Ras i curt, the biggest service cut that the Rodalies R3 line has ever experienced. From September 27, 2025 and for 16 months, there will be no trains between Montcada Bifurcació and La Garriga, one of the busiest sections of Vallès Oriental.
The reason is the works to double the 17 kilometers of single track between Parets and La Garriga, a project expected for decades due to the constant delays caused by the single track and that will cost 210 million euros assumed by ADIF.
When will be the cuts in the R3 of Rodalies?
From September 27, 2025, the entire service section between Montcada Bifurcació and La Garriga will be interrupted for eight months. Within that section, the works will be concentrated between Montcada Bifurcació and La Garriga, where the alternative road bus plan will be organized.
Later, in a second phase, from May 2026 to January 2027, the cut will go from Mollet Santa Rosa to La Garriga.
In total, there will be 16 months without trains in one of the most used stretches of the Catalan hinterland, four months longer than initially planned.
For his part, the Secretary of State for Transport, José Antonio Santano, has acknowledged that the complete doubling of the line will not be ready by 2030, but that it will be underway.
What else will be done during the cut?
In addition to the splitting, the closure will be used to execute other pending improvements:
- Comprehensive remodeling of the Montcada Bifurcació station.
- Installation of elevators and accessibility improvements in Santa Perpètua de Mogoda, Granollers-Canovelles, Les Franqueses del Vallès and La Garriga.
- Extension of track 2 in Vic
- Construction of a new electrical substation in Vic-Taradell.
Extra personnel and information services
To avoid information chaos , a team of 70 information and customer service staff is expected to be deployed at the most affected stations. There will be posters, leaflets, public address announcements, social networks, apps… for several days beforehand so that no one finds out by surprise on September 27.
Why is it being done?
The R3 is a line with 149 kilometers and a single track on much of its route. This means that any small incident (a fallen tree, an electrical failure, a cable theft…) can paralyze everything. The key to avoiding these blockages is to double it. This is one of the great unfinished business of the Catalan railway system, and one of the most demanded by users, especially in the Vallès region.
The investment for this section alone amounts to 68 million euros, within a global plan that will allocate 210 million to modernize this line. For years, it has been one of the most forgotten and punished of Rodalies, and now it is starting to come out of that tunnel.
Transport alternatives on the affected section
Renfe has prepared an alternative bus plan never seen before, with 107 coaches that will make up to 639 daily expeditions on weekdays and 556 on holidays.
The service will be divided into two phases, just like the railway cut, and will depart from Fabra i Puig station, connected to the metro L1 and the Rodalies R4.
Alternative services during the first phase (Montcada Bifurcació – La Garriga):
- Direct buses:
- Centelles – Barcelona (some to Vic)
- La Garriga – Barcelona
- Centelles – Parets del Vallès – Barcelona
- Buses with stops:
- Centelles – Barcelona
Alternative services during the second phase (Mollet Santa Rosa – La Garriga):
- Direct buses:
- Centelles – Barcelona (some to Vic)
- La Garriga – Barcelona
- Centelles – Mollet Santa Rosa
- Buses with stops:
- Centelles – Mollet Santa Rosa
The frequency will be every 30 minutes, with reinforcements at peak hours. And if necessary, according to Renfe, the fleet can be adapted “according to demand”.