The Catalan government has formally launched the tender for the feasibility study of the first phase of the Eix Transversal Ferroviari (ETF), a strategic rail corridor designed to connect Lleida and Girona without routing through Barcelona. The project, managed by Ifercat, aims to improve freight and passenger mobility across inland Catalonia. The initial phase covers planning for the route between Lleida, Igualada, and Martorell, along with a new rail connection into Barcelona’s Sagrera station. This includes a proposed high-speed rail spur from Martorell to Mollet, allowing AVE trains from Madrid to reach Sagrera directly, bypassing both Sants and Tarragona.

High-Speed Station Planned in Vallès

A key component of the project is a planned high-speed rail station in the Vallès region, though the specific municipality has not yet been determined. The contract specifications state the rail alignment must run "sensiblement paral·lel" (substantially parallel) to the Rodalies R8 line between the Rubí tunnel and Mollet-Sant Fost. The station would enable interchanges with regional Rodalies services and Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC), enhancing regional connectivity. The Generalitat intends for high-speed trains to stop at least once in each comarca along the route.

€1.5 Million Study to Last Over Two Years

The planning contract is valued at €1.5 million and is expected to take more than two years to complete. The broader ETF corridor is projected to span approximately 254 kilometres, passing through towns including Cervera, Igualada, and Martorell. The initiative aims to shift from the current radial rail network centred on Barcelona to a more balanced, transversal model. It is also intended to reduce congestion in the Penedès and Vallès regions and provide an alternative to the Rubí tunnel, which has previously caused freight blockages during disruptions.

The Eix Transversal Ferroviari will reinforce the rail network in terms of capacity, efficiency, and balance, said Sílvia Paneque, Minister for Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition, in remarks to RAC1.

Long-Awaited Infrastructure Project Revived

The ETF project was first proposed over 16 years ago but had remained inactive. The current government, led by Salvador Illa, sees it as a vital step in modernising Catalonia’s rail infrastructure. The study tender follows a March 2026 directive assigning Ifercat to update the ETF’s preliminary planning documents. The project is modelled on the success of Catalonia’s Transversal Road Axis, aiming to replicate its impact in the rail sector by linking inland areas directly and reducing dependency on Barcelona as a central hub.

Primary sources: govern.cat, territori.gencat.cat. Reported by sommollet.cat, diaridetarragona.com, lavanguardia.com, La Vanguardia, Oriol Daviu, Jordi Martín, expansion.com, Josep Mª Soler, eleconomista.es, europapress.es, fgc.cat, somMollet.