The Generalitat has entrusted Ifercat, a public railway infrastructure company, with the task of drafting the study to update a project dating back 17 years. The idea is to replicate the C-25, the terrestrial Transversal Axis, but for train circulation and with a double branch.
The proposed route plans for the train to run from Lleida to Igualada. From the latter, one branch would head towards Martorell, Vallès (with a station yet to be defined), and finally to Barcelona-Sagrera, thus facilitating the arrival of AVE high-speed trains from Madrid. The other branch would connect Igualada with Manresa, Vic, and Girona, totaling over 250 km of new line.
Although the Ministry of Transport proposes the axis as a high-speed line, the Generalitat also wants freight trains to run on it, seeking an alternative to the Mediterranean corridor. The project had an initial phase in 2008, with land inspections and soil reservations in Cervera, but the works never materialized.
Currently, the study for the first phase, connecting Lleida and Igualada with access to Barcelona, has been put out to tender for 1.1 million euros and a 28-month execution period. This study will define the exact route, analyze technical and economic feasibility, estimate costs, and assess environmental impact. However, the works are not expected to begin until at least 2030.
