Summer in Barcelona always brings a change of pace; the streets quiet down under the sun, but underground, the city takes advantage of this respite to transform itself and become more user-friendly. In this spirit of improvement, the Department of Territory, Housing, and Ecological Transition of the Government of Catalonia will close the Verdaguer station on Line L4 from July 6 through August 30. The reason for this summer shutdown is to move forward with accessibility improvements at the interchange with Line L5, a project involving an investment of 8.6 million euros. During these weeks, trains on the yellow line will run as usual on the tracks but will pass through without stopping at the platforms.
The closure has been strategically planned to coincide with the period of lowest ridership on public transit in the Catalan capital. This station averages 6,500 ticket validations per day in July, a figure that drops to 4,800 in August.
To avoid last-minute surprises for residents and regular commuters, a campaign has been launched today featuring staff on-site at the station itself, who will be responsible for notifying the public of the closure before service is suspended at the station.
A barrier-free interchange
The main objective of this project, which is part of the first phase of the Verdaguer interchange’s adaptation, is to facilitate travel for people with reduced mobility. The overall project includes the installation of three elevators, the renovation of the connecting corridor—replacing the current stairs with ramps—and the addition of new escalators.
In addition, the fixed stairways connecting the L4 concourse to the platforms will be widened, and the level of the concourse itself will be adjusted to create fully accessible routes.
Work During the Summer Shutdown
Although civil engineering work is already underway internally to adapt the transfer corridor—which has been closed since last October—and the shafts where the elevators will be located, the station’s complete closure during these two months is necessary to carry out the most complex architectural work.
During this period when trains will not stop at Verdaguer, workers will focus on raising the platform levels, widening the fixed staircases, and modifying the floor structure of the L4 concourse.
