Wedoany.com Report-Oct. 28, Alstom and Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) have unveiled the first of ten new electric trains that will provide an express service between central Barcelona and Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport. FGC Mobilitat will operate the fleet, which is scheduled to enter service between late 2026 and early 2027. Trains will run every 15 minutes, completing the 22.7 km route in just over 20 minutes.

The trains are five-car Coradia Stream units manufactured at Alstom’s Santa Perpètua de Mogoda facility.

The line will serve nine stations: Sant Andreu, Sagrera, El Clot, Passeig de Gràcia, Sants, Bellvitge, El Prat, Airport T-2, and Airport T-1, connecting the city centre directly to both airport terminals. The trains are five-car Coradia Stream units built at Alstom’s Santa Perpètua de Mogoda facility, with 202 seats per train (197 fixed, seven folding, and two for passengers with reduced mobility), and a maximum capacity of 656 passengers.

Alstom is conducting static and dynamic tests at its Santa Perpètua de Mogoda site. A maintenance depot adjacent to the factory, covering 12 hectares, is under construction and scheduled for completion by spring 2026. The 3,500 m² facility will include two maintenance tracks, auxiliary workshops, a warehouse, workers’ quarters, project offices, a rail connection to the Adif network, a third auxiliary track with wheel-turning equipment, a train washing tunnel, and a traction substation. This depot is designed to service the fleet for 15 years.

Certification validation tests on the General Interest Railway Network will cover traction, braking, dynamic behaviour, signalling, and telecommunications systems, among others, to ensure full operational approval.

The train interiors feature luggage storage, wider corridors for airport travelers, 20 internal panoramic screens for service information, and nine screens displaying airport departures and arrivals. Externally, each train has 12 LED screens for passenger information. Door operations are indicated by audible signals and a color-coded lighting system: green for opening and red for closing, aiding hearing-impaired passengers.

Accessibility is a key focus. The trains offer step-free access from platforms, an automatic ramp at doors near the reduced mobility area, two reserved spaces for passengers with reduced mobility, adapted toilets, and two multifunctional areas for bicycles and trolleys.

The rail link is part of the broader Transformem Rodalies plan, which involves over €400 million ($465 million) in investment. In June, Adif reported that phase two of the rail connection to Terminal 1 was already 80% complete, bringing the project closer to operational readiness.

Once fully operational, this express service will significantly enhance connectivity between central Barcelona and the airport, offering frequent, fast, and accessible transport options for travelers, while supporting the city’s ongoing investment in modern, sustainable rail infrastructure.