Rodalies de Catalunya SME, SA, the new joint venture set up to manage suburban rail services across Catalonia, was formally established this Monday in Barcelona.
The signing ceremony was presided over by the Spanish Minister for Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente and the President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa. It marks another milestone in the process of transferring railway competences from the Spanish government to the Catalan administration. The company’s articles of association will be registered with a notary in the coming days.
With an initial share capital of two million euros, Rodalies de Catalunya will be owned 50.1% by Renfe and 49.9% by the Generalitat. Its Board of Directors will have nine members: five appointed by the Catalan Government and four by Renfe Viajeros. The chair will be held by Sílvia Paneque, Catalonia’s Councillor for Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition, while Òscar Playà will serve as Chief Executive Officer.
Representing Renfe will be the General Directors Miguel Ángel Vicente (Passenger Division), Marta Toralvo (Finance), and Luis Manuel Suárez (Engineering and Maintenance), along with Raquel González (UGT’s federal secretary for the railway sector), representing the workforce.
Puente guarantees Renfe staff rights in Rodalies de Catalunya
Puente stressed that the new company is founded on the principles of “proximity, safety, and job security,” ensuring that employees will retain Renfe Group’s collective bargaining agreement and all acquired rights.
Illa, in turn, highlighted that the new model will focus on “professionalisation” and “modernisation” to deliver a more efficient, innovative, and people-centred service.
In its initial phase, Rodalies de Catalunya will draw up a Strategic and Business Plan defining its internal structure and management areas: rail operations, facilities, and customer service. A joint training body for drivers will also be set up, with the L’Hospitalet de Llobregat centre as the main hub.
Infrastructure transfer
Meanwhile, the infrastructure transfer process is progressing. The first line to be transferred will be Line 276, running between La Sagrera and Maçanet. Although legally owned by Ifercat, it will temporarily remain under Adif’s management while the Catalan entity gradually assumes control.
Before the transfer, it must first be removed from the General Interest Railway Network (RFIG). Nonetheless, it will remain interoperable, with Ifercat obliged to allow access to other operators.
A similar process will later be carried out on sections of the Puigcerdà, Garraf, and Manresa lines used by services R2 and R3.
2020–2030 Rodalies Plan
Rodalies de Catalunya is part of the broader 2020–2030 Rodalies Plan, which foresees more than €6.3 billion in total investment to modernise the network, upgrade stations, and renew rolling stock.
So far, over €2.5 billion has been executed and contracts worth another €4.152 billion have been awarded, including the procurement of high-capacity trains—72 units of Class 452—and the refurbishment of 41 stations.
Minister Puente also announced additional measures such as improving graffiti cleaning, increasing train maintenance by 20%, installing digital signage in 80 stations, and enhancing accessibility, with 80% of lifts expected to be operational—compared with 40% a year ago.
These initiatives, he emphasised, aim to reinforce service quality and restore passengers’ confidence in Rodalies.