en.Wedoany.com Reported - Spanish railway infrastructure manager Adif (Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias) announced the completion of the second phase of the new railway access project at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport, with a total investment exceeding €400 million. The project aims to strengthen the connection between the airport and the Rodalies commuter rail network.
As one of the most complex and largest-scale railway infrastructure projects in Catalonia in recent years, train testing will commence within the coming weeks following completion. Before obtaining full authorization for commercial operation, simulation drills will be conducted to test emergency response procedures and the operational capacity of the civil protection system under emergency conditions. The new line is expected to play a strategic role in the development of public transport in the Barcelona metropolitan area, promoting the integration of rail and air travel and providing millions of passengers with faster and more efficient travel options.
The new line spans 5.2 kilometers, built in two phases, with 4.3 kilometers in tunnels. The double-track line branches off from the conventional Barcelona–Vilanova mainline, directly connecting Terminals T1 and T2 of the airport. This connection enables direct services between the airport, Barcelona city center, and the entire Rodalies network. Travel time from Terminal 1 to the city center is approximately 19 minutes, with an estimated 7 to 9 million passengers expected to use the new infrastructure annually. During construction, over 10.4 kilometers of ballastless track and approximately 3.6 kilometers of ballasted track were laid, using more than 28 kilometers of rails and nearly 6,700 cubic meters of ballast, along with the installation of electrification, ventilation, railway safety, and telecommunications systems.
Both newly built stations are underground, directly connected to the airport area. Terminal 1 station features a central platform 434 meters long, equipped with 3 elevators and 8 escalators. Terminal 2 station has two platforms, each 200 meters long, allowing direct transfers to Metro Line 9, and is equipped with 7 elevators and 8 escalators. The station design prioritizes rapid transfers between trains and planes, featuring modern passenger information systems, access control, lighting, air conditioning, signaling, evacuation routes, and civil protection equipment. The project received EU funding through the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan under the NextGenerationEU initiative.
