Catalan Government and Comuns reach 2026 budget deal on housing and rail

The agreement includes a 1.25 billion euro investment in housing and the transfer of Rodalies train lines.

Generic image of a commuter train traveling on a railway track.
IA

Generic image of a commuter train traveling on a railway track.

The President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, and Comuns leader Jéssica Albiach signed a strategic agreement this Thursday to secure support for the 2026 regional budgets.

The deal prioritizes housing with an additional 500 million euro injection, bringing the total sector budget to 1.25 billion euros. These funds will be used for social housing acquisitions and rental subsidies. The income limit for families to access these grants will be increased to 36,279 euros per year.
Regarding mobility, the agreement focuses on the rail network following the fatal accident in Gelida. The document includes the commitment to transfer the R1 line to Catalan control and begin the process for the R2 Sud and R3 lines. Furthermore, the government will negotiate with the Ministry of Transport for the ownership of the R4 Nord and R16 infrastructure.
To ensure compliance with rent caps, the Generalitat will hire 100 new housing inspectors. Additionally, the 50% discount on public transport passes like T-Usual and T-Jove will be maintained throughout 2026.