Orbital railway line re-emerges as key to Catalonia's budget deal

A long-discussed railway infrastructure project, the orbital railway line, also known as the fourth metropolitan railway belt, has unexpectedly reappeared as a central element in Catalan politics. After more than two decades of studies, planning, and official documents that never led to construction, ERC has made the building of this corridor a main condition for supporting the Generalitat's budget this year.

While its current momentum comes from immediate budget approval talks, it is a long-term project. The first tangible results would not be seen until the next legislative term, with informative studies planned between 2027 and 2028, and initial works scheduled for 2028, coinciding with parliamentary elections.

Breaking Metropolitan Radiality

The orbital railway line is designed as a transversal route, allowing travel between urban centres in the second metropolitan ring without needing to pass through Barcelona. Currently, the Rodalies network is mainly radial, with all lines converging on the capital. This forces transfers and indirect journeys to go from one municipality to another.

The planned route would link Vilanova i la Geltrú with Mataró, passing through Vilafranca del Penedès, Martorell, Terrassa, Sabadell, and Granollers. This would form a belt connecting urban centres that currently lack direct rail connections and reduce reliance on Barcelona as the sole hub. The infrastructure would be about 120 km long, with approximately 68 km of new construction, while the rest would use existing railway lines.

Existing sections the orbital line would use include the R8, which connects Martorell and Granollers and has eight operational stations. Segments of the R3 and R4 lines would also be used, especially those linking Terrassa with other points in Vallès or connections between the network's southern and northern sectors.

The line is expected to have around 40 stations. Of these, 18 would be new, serving municipalities without current service, and 12 would function as interchanges with existing Rodalies and FGC lines. In total, the number of stations would range from 39 to 42, ensuring full coverage and strong integration with the existing rail network.

Technical studies estimate the line would serve about 20 million passengers annually once fully operational and integrated into the network. It would cover approximately 870,000 citizens.

A Long-Standing Project

The orbital line is far from a new idea. Official records date back to at least the early 2000s, although proposals to connect Maresme and Vallès to avoid Barcelona appeared in the 19th century. In 2004, the Department of Territorial Policy and Public Works formally projected the orbital railway line for the Barcelona metropolitan region, alongside Catalonia's transversal railway axis, which was to connect Lleida, Igualada, Manresa, and Girona. These projects aimed to overcome the limitations of a radial model and establish more integrated and efficient interurban mobility.

Between 2005 and 2006, consultations took place with municipalities and regional councils to define routes compatible with territorial and urban planning goals. Engineers, technicians, and consultants worked on implementation studies, urban impact, and service capacity. On 14 April 2010, the Generalitat definitively approved the urban master plan (PDU), which is still in force, reserving land for the line's deployment. This master plan covers six regions and 26 municipalities, setting routes, stations, and areas for tracks and interchanges.

Urban planning reservations are key to preventing land designated for tracks from being used for other purposes and to help future construction without needing to redefine entire routes. However, construction never started. Reasons include economic factors, such as the 2008-2009 crisis, which drastically reduced public investment; political factors, with changing priorities among subsequent governments focusing on other projects; and technical factors, such as the need to build tunnels, viaducts, and interchanges in densely populated urban areas, increasing costs and time. Furthermore, reliance on funding from Spanish and European authorities, which has never been firm, has prevented the line from moving from planning to actual construction.

Costs, Funding, and Phased Deployment

The orbital line's reappearance is due to budget negotiations. ERC's proposal puts the total cost at around €5.2 billion, with €4.8 billion for infrastructure and €400 million for rolling stock, meaning the trains and equipment needed to operate the network. ERC argues that the Spanish state should cover most of the funding, with possible additional contributions from the European Investment Bank (EIB). The Generalitat would coordinate, technically plan, and supervise the deployment, ensuring consistency with the urban master plan and territorial strategy. Once completed, it would assume ownership and management of the infrastructure.

ERC has called an extraordinary national council to assess whether to support the budget in exchange for clear commitments on deployment and funding. The expected agreement includes commitments between the Spanish state and the Generalitat, which should be formalised in the bilateral commission meeting on Wednesday, with detailed timelines and resources. However, formalising the agreement in a bilateral commission does not absolutely guarantee its execution as planned. A new Spanish government, or even the current one, could reverse the decision in the future, or the budgeted investment might not materialise, a chronic problem in Catalonia.

The project does not plan to build the entire line at once; instead, it would be deployed progressively in phases. Phase 0 includes building interchanges connecting FGC's S1 and S2 lines with Rodalies' R4 and the rest of the FGC network, with an estimated budget of €135 million. Informative studies for this phase are planned between 2027 and 2028, with execution scheduled between 2028 and 2031, and entry into service between 2031 and 2032. The goal is to enable direct travel between municipalities in the second ring, easing saturation in high-traffic areas before tackling more complex and costly sections.

Subsequent phases include connecting Santa Perpètua de Mogoda with Sabadell, estimated at €665 million; the Mataró-Granollers section, valued at €1.45 billion; Terrassa-Vilafranca del Penedès, at €1.15 billion; and Vilafranca-Vilanova i la Geltrú, costing approximately €1.4 billion. If everything proceeds according to plan and without unforeseen issues, the orbital line would be completed around 2040.

Among the existing lines to be used, as mentioned, are the R8 from Martorell to Granollers, and sections of the R3 and R4. The creation of 18 new stations is also planned, including Mataró Est, Mataró Oest, Mataró Centre, Vilanova Est, Vilanova Centre, Canyelles, Vilafranca del Penedès, La Granada, Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, and Lavern-Subirats.

Integration into Catalonia's Railway Strategy

The orbital line is part of Catalonia's broader 2050 Railway Strategy, which aims to modernise and expand the region's rail network. This strategy focuses on improving connectivity, reducing reliance on private vehicles, and promoting sustainable transport options across Catalonia. The orbital line is seen as a crucial component in achieving these long-term goals, by decentralising the network and improving access for residents outside Barcelona. Its successful implementation would represent a significant step towards a more integrated and efficient public transport system for the entire region.