Overview
- Renfe restored R4 trains through the Gelida section on Tuesday, reconnecting Sant Vicenç de Calders and Terrassa after nearly 11 weeks and giving towns like Vilafranca and El Vendrell a direct ride to Barcelona again.
- Transport minister Óscar Puente met Catalan president Salvador Illa early Thursday at the Palau to review the rail network’s status, in what both sides called a cordial, work-focused meeting.
- Adif says the network will stay constrained for weeks, with about 200 temporary speed limits and partial shutdowns such as the R3 beyond Ripoll, the R8 at Rubí, and a shuttle plus buses between Terrassa and Manresa on the R4.
- Puente told the Senate the recovery has cost more than €186 million, including over 700 inspections, 360 staff in the field, roughly €12 million for replacement buses that peaked at 150 a day, and €3.6 million to rebuild the AP‑7 wall that collapsed onto the tracks at Gelida.
- The Generalitat approved a €21.4 million, two‑year security contract for FGC and plans to shift RL3 and RL4 to FGC in autumn, freeing Renfe trains for later boosts to southern Regionals, while overloaded express buses show how riders have shifted modes with long queues and packed trips.