Friday morning brought challenges for Rodalies commuter train passengers: service on the R3 line between La Garriga and Puigcerdà was completely halted. Yet another cable theft caused the disruption and forced all trains on this section to stop. Since 6:27 a.m., rail service has been suspended, leaving passengers scrambling to find alternative routes to their destinations.
Trains replaced by buses amid disruption
The railway company quickly arranged for bus transport to mitigate the inconvenience faced by hundreds of daily commuters on this route. However, despite these efforts, many report longer travel times and unavoidable transfers. For some, this is the second consecutive day of bus replacements: just yesterday, a signaling failure on the same section brought a complete halt to train traffic.
R3: Rodalies’ most problematic line
The R3 line, running from L’Hospitalet de Llobregat to Puigcerdà, passes through major cities such as Barcelona, Granollers, Vic, and Ripoll. Since October last year, this route has been regarded as the most accident-prone in the Rodalies network. In October 2024, extensive renovation work began between L’Hospitalet and La Garriga, scheduled for completion only in May 2026. During this period, passengers have to deal with frequent schedule changes and temporary restrictions.
Long-Term Works and New Restrictions
The second stage of reconstruction will begin in May 2026: the section between Mollet Santa Rosa and La Garriga will be closed, and work will continue until January 2027. This means that thousands of people will have to rely on buses or private vehicles instead of their usual trains for a long time to come. Such an extended suspension of rail service on this route is unprecedented for the region.
