News
A car falls onto the tracks and forces the closure of the R4 de Rodalies
The festive morning of Sant Joan began with a major incident on Rodalies. The R4 line was interrupted after a vehicle fell onto the tracks between Cerdanyola del Vallès y Terrassa Estació del Nord, forcing rail traffic to be halted for over an hour.
The incident occurred around 10:00 am and affected those using the line to return home, travel around the Vallès, or head to Barcelona after the Sant Joan festivities. On a public holiday, with different schedules and more irregular movements, the interruption forced many travellers to change their plans on the spot.
Renfe activated an alternative road service to cover the affected section and maintain the connection between stations while work was carried out in the area. The buses absorbed part of the demand, although delays and waiting times were inevitable.
Rail traffic was restored around 11:10 am, once the risk had been removed and it was confirmed that trains could pass safely again. Even so, the incident caused accumulated delays throughout the morning on a line that is especially important for metropolitan mobility.
The Sistema d’Emergències Mèdiques attended to the four occupants of the vehicle, who were taken to hospitals in Sabadell y Terrassa. All of them were in a less serious condition, according to initial reports.
For now, the exact causes of the accident remain unclear. The car's fall onto the railway area required the activation of emergency services and coordination with Renfe and the teams responsible for ensuring track safety.
The R4 is one of the key Rodalies lines connecting Barcelona with the Vallès and other municipalities in the metropolitan area. Any interruption on this corridor has an immediate effect on thousands of journeys, even on a public holiday, as it serves as a main route for work, leisure, family visits, and return trips.
The incident leaves an unusual but very telling image of the fragility of daily mobility. An accident outside the train can paralyse an entire line for hours and turn a restful morning into a series of waits, transfers, and mobile phone alerts.