. The project, partly funded by European Recovery Plan funds, seeks to promote more sustainable mobility and strengthen public transport in the Barcelona metropolitan area.