On Wednesday 7 October 2026, the Ajuntament de Terrassa sent a formal letter to the Generalitat’s Territori department and train operator Renfe, demanding an urgent meeting to address the ongoing disruption to the R4 Rodalies line. The service has been severely affected since Saturday night due to storm damage, impacting rail connections between Terrassa, Sabadell, and Manresa.
Although Renfe announced on Wednesday evening that the R4 was “progressively restored along its entire route”, it did not specify updated train frequencies. A complementary bus service remains in place, but coverage is incomplete. Buses run between Terrassa Estació del Nord and Manresa, though not stopping at all intermediate stations. Another bus shuttle operates between Sabadell Sud, Barberà del Vallès, Cerdanyola del Vallès, and Fabra i Puig in Barcelona, but not from Terrassa.
The council is requesting an alternative bus service between Terrassa and Sabadell for the duration of the rail disruptions.
Call for coordination and clarity
In its official statement, the Terrassa city government stressed the need for “clear communication, monitoring mechanisms, and planning of alternative transport” for R4 users. The proposed meeting aims to achieve three objectives: establish stable coordination between authorities and operators, set up service monitoring protocols, and obtain details on planned alternative mobility measures.
While acknowledging that adverse weather forced service suspensions, the council insists on receiving information about the actions being taken by responsible agencies. The request comes amid growing frustration over communication gaps and insufficient contingency planning.
Safety disputes delay full recovery
Further complications arose Wednesday morning when the Semaf drivers’ union refused to operate trains, citing unresolved safety concerns after heavy rains. This followed an incident on Tuesday afternoon in Vilanova i la Geltrú, where a tree and embankment fell onto a train. The union demanded access to inspection reports from infrastructure manager Adif before resuming service.
By mid-morning, Semaf approved safety reports for inspected sections, allowing partial resumption. The R4 now runs between Sant Vicenç de Calders and Barcelona Sants, with 20-minute average delays, according to Lavanguardia. However, the northern stretch from Sabadell to Manresa remains under review.
Rodalies admitted the current bus replacement service is insufficient to meet passenger demand.
Passengers urged to seek alternatives
Renfe continues to advise passengers to use alternative transport, including Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) lines or other bus routes. However, FGC does not offer direct connections to Sabadell or other key towns in the Vallès Occidental. Regular interurban buses are also reported to be overcrowded.
The Generalitat has added 49 extra interurban buses to the 70 already deployed since Saturday, but it remains unclear how many are allocated to the Vallès Occidental corridor. No specific allocation for the area was confirmed in the government’s latest update.
Passengers are advised to check real-time service updates via the Rodalies de Catalunya website before travelling.
Primary sources: rodalies.gencat.cat. Reported by monterrassa.cat, lavanguardia.com, Catalan News, avuiterrassa.com, elperiodico.com, elnacional.cat, rtve.es, cope.es, catalunyapress.cat, adif.es, transparencia.fgc.cat, MónTerrassa.
