Train journeys connecting Barcelona with regional capitals across Catalonia now take significantly longer than they did in 2000, with some routes experiencing delays of up to half an hour. This change affects commuters and regional services, according to an analysis by the Catalan News Agency (ACN). The ACN analysis, which compared official timetables from May 2000 and November 2025, revealed that trains on Catalonia's commuter and regional network, Rodalies de Catalunya, require more time for the same routes. While some extended travel times are partly due to trains making more stops now than in 2000, other routes show substantial differences with only a few additional stops. For instance, the R4 line in the Penedès region now takes 20 minutes longer than in 2000, despite only two new stops being added along the route. Industry sources attribute these longer journey times to the need for expanding the network's capacity and maintaining infrastructure, advocating for the reintroduction of semi-direct trains. ## Reasons for Slower Services Adrià Ramírez, president of the Association for the Promotion of Public Transport (PTP), explained that while there is an increase in trains stopping at all stations and in frequencies, the network's overall capacity has not grown. He stated that adding more trains with more stops forces faster or semi-direct services to share more track space, leading to longer travel times or the disappearance of these quicker options. Joan Carles Salmerón, director of Terminus, the Centre for Transport Studies, attributed the extended journey times to a lack of investment in infrastructure, which has resulted in a "weakness of the railway system." He also noted that infrastructure works, which began "three or four years ago" following increased investment, have also contributed to longer travel times. Salmerón also called for the return of semi-direct trains, suggesting that this would require building "new overtaking tracks" to allow faster trains to bypass those making all stops. ## Impact on Key Routes The R4 line, particularly the sections through Penedès and Baix Llobregat, shows the most significant increases in travel time. The quickest journey between Martorell and Sants, which took 28 minutes in 2000, increased to 39 minutes by November 2025, a 39% rise, with trains adding two more stops. Similarly, the minimum travel time between Vilafranca del Penedès and Sants grew from 53 minutes to 70 minutes over 25 years. From El Vendrell station to Barcelona, a journey that once took 69 minutes now requires 90 minutes. Significant differences are also apparent on the R13 and R14 lines, which connect Barcelona with Catalonia's western Ponent regions. In 2000, the fastest regional trains completed the Lleida-Barcelona route in 2 hours and 8 minutes, stopping at 11 stations. By November 2025, the same route included six additional stops and was 20 minutes slower. Other regional capitals on these lines, such as Borges Blanques, Valls, and Montblanc, have also seen travel time increases of between 15% and 25%, with Borges Blanques experiencing the largest increase at 29 minutes. The calls from transport experts for more semi-direct trains and new overtaking tracks highlight potential future steps to address the increasing journey times. Addressing the underlying issues of network capacity and infrastructure investment will be key to improving the efficiency of Catalonia's rail services for commuters and regional travellers.