Rodalies de Catalunya: the year of the joint venture and major works under way

In 2026, rail mobility in Catalonia faces a decisive year. The Generalitat and Renfe have presented Rodalies de Catalunya SME SA, the new joint venture that will manage commuter lines from now on. Based in Barcelona and with share capital of two million euros, the company will be controlled 50.1% by Renfe and 49.9% by the Generalitat. The aim: to modernise a service burdened by daily breakdowns and incidents.

The board of directors will have nine members, five appointed by the Generalitat and four by Renfe. This body will have to obtain the railway licence and take over management of a network marked by controversy and the need for investment. However, during 2026, the infrastructure will remain the property of Adif, which retains control of the works timetable.

Adif’s president, Luis Pedro Marco, recently acknowledged the service’s problems and assured that the planned investment would bring visible improvements for users. Even so, travellers will have to be patient: works will be constant and will affect several key lines. Renfe plans to launch some of the 110 new trains under construction, although it has not specified how many will be operational this year.

Among the most relevant projects is the closure of the R3, which links L’Hospitalet de Llobregat with Puigcerdà. Since October 2025, the line has been interrupted between L’Hospitalet and La Garriga, and the situation will continue until May. From then on, the affected section will be reduced, but works will continue until January 2027. The aim is to double the tracks between Parets del Vallès and La Garriga, eliminating bottlenecks and improving the capacity of the line, which serves more than 390,000 inhabitants.

Sants station, Barcelona’s most emblematic, is undergoing a comprehensive refurbishment that will continue until 2028. The project includes expanding the terminal across three levels, creating new entrances and redeveloping Països Catalans square. The high-speed area will also grow, allowing access from all four sides of the station.

The future Sagrera station remains under construction, with opening scheduled for 2031. In 2026, work continues at a good pace, although the timetable has accumulated delays after a four-year stoppage. Since March, High-Speed trains have already been running beneath the roof of the new terminal, but the R1 has suffered occasional closures to readjust tracks between Sagrera and Sant Adrià de Besòs.

The undergrounding of the R2 as it passes through Montcada i Reixac is continuing, although Adif has had to modify the project after detecting cracks in nearby homes. Excavations will be carried out at greater depth, which entails further delays.

At Montcada Bifurcació, Adif will reconfigure the track yard, install new switches and build platforms, improving the capacity of the R3, R4 and R7 lines. In addition, washing machines and other technical improvements will be installed.

Sant Feliu de Llobregat is approaching the end of the undergrounding works on the R1 and R4. In 2026, Adif is preparing to dismantle the surface tracks and the old station, ending a demand that has lasted four decades.

Other relevant actions include the continuation of work on the Mediterranean Corridor, with mixed-gauge installations, and the refurbishment of tunnels and bridges in Garraf, which will reduce the southern R2 to a single track for three months. Adif has not yet specified the timetable for these interventions.