Barcelona metro recovers service after blackout

Metro open all night, while mid- and long-distance train journeys will not be back on Monday

Metro line L5 in Barcelona during the massive power outage
Metro line L5 in Barcelona during the massive power outage / ACN
ACN

ACN | @agenciaacn | Barcelona

April 28, 2025 06:20 PM

April 29, 2025 10:20 AM

The Barcelona metro was fully restored during Tuesday morning following the mass power outage.

The Catalan Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat commuter train network also resumed normal operations. The TRAM tramway is also operating as usual.

Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni said that the metro would be open all night to help people get back home. 

Renfe have announced that tickets will be free on Tuesday for the entire Rodalies de Catalunya commuter rail network, and for the entire Cercanías network in Spain.

FGC

The Catalan Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat has completely restored service on L6 Sarrià and L7 Avinguda Tibidabo around 9.30 pm. 

By around 11.45 pm, the whole Barcelona-Vallès line was recovered, which encompasses all of the S1, S2, L6, and L12 lines. 

S1 and S2 services recovered its service earlier in the night.

Mid- and long-distance journeys not expected

Spanish transport minister Óscar Puente said in a statement on social media that it is “currently not foreseeable” that services on mid- and long-distance trains will be recovered on Monday. 

“All travelers who were planning on making a journey of those characteristics will not be able to do so,” Puente wrote, adding that “once electricity is back, we will work on reinstating the services, but it will not be today.”

According to Puente, one of the goals of the Spanish government is to give “priority to repositioning the trains.”

Bus alternatives 'not viable'

At the same time, Renfe told the Catalan News Agency (ACN) on Monday that it would not be offering bus alternatives while the train service is not working.

According to Renfe, it is “not viable” due to the large number of travelers.

Catalan commuter train cancellations

The Catalan commuter train service, Rodalies, alone transports more than 400,000 commuters daily.

Rodalies also pointed out that Catalonia’s traffic agency urged citizens to avoid making any unnecessary journeys. 

Renfe recommends that travelers find other methods of transportation, adding that when electricity comes back, train services will be “minimal and essential.

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