Rodalies rail services resume gradually after two-day shutdown

The Rodalies commuter rail network began progressively restoring train services across all lines early on Friday morning, Renfe has confirmed.

Trains are returning to service after a two-day shutdown and following the agreement reached on Thursday between the Catalan government, Renfe, Adif and train drivers on the conditions required to resume operations.

Safety checks on infrastructure across the entire network were completed overnight using trains operated by a driver accompanied by a representative from rail infrastructure manager Adif and another from train operator Renfe.

Once the checks were completed, services began to resume across the Rodalies network, although some lines are experiencing average delays of more than 30 minutes.

Services were suspended throughout Wednesday and Thursday following a fatal accident  on Tuesday evening in Gelida. An R4 line train crashed, killing one driver and injuring dozens of passengers.

Alternative transport plan until Wednesday

The Catalan government will maintain its alternative transport plan and the deployment of additional staff until Wednesday, despite the progressive resumption of Rodalies services from Friday.

This includes FGC rail services, intercity buses – with 61 additional vehicles on Friday – and all other support resources currently in operation.

The suspension of the low-emission zone (ZBE) in the Barcelona area will also remain in place until Wednesday.

Territory Minister Sílvia Paneque explained that the measures could be extended if necessary, but for now, keeping the extra buses and FGC services until Wednesday is a "prudent estimate" to help offset the rail disruption.

She said authorities will monitor the system over the coming days and adjust as needed.

Friday is the last day the government is recommending remote working due to the rail situation.

Paneque also announced that new protocols have been agreed for train operations in the event of various weather phenomena. Authorities believe the crash in Gelida, where a wall fell onto the train cab, was at least partly due to the weather conditions.

Territory minister Sílvia Paneque also confirmed that the C-32 toll will remain free while the AP-7 southbound remains closed at Martorell.

Service returns to "relative" normality

Paneque noted in a press conference on Friday morning that services on all lines had returned to a "relative" normality.

After two full days of a complete shutdown, there were still some minor issues with frequency and punctuality, but she emphasized that the rail system is complex.

Panenque said very localized problems on the R1 and R4 lines had already been resolved or were in the process of being addressed.

Regarding checks conducted the previous day, she added that two minor issues were identified and have already been resolved.

Passengers bemoan lack of communication

Barcelona Sants station was quieter than usual on Friday morning.

"I wasn't planning to take the train. I thought I'd take a bus or another alternative, but in the end I was lucky and managed to get on," said Joan, who comes from Mollet and has spent the past few days traveling to Barcelona by road.

It was a different story for Ester, who came from Sant Celoni by car to catch the high-speed train because she didn't want to "take the risk" of relying on a Rodalies train.

At stations around Catalonia, passengers were happy to see the trains running, but frustrated at the lack of reliable information.

"I'm happy Rodalies is gearing up again and working, but we've got the same problem as always: poor communication, and the handling of this communication," Mireia in Manresa told the Catalan News Agency (ACN).

Ferran in Vilanova i la Geltrú said he did not know how long he would have to wait. "On the Adif app it says a train is due, but it's not a reliable source. The screens don't work, the announcements don't work, the lifts haven't been working for over a year, so, clearly, it's infuriating."

R1 suspended

Rodalies R1 services were suspended on Friday afternoon between Maçanet-Maçanes and Blanes after a landslide was detected along the line.

Renfe said it was arranging replacement road transport to cover the suspended section.

Train services between L’Hospitalet de Llobregat and Blanes are continuing at a frequency of two trains per hour in each direction.

Floral tribute

On Friday, train drivers held a floral tribute with roses and candles to honor Fernando, the trainee driver from Seville who died on Tuesday evening when a retaining wall collapsed onto a Rodalies train in Gelida.

Around fifty colleagues gathered outside Sants station, in Joan Peiró square, for a brief ten-minute ceremony that ended with a round of applause.