Rodalies, Catalonia’s basic commuter rail network, continues to face severe operational challenges six months after the catastrophic Gelida accident. Despite a partial rebound in passenger numbers, the system remains plagued by chronic delays and frequent cancellations. June figures show that only about half of trains arrived on time. The crisis began on January 20, 2026, when a retaining wall from the AP7 motorway collapsed onto the R4 line near Gelida, causing a fatal collision that killed a trainee driver and injured several others. The incident forced a complete shutdown of the Rodalies network for urgent safety inspections. It then triggered months of emergency repairs and speed restrictions, with substitute bus services covering suspended routes.
Although the Generalitat and Renfe Viajeros had just established a joint company to oversee the network, the transfer of responsibilities is being introduced in stages rather than through an immediate change in day-to-day operations. The planned transfer initially concerns the R1 line, which runs through the Maresme. Renfe is to remain the operator while the Generalitat assumes the role of service owner within the mixed company, Rodalies de Catalunya. The company is expected to begin operating in January 2027, with its inventory covering trains and stations and including staff. The broader transfer structure is expected to extend into 2028. A contract-programme is intended to define the legal and technical responsibilities of the Generalitat and Renfe, along with their financial obligations during the transition. Reporting by La Vanguardia put the planned compensation at about €1.4 billion over at least three years, or more than €460 million a year, compared with roughly €300 million annually previously provided to cover Rodalies’ operating deficit. The transfer also requires formal consideration by the State-Generalitat Joint Economic and Fiscal Affairs Commission, followed by ratification by Spain’s Council of Ministers.
In the meantime, passengers have endured daily disruptions. The initial impact was dramatic: in January, Rodalies saw a 31.6% drop in ridership compared with the previous year, with only 6.16 million journeys recorded versus 9.01 million in January 2025. February saw an even steeper decline, with passenger numbers falling by 33.1%. Recovery began in March, but demand remained 11.5% below 2025 levels. April marked a brief turning point, as free travel, introduced by the Generalitat, helped push ridership to 9.66 million, surpassing the previous year for the first time since the accident. But, this momentum faded after the fare exemption ended on May 9. May and June then saw a renewed dip, with monthly passenger numbers settling at around nine million, still below pre-crisis peaks.
Service reliability remains a major concern. In June, Rodalies operated 17,698 train services, but only 50.5% adhered to the scheduled timetable. That was an improvement over March and April, yet nearly every second train was delayed. The average delay for late trains in June reached 22.3 minutes, up from 20.4 minutes in May and similar to the 21.1-minute average in January. February was the worst month, with delayed trains averaging 26.6 minutes behind schedule. Including punctual and early arrivals, the overall average delay in June was 1.5 minutes per train. The network’s performance indicator for completed versus scheduled services also shows the ongoing difficulties: after dropping to just 38% in the immediate aftermath of the accident, service fulfillment gradually improved, reaching 94.8% in June. Still, more than 5% of planned trains were cancelled that month.
External factors have compounded the operational strain. In June, 75.2% of all delay minutes were attributed to causes outside Renfe’s control, including infrastructure failures and cable theft. Suicides and fires also disrupted services, as did adverse weather and graffiti. The remaining 24.8% were linked to Renfe itself. Recent copper thefts at La Sagrera and La Plana-Picamoixons led to further interruptions, halting entire sections of the network. The infrastructure spans 1,120 kilometers across 166 municipalities. It has 200 stations and 271 trains, and has struggled to recover from decades of underinvestment as well as the cumulative impact of accidents and ongoing works.
Comparisons with Madrid’s Cercanías network show the scale of Rodalies’ difficulties. In June, Madrid handled 35,481 train services and around 21 million passengers, with an average delay of just 0.5 minutes per train. Rodalies’ average delay was three times higher, and only 50.5% of its trains were punctual, compared with 65.4% in Madrid. Service regularity and fulfillment also lagged behind the capital’s figures. Persistent problems in Catalonia’s rail system echo broader concerns about infrastructure ability to recover, as seen in other recent incidents such as the partial reopening of Barcelona’s L9 metro line after a tunnel collapse in Sant Gervasi.
The governance changes are intended to clarify responsibilities and protect investment as the new operating structure takes shape. Separately, new Alstom trains are expected to arrive in Catalonia in the first quarter of 2027, subject to homologation; Transport Minister Óscar Puente described that timetable as prudent. Rodalies’ ongoing struggles highlight the vulnerability of critical transport infrastructure to sudden accidents and long-term neglect. The network’s slow recovery, despite a partial rebound in passenger numbers, signals the need for sustained investment and effective management. For now, daily commuters in Catalonia continue to face uncertainty, with punctuality and reliability still far from restored.
