Starting in 2025, residents of Catalonia will face a major challenge: the R3 Rodalies railway line, which connects L’Hospitalet de Llobregat and Puigcerdà, will temporarily suspend train service along a large section. Beginning next Tuesday, no trains will run between L’Hospitalet and La Garriga—a situation that will last until May 2026. After that, the second phase of the project will affect the section between Mollet-Santa Rosa and La Garriga, with completion expected only in January 2027.
Passengers will have to switch to buses or look for alternative ways to reach their destinations. For many, this will be a real ordeal: thousands have relied on this route daily for commuting, school, or business. The reason for this extensive change is the long-awaited modernization of the infrastructure. Work will begin on doubling the tracks between Parets del Vallès and La Garriga, as currently trains have to share a single track, often resulting in delays and disruptions. The condition of the rolling stock also leaves much to be desired, further complicating the situation.
While railroad workers upgrade the tracks, a modern traffic control system will be installed at Moncada-Bifurcació station. The project is allocated a budget of €210 million. During this period, train service between L’Hospitalet and La Garriga will be suspended. Alternative transportation has been arranged for passengers: buses will run between the stations, with capacity for up to 43,500 people per day. The main transfer hub will be Fabra i Puig station, where buses to Granollers-Canovelles will depart every 20 minutes, stopping at Moncada-Ripollet, Santa Perpètua, Mollet, and Parets. There will also be direct routes to La Garriga, Centelles, and Vic, with varying departure frequencies.
The journey from Fabra i Puig to La Garriga will take about 46 minutes, and to Vic — around an hour. Additionally, from November to May, the R7 line connecting Fabra i Puig with Cerdanyola-Universitat will be closed. For students and university staff, shuttle buses will run between Cerdanyola and the campus every 30 minutes.
The second phase of reconstruction will begin in May 2026. At that time, trains will resume running between L’Hospitalet and Mollet-Santa Rosa, as well as between La Garriga and Puigcerdà. Details on bus service for the remaining closed section have not yet been announced. The R3 line is one of the most important in the region: it connects 35 stations, dozens of trains run on it daily, and its service area is home to nearly 400,000 people. For many residents, it is not just transport, but a part of daily life.
