News
FGC to take over Rodalies de Lleida and promises more trains and renovated stations
Travelling by train in Ponent is about to change significantly. At the end of this year, Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya will take over the management of Rodalies de Lleida, a change that promises more frequent services, renovated stations, and a gradual improvement in service for the thousands of people who travel daily between Lleida, Cervera, Manresa or Terrassa.
One of the most visible changes will be the arrival of four new Stadler trains with capacity for 439 passengers. Real-time information systems will also be installed at stations, and the image and equipment of fourteen railway points will be completely renewed, from Mollerussa and Bellpuig to Tàrrega, Cervera or Calaf.
The improvement seeks to have a direct impact on the daily lives of those who use the train to work, study or travel between municipalities in Ponent. FGC wants to increase services to reach 14 daily services in each direction between Lleida and Cervera, with five trains extended to Terrassa, a figure above the current offering.
The challenge will not only be operational, but also urban and territorial. In many areas of Lleida, the car remains the dominant option because of the lack of competitive alternatives in terms of time and convenience. FGC's commitment is precisely intended to change that perception and turn the train into a more reliable option for everyday journeys between county capitals and metropolitan areas.
Modernisation will also reach the supporting infrastructure. The railway workshop at Pla de Vilanoveta will be expanded to become the future operational centre for Rodalies de Lleida, with train maintenance, technical management and training for new train drivers.
FGC is also undertaking this project with the precedent of the Lleida-La Pobla line, where modernisation multiplied passenger numbers and transformed many municipalities' relationship with the train. The company is confident it can repeat part of that effect on Rodalies de Ponent, although it acknowledges that the first year will be key to adjusting timetables, frequencies and coordination with Adif and Renfe.
The change also reflects how Catalonia is trying to redefine part of its regional mobility outside the Barcelona metropolitan area. For Lleida and its surroundings, improving rail connections is no longer only a transport issue: it affects access to work, economic growth and the possibility of competing with large urban areas without relying completely on the car.
UPD: FGC's most recent roadmap now places the launch of Rodalies Lleida-Terrassa at the end of 2026, within a key year for the company's rail expansion. Preparations for the service are also progressing operationally, with the search for around twenty train drivers to cover the future RL3 and RL4 lines, which will have to support the increased frequencies between Lleida, Cervera and Terrassa.