The Catalan government has launched a study into the first phase of the Eix Transversal Ferroviari, a proposed rail line that would connect Lleida and Girona without passing through Barcelona. The project aims to improve regional connectivity and reduce congestion on existing routes.
The study will focus on the route between Lleida, Igualada, and Martorell, as well as assess the feasibility of a new high-speed rail access into Barcelona via La Sagrera. This would allow AVE trains from Madrid to bypass both Camp de Tarragona and Barcelona Sants, cutting travel time and easing pressure on current lines.
The contract, managed by Ifercat (Institut Ferroviari Català), has a budget of €1.5 million and is expected to last more than two years. The findings will define the first stage of the cross-regional rail infrastructure, including alignment and station locations.
High-Speed Rail Station Planned in Vallès
A key component of the project is the planned construction of a high-speed rail station in the Vallès region. The tender specifications require the new line to run “sensibly parallel” to the R8 Rodalies route between Rubí tunnel and Mollet-Sant Fost, enabling future interchanges with commuter and regional rail services operated by Rodalies and Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC).
While the exact municipality for the future AVE station in Vallès has not yet been determined, the government plans for high-speed trains to stop at a minimum of one station in each comarca (county) along the route. This opens the possibility of direct high-speed service to Anoia, including Igualada.
The Eix Transversal Ferroviari will reinforce the current rail network in terms of capacity, efficiency, and balance, said Sílvia Paneque, Minister for Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition.
Integration with Existing and Future Networks
The proposed line aims to combine passenger and freight transport, strengthening the overall rail capacity of Catalonia’s network. Igualada would be integrated into this new transversal rail axis, linking Anoia directly with Lleida and, in later phases, with Vallès and Girona.
The study also supports a long-term vision of a direct AVE connection between Lleida and Barcelona-Sagrera, a proposal previously raised by Spain’s Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, in November 2025. The new link could significantly shorten journey times and improve regional accessibility.
Reported by Segre.com, lavanguardia.com, diaridetarragona.com, larazon.es, eleconomista.es, Josep Mª Soler, europapress.es, expansion.com, gentedigital.es, Ràdio Igualada.
