Barcelona's Marina neighbourhoods to see major public transport changes

Residents in Barcelona's Marina del Prat Vermell and Marina de Port neighbourhoods, within the Sants-Montjuïc district, will experience major public transport changes in the short, medium, and long term. These upgrades are designed to improve connectivity for the area's growing population, according to local officials.

The Marina neighbourhoods, centred around Passeig de la Zona Franca, are undergoing rapid transformation from industrial zones to residential areas. This expansion is particularly noticeable in the Marina del Prat Vermell, where an 80-hectare area is expected to house an additional 30,000 people, especially within the square bordered by Foc, Metal·lúrgia, Motors streets, and Passeig de la Zona Franca. The area is set to gain 12,000 new homes, half of which will be protected housing, and create between 8,000 and 11,000 jobs.

New residents and workers, including those at the Catalan Tax Agency and the new Generalitat administrative district, highlight the need for better infrastructure. Planned facilities include a primary healthcare centre (CAP) and a nursery school, alongside new sports, educational, cultural, and community amenities. Public transport is critical in this area, which is separated from the city centre by Montjuïc mountain.

Existing transport improvements include the 2018 opening of the L10 Sud Metro stations Foc and Foneria, and the X3 bus line in May 2025, which connects the neighbourhoods to Plaça Espanya via Montjuïc. Further projects are now planned to address the needs of the expanding population.

Short-Term Transport Upgrades

Immediate changes include a significant alteration to Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona's (TMB) V5 bus line, which started this week. The V5 line, previously running between Mare de Déu de Port and Pedralbes, has extended its route. Its new origin/terminus is now at Acer street with Motors street, adding eight new stops and extending the route by almost two kilometres.

This extension means the V5 line, now named Marina del Prat Vermell - Pedralbes, travels south from Mare de Déu de Port street, along Foc street and Passeig de la Zona Franca, to the corner of Motors street, and then to Acer street. From there, buses turn onto Cal Cisó street before rejoining the ascending route to Passeig de la Zona Franca. Three stops have been cancelled: 2495 on Mare de Déu de Port street and 3517 on Cisell street (sea-bound), and the old origin/terminus at Pg. Zona Franca-Sant Eloi (stop 3546) (mountain-bound).

The V5 line carried nearly 2.8 million passengers in 2025, a 4.5% increase from 2024. It records an average of almost 9,000 validations on weekdays, 3,500 on Saturdays, and 2,700 on holidays. The line operates from 5:50am to 10pm on weekdays and from 6am to 10pm on weekends and holidays. The extension will not affect the usual frequency of service.

Also in the short term, a new express bus line is expected to start service in late 2026, connecting Marina del Prat Vermell with Drassanes and Ciutat Vella via Morrot. This line will provide a fast connection to the city centre, according to Sants-Montjuïc district councillor Raquel Gil. She announced the plan at a recent Marina neighbourhood council meeting. This new line is considered a first step in converting the entire Morrot area into a civic corridor, aiming to link the two sides of Montjuïc currently separated by the port area. The full conversion of Morrot, however, is a long-term project.

Medium-Term Metro Expansion

The medium-term plan includes the opening of the Motors Metro station on the L10 Sud line. This station will be located at the intersection of Motors street and Passeig de la Zona Franca, midway between the existing Foc and Zona Franca stations. It will significantly improve mobility for current and future residents in the area closer to the sea, where the Foc station is currently one kilometre away.

While no specific opening date has been set for Motors station, sources from the Department of Territory told ElNacional.cat that its opening will coincide with the central section of the L9 and L10 lines. This programme of works anticipates connecting the northern and southern branches of these lines by 2031 and opening the final stations by 2032.

Long-Term L2 Metro Extension

The most significant long-term project is the extension of Metro Line 2 (L2). This long-standing plan aims to connect central Barcelona with Montjuïc and the Marina, eventually reaching the airport via the L9 infrastructure. The L2 extension was part of the city's Olympic dream, but a modest advancement in 2006 was halted in 2009. In December 2024, Barcelona City Council and the Catalan Government agreed to unblock the project.

This project involves building a six-kilometre tunnel extension, requiring an investment of approximately €1 billion. Work is currently focused on updating the 2009 construction project, which will then move to tendering and execution. No timeline or funding is currently in place. The updated project will begin at the existing Sant Antoni station, heading towards the L3 station at Poble Sec. The current L2 branch to Paral·lel would then be taken out of commercial service.

From Poble Sec, the line would enter Montjuïc, with stations at MNAC, near the Magic Fountain, and INEFC (previously proposed as Foixarda) within the Olympic Ring area. It would then cross to the other side of the mountain, connecting with the Foc station (L10) and the Fira and Parc Logístic stations of the L9. This work includes six new L2 stations: Poble Sec, MNAC, INEFC, Foc, Fira, and Parc Logístic, starting from Sant Antoni.

The construction involves excavating a six-kilometre tunnel, primarily using a tunnel boring machine, except for a 600-metre section that will use diaphragm walls. On paper, the long-term possibility remains that once the L2 reaches Parc Logístic station, it could connect further.