Workshop Closure Sparks Local Backlash
Renfe has confirmed it will cease operations at its train repair workshop in Portbou, the last station in southern Catalonia before the French border, citing reduced freight traffic and a shift in maintenance strategy. The move ends the only Renfe maintenance base in the Girona region, which has historically serviced locomotives and freight trains. The decision, announced on 27 September 2026, leaves just four workers affected, all of whom will be relocated to other state facilities with their consent. The base had gradually lost personnel after retirements were not replaced, coinciding with a decline in freight rail use through the Belitres tunnel.
Unions Push for Repurposing
Unions and Catalan authorities oppose the closure, urging Renfe to repurpose the facility for passenger train maintenance. Passenger services on the R11 Mid-Distance and Regional line frequently face disruptions, and having a repair base in Portbou could reduce delays, according to UGT union delegate Jordi Muñoz.
On the R11 Mid-Distance and Regional line we only have two vehicles to provide service. If a train fails near Portbou, we have a problem because they have to take it to Barcelona to fix it and it can no longer be used.
Muñoz added that the base could provide urgent technical support, easing pressure on Barcelona’s workshops and minimising passenger impact.
Strategic and Economic Concerns
The Portbou City Council, led by Mayor Gael Rodríguez of the PSC, has condemned the closure, calling it a threat to the town’s identity and economy. "The railway made this town grow and exist. It is our backbone," Rodríguez said, accusing Renfe of a "Jacobin" approach that disregards regional interests. The council had signed an agreement with the Department of Education on 10 July 2026 to launch a railway training cycle in the 2026–27 academic year, including rolling stock maintenance. Despite Renfe’s withdrawal, Rodríguez confirmed the training project will continue, with the municipality exploring whether to use the closed workshop or find alternative spaces.
The Department of Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition and the Girona Provincial Council have both formally expressed support for maintaining the base, citing its historical, economic, and strategic value. Provincial President Miquel Noguer warned the closure would mean losing "stable railway activity and quality employment in a strategic enclave." Renfe’s shift reflects a broader change in maintenance management, moving from in-house teams to centralised private contractors in metropolitan areas. Unions argue this contradicts a prior agreement made during the 9 February strike over safety incidents in Adamuz and Gelida, which included commitments to limit subcontracting. Despite the closure, stakeholders stress that Portbou’s infrastructure remains capable: the site can store up to 200 wagons, and passenger trains already spend nights at the facility’s siding park.
Reported by en.ara.cat, Aniol Costa-Pau, cadenaser.com, Diari ARA.
