First Phase Study Launched for Lleida–Girona Rail Link
The Catalan government has launched a tender for the study of the first phase of the Eix Transversal Ferroviari, a planned rail infrastructure to connect Lleida and Girona without passing through central Barcelona. The project includes a proposed high-speed rail station in the Vallès region and a new rail branch allowing Madrid–Barcelona AVE trains to enter via the Sagrera station. The contract, managed by Ifercat (Institut Català de Ferrocarrils), covers planning for the initial construction segment between Lleida, Igualada and Martorell, as well as the new access route into Barcelona’s Sagrera station. The study is expected to last over two years and has a budget of €1.5 million.
High-Speed Station and Intermodal Links in Vallès
The future high-speed station in Vallès would allow transfers between AVE, Rodalies commuter trains and Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) services. While the tender documents do not specify the exact municipality for the station, they require the rail alignment to run "sensitively parallel" to the existing Rodalies R8 line between the Rubí tunnel and Mollet-Sant Fost. The government also plans for high-speed trains to stop at a minimum of one station in each comarca (county) along the route, promoting regional connectivity.
New AVE Access to Barcelona via Sagrera
The proposal includes a new rail branch connecting Martorell to Mollet, enabling AVE services from Madrid to enter Barcelona via Sagrera rather than the current terminus at Sants. This change aligns with a November 2025 proposal by Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente, who cited potential time savings and reduced congestion on the Tarragona–Barcelona corridor. Catalonia’s Minister for Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition, Sílvia Paneque, stated on RAC1 that the Eix Transversal Ferroviari will strengthen the current rail network in terms of "capacity, efficiency and balance." Further details on the project can be found on the official Ifercat project page.
Primary sources: territori.gencat.cat, govern.cat. Reported by lavanguardia.com, La Vanguardia, Pau Lizana Manuel, Diari de Girona, Jordi Martín, Arturo Puente, europapress.es, Anna Serrano, expansion.com, La Veu de l'Anoia, Regió 7, El 9 Nou, Segre, La Ciutat, VIA Empresa.
