Barcelona and Tarragona are at the centre of a warning from Ferrmed, which says the Mediterranean Corridor could overload rail lines in Catalonia if traffic grows before the network is upgraded. The group says the current system may not cope with more trains without major works.
Ferrmed is calling for three main changes: duplicated rail infrastructure in the south of Catalonia, adaptation of Catalan tracks to international gauge, and the construction of about 10 rail freight terminals across the territory. The concern matters for commuters, freight operators, ports and businesses that rely on the same network.
The group says the corridor should be treated as a high-capacity freight and business route, as set out in its Global Study for the European Commission. It also points to later presentations on traffic, modal shift and corridor design. For readers following wider Catalonia coverage, see our news tag.
International gauge is the wider European standard track gauge. Ferrmed argues that converting more of the network would make cross-border freight easier and reduce the need for technical changes or transfers.
The warning is especially relevant around Barcelona and Tarragona because freight and passenger services share constrained sections of track. If more long-distance freight trains are added before capacity is expanded, the group says punctuality and routing for regional services could suffer.
Ferrmed’s position is in line with the Mediterranean Rail Freight Corridor 2024 Transport Market Study, which identifies demand, interoperability and infrastructure constraints as key issues along the route. Earlier declarations, including the Declaration of Lleida and the City of Reus declaration, also backed a stronger corridor strategy.
No official timetable in the source material sets out when the extra traffic will begin using the most constrained sections in Catalonia. For now, Ferrmed’s message is that capacity, gauge compatibility and freight terminals need to come first if the corridor is to work as intended.
