Delays on R1 After Cable Theft Near La Sagrera
Passenger services on Rodalies R1 are running at just two trains per hour in each direction following the theft of signalling cables between La Sagrera and Badalona. The disruption affects the entire corridor, which connects Maçanet-Massanes to Molins de Rei and serves 31 stations across the Maresme coast and Barcelona metropolitan area. Operated by Renfe in collaboration with the Generalitat de Catalunya, the R1 line normally runs up to 216 services on weekdays, with peak frequencies of one train every six minutes. Current service levels are a fraction of this, with delays reported from L'Hospitalet de Llobregat to Maçanet-Massanes.
Impact on Commuters
The R1 connects with key transport hubs including Barcelona-Sants, Passeig de Gràcia, El Clot-Aragó and Mataró, and interchanges with TMB, FGC, AVE and other Rodalies lines. Thousands of daily commuters are affected, with reduced connectivity to metro, bus, tram and long-distance rail networks. Passengers are advised to consult the official Rodalies de Catalunya timetables page for real-time updates and to allow extra travel time.
R2 Sud and Regional Trains Also Affected
A separate cable theft has disrupted services on the R2 Sud and regional trains operating between Reus and Barcelona Estació de França. The incident occurred between Estació de França and the Glòries-Clot junction, damaging signalling systems. According to Adif, the infrastructure manager, this is the fifth such theft at or near Estació de França within a week, with previous incidents on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Each has caused service reductions, with trains limited to two per hour between Sant Vicenç de Calders and Passeig de Gràcia. Trains are experiencing unplanned stops and extended journey times. Adif and Renfe teams are on site working to restore normal operations.
⚠️ Debido a un robo de cable entre Barcelona Estació de França y Bifurcación Glòries-Clot se están registrando retrasos en los trenes de la línea R2 Sud del núcleo de rodalies de Catalunya y en los trenes de media distancia que circulan por el tramo Reus – Barcelona Estació de…
, INFOAdif (@InfoAdif), 12 September 2026
User Groups Demand Action
Passenger advocacy groups including Dignitat a les Vies and Afectats per Rodalies have condemned the repeated thefts, calling for increased police presence and stronger government action. They argue that users are being neglected and that the frequency of such incidents reflects systemic failures in infrastructure protection. This latest wave of thefts continues a broader pattern affecting multiple Rodalies lines in recent years, including previous disruptions on R1, R2, R2 Nord and R11.
Primary sources: rodalies.gencat.cat, renfe.com, transportes.gob.es. Reported by beteve.cat, elconfidencial.com, barna.news, La Vanguardia, larazon.es, catalunyapress.es, Metrópoli, adif.es, metropoliabierta.elespanol.com.
