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Diari de Catalunya

Commuter and Regional Train Journeys Now Slower Than in 2000

An analysis reveals that trains between Barcelona and 24 regional capitals take longer, with increases of up to half an hour on some routes.

Generic image of a commuter train at a station.
IA

Generic image of a commuter train at a station.

Commuter and regional train journeys between Barcelona and 24 regional capitals are now longer than in 2000, with travel time increases reaching up to half an hour on some routes.

A recent analysis by ACN, based on official timetables from May 2000 and November 2025, has revealed a significant slowdown in railway journeys. This study, conducted just before the Gelida accident and subsequent speed limitations, indicates that trains needed less time to complete their routes two decades ago.
A notable example is the journey to Tortosa, which has increased by 16 minutes, from 130 to 146 minutes. Similarly, the trip to Amposta, considered via the Aldea station, has seen a 15-minute increase, from 119 to 134. Railway sector sources attribute these delays to the need to expand network capacity and maintain existing infrastructure, calling for the implementation of more semi-direct trains.
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"There's an increase in trains stopping at all stations and in frequencies, but what hasn't increased is the network's capacity."

Adrià Ramírez · President of the Association for the Promotion of Public Transport (PTP)
Adrià Ramírez, president of the Association for the Promotion of Public Transport (PTP), points out that the increase in trains with more stops and frequencies, without a corresponding increase in network capacity, forces faster services to yield space, resulting in longer journeys or even the disappearance of these services. Meanwhile, Joan Carles Salmerón, director of the Centre for Transport Studies, attributes the data to a lack of investment in infrastructure, which has led to a "weakness of the railway system".
Both experts agree on the need to reinstate semi-direct trains, which would involve the construction of new overtaking tracks. Salmerón welcomes the fact that the Generalitat is developing a service plan, an initiative he considers crucial and which has been absent for decades, as until now only infrastructure plans based on construction had been prioritized.
The president of the PTP emphasizes that solutions involve infrastructure maintenance to prevent incidents like landslides and capacity expansion, proposing the quadrupling of tracks in sections such as between Castelldefels and El Prat, and the tripling between Montcada i Reixac and Mollet del Vallès. He also laments the "11 stalled studies" from the Ministry of Transport, which delay the implementation of essential projects and works.

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