Testing of new Barcelona airport shuttle trains begins

One of the first ten shuttle trains that will operate between Barcelona city and the airport began testing on Friday.

By the end of 2026 or the beginning of 2027, these trains will form the new R-Airport line.

Running every 15 minutes, the line will connect Sant Andreu with Terminals 1 and 2 of the airport.

The stops will include La Sagrera, El Clot, Passeig de Gràcia, Sants, and Bellvitge.

The trains are currently undergoing final factory tests before being trialed on the tracks.

They are being built at Alstom’s facility in Santa Perpètua de Mogoda, near Barcelona.

On Friday, Catalan president Salvador Illa visited the factory to observe the train tests.

The president said that the new line will provide "quick, easy, and reliable" access to the airport and is part of a broader "train transformation" for Catalonia.

Leopoldo Maestu, Alstom’s president for Spain and Portugal, assured that the trains will "transform" the service, bringing it to the standard of major cities such as London or Amsterdam.

The design of the new trains is tailored for airport service, featuring wide corridors, dedicated luggage spaces, charging points, and Wi-Fi.

Each train has a total capacity of 656 passengers, including 202 seats, and a maximum speed of 120 km/h.

FGC, the Catalan government’s train management authority, has invested €177 million in the project.