The mobility crisis in Catalonia worsened this Thursday, marking two consecutive days without any Rodalies train operating. This situation affects approximately 400,000 Catalans, including thousands of Sabadell residents, who rely on this service for their daily commutes to work or study centers.
Neither Sabadell Sud, Sabadell Centre, nor Sabadell Nord stations, nor any other station in the network across Catalonia, have provided service since Wednesday morning. The suspension occurs amid a network review and, according to sources, due to a work-to-rule action by drivers, following incidents recorded on Tuesday evening. RENFE attributed the lack of service to "operational causes," a euphemism covering tense negotiations with the main drivers' union.
Their main union, Semaf, warned that they would not resume work without safety guarantees.
The lack of service has forced users to rely heavily on private vehicles, causing the collapse of the road network, especially on the C58 highway, where the Servei Català de Trànsit had to open the Bus-VAO lane. The FGC (Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya) have become the main public transport alternative, particularly the S2 line connecting Sabadell with Barcelona.
As support measures, companies like Moventis have reinforced interurban buses, adding 10 extra vehicles to cover the Sabadell-Barcelona route, with the Fabra i Puig station serving as a key hub. Furthermore, restrictions on low emission zones (ZBE) have been temporarily lifted in cities like Sabadell.
