Barcelona is a city that breathes, grows, and reinvents itself, weaving its future from the memories of those who dared to imagine it in the past. Now La Sagrera—the infrastructure set to define how we get around over the next decade—seeks to embrace that legacy so that it is not merely a hub of tracks and platforms, but a living reflection of local identity.
To this end, a formal proposal has been submitted to the Spanish government to name the new rail complex “Barcelona La Sagrera – Pasqual Maragall.” The goal of the initiative is for the station to honor the man who was the driving force behind the city’s metropolitan transformation, paying tribute to his vision of a cohesive, ambitious city connected to Europe.
A driving force for the Besòs region and the economy
The La Sagrera project is considered the most significant urban transformation Barcelona will undergo in the coming decade. Its development is envisioned as a direct catalyst for transformation in the Besòs area and throughout the capital, creating a new hub of economic activity and job creation.
In terms of mobility, the facilities will not only serve as the major central connector between the Metro and Rodalies networks but will also establish themselves as the main rail gateway to and from Europe.
The station’s arrival will bring about a complete redesign of the public space. The construction will leave behind 36 hectares of nature, creating the largest urban park in all of Barcelona.
Alongside the green space, the project also addresses the need to foster a sense of community. The area surrounding the station will include more than 11,300 new homes, nearly half of which will be affordable housing—a measure designed to guarantee residents’ right to continue living in their own neighborhoods.
