Starting next Saturday, May 9, the Rodalies de Catalunya service will no longer be free for users, as confirmed by the Catalan Government and the central government. This change in date represents a five-day extension from the initially planned schedule.
At the same time, key sections of lines R4, R15, and R3 will reopen next week, allowing the system to reach 96% of its potential operational capacity.
Schedule for network reopenings
Following a series of clarifications regarding the work schedule, Renfe has set the final dates for the restoration of the sections that were still closed:
- Monday, May 4: Service resumes on the R15 between the Reus and Móra la Nova stations.
- Tuesday, May 5: The section of the R3 line between Ripoll and Ribes de Freser will resume service. Additionally, the entire R4 line will return to normal operation, eliminating the shuttle service that operated between Terrassa and Manresa.
This announcement was made during the reopening of the Rubí tunnel, an event attended by the Regional Minister for Territory, Sílvia Paneque, and the Secretary of State for Transport, José Antonio Santano. Paneque emphasized that the network is in a phase of “transition toward progressive improvement.”
Criticism from user platforms
Despite the restoration of service, passenger groups have expressed their opposition to the end of free travel. As reported by 3Cat, the Dignitat a les Vies platform called the decision “misguided” due to the system’s unreliability. Its spokesperson, Anna Gómez, denounced a “total disconnect” from users’ reality, noting that lines such as the R13 and R15 are reopening with speed restrictions.
Similarly, Marc Janeras Casanova, spokesperson for Perquè No Ens Fotin el Tren (R3), and Cinta Galiana, of Trens Dignes Terres de l’Ebre, agreed that payment should be linked to efficient service. Galiana also highlighted the comparative disadvantage suffered by the Terres de l’Ebre region, calling for “affirmative action” for the R15 and R16 lines in light of the accumulation of incidents.
Three-month free service review
The measure to waive ticket fares was implemented on January 20 following the R4 accident in Gelida, with the aim of compensating the public for the severe disruptions to service. Although it was initially set to end in March, the state of the infrastructure forced the measure to be extended several times until the present date.
Currently, some sections remain out of service due to construction or incidents:
- R15: Between Móra la Nova and Riba-roja d’Ebre.
- R8: Between Rubí and Martorell.
- R7: Entire line.
- R13: Between La Plana-Picamoixons and Roda de Mar.
- R3: Between Parets and La Garriga (track doubling works).
- R2 South: Disruptions in the Garraf tunnels that reduce frequency by half.
Forecasts for the Rubí Tunnel
Regarding the infrastructure in Rubí, which was affected by Storm Harry in January, the Secretary of State reported that, although freight service is already operating, the second track will not be operational until June. It will be then that Rodalies passenger trains will be able to resume service through this part of the network.
