The Generalitat has presented a new rail services plan for 2030–2040 that aims to raise daily train use in Catalonia to 1 million passengers by 2040, up from about 455,000 today. For commuters, residents and businesses, the immediate significance is that the government plans to extend some Rodalies commuter rail lines, reorganise regional services and improve interchange timing at key stations to make transfers easier.

The proposal was presented on Tuesday by Sílvia Paneque, the Catalan housing, territory and ecological transition minister, as part of the government’s wider railway strategy. The plan also renews the Generalitat’s call to take over Alta Velocitat, the high-speed rail network, arguing that fuller control of services is needed to meet future demand across Catalonia.

"We are not talking about a leap into the void: we have measurable and verifiable objectives," Paneque said, according to the Generalitat.

The official strategy frames the rail network as a response to expected population growth, territorial balance and lower-emission mobility. Readers can review how we handle official claims and evidence in our Editorial Policy and Source Transparency.

What the 2040 rail target means for daily passengers

The Generalitat says the network must be able to absorb much higher demand over the next 15 years. Its published strategy links that target to a broader planning assumption that Catalonia could reach 10 million residents, increasing pressure on commuter and regional transport.

In practical terms, the government says it wants a network that is easier to use for regular journeys, especially where passengers now depend on poorly timed transfers or indirect routes. Rodalies is the commuter rail system serving Barcelona and other urban areas, while Regionals are longer-distance regional train services within Catalonia.

  • Current daily rail use cited by the Generalitat: about 455,000 passengers
  • Target for 2040: 1 million daily passengers
  • Main tools in the plan: line extensions, service reorganisation, new routes and coordinated timetables

The figures published by the government sit alongside existing official datasets from Renfe, the state train operator, FGC, the Catalan public railway company, and Idescat, Catalonia’s statistics institute. Those sources show sustained demand growth in recent years, although the 2040 target depends on future investment and service delivery that has not yet been fully implemented.

Longer Rodalies lines and better transfers form the core plan

According to the Generalitat’s railway strategy and Rodalies planning documents, the government wants to reorganise several Rodalies and Regionals services rather than rely only on infrastructure expansion. That includes extending certain lines, creating some new services and coordinating timetables at strategic stations so passengers can change trains with less waiting time.

For people who travel daily into Barcelona, Girona, Tarragona or Lleida, that could matter as much as headline investment figures. Better interchange planning can reduce total journey time even before major new infrastructure is completed.

Measures highlighted by the government

  • Extending selected Rodalies commuter rail lines
  • Reordering some Rodalies and regional service patterns
  • Adding new services where the government sees network gaps
  • Synchronising timetables at strategic stations to improve connections

The Generalitat has already published the Pla de Rodalies 2026–2030 dossier and a broader railway strategy note setting out the policy direction. Those documents present the plan as part of a longer-term shift in how rail services are designed across Catalonia.

The dispute over high-speed rail control remains unresolved

A central political and operational point in the plan is the Generalitat’s demand to assume control of Alta Velocitat. In plain terms, that means the Catalan government wants a greater role in high-speed rail planning and management, which is currently tied to Spain’s state rail system.

The government argues that control over high-speed services is necessary if Catalonia is to integrate the whole rail network and reach the projected passenger volumes. That remains a demand rather than a confirmed transfer of powers, and any change would depend on decisions beyond the scope of Tuesday’s announcement.

This means passengers should treat the 1 million-user target as a planning objective, not a guaranteed outcome. The official documents set out the strategy, but the scale and timing of delivery will depend on infrastructure works, service planning and institutional agreements.

What passengers should watch next

For now, commuters and regular rail users should watch for concrete service updates within the Rodalies 2026–2030 programme, which is the nearer-term part of the strategy. The most useful checkpoints will be official announcements on line changes, timetable coordination and station interchange improvements.

  • Check Rodalies de Catalunya for service changes and future timetables
  • Follow Generalitat transport announcements for line extensions and planning decisions
  • Watch for any formal agreement on the governance of high-speed rail

Passengers who depend on specific lines should use the official Rodalies and FGC channels for operational updates, especially when timetable changes are announced. Readers who want to send questions or corrections to our newsroom can use our Contact Us page.

Primary sources: Govern de Catalunya (Generalitat de Catalunya), Govern de Catalunya (Generalitat de Catalunya), Govern de Catalunya (Generalitat de Catalunya), Renfe Data, Idescat (Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya), Rodalies de Catalunya (Generalitat de Catalunya), Govern de Catalunya (Generalitat de Catalunya), Departament de Territori i Sostenibilitat (Generalitat de Catalunya), Govern de Catalunya (Generalitat de Catalunya). Reported by ARC (Associació per la Recerca i la Cooperació en el Territori), Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC), Fundació Mobilitat Sostenible (MSS), Parlament de Catalunya, El Periódico (CA).