This week the new Cercanías Cataluña commuter rail line has started operating. This joint venture between Renfe (State) and the Generalitat This marks a turning point in the transfer of the Cercanías commuter rail network and represents a complete overhaul of railway management, which will now be based in Catalonia. However, the Minister of Territory – and now also president of the new company – Sílvia Paneque, has already made it clear that "the changes will not be immediate," but that improvements should begin to be noticeable as the new Cercanías team assumes its responsibilities. Among the more than one hundred projects underway, these are the main challenges that the network (and the new company) must address in 2026:

The Mediterranean Corridor works that Adif is carrying out in Sant Vicenç de Calders since the fall of last year Not only are they generating service interruptions and disruptions, alternative plans, and incidents: the works are also worrying experts about the final outcome they will have when they are finished. Various platforms defending users and academics consulted by this newspaper fear that, once the works at this station are completed, the result will be "worse for users" and that a "bottleneck" will be created that will greatly complicate operations in the area.

Representatives from the Ministry of Transport and the works councils of Renfe and Adif returned this Sunday afternoon to resume negotiations to address the rail strike called for tomorrow, which will affect the commuter service. The conflict had been brewing since the beginning of the month, with more than a hundred trains cancelled Carnival weekend, and on Monday the 4th, it became clear. The general works councils, along with all the driver unions of both public companies, have called a total of seven days of strikes in March and April at both companies due to, they say, non-compliance with the agreements signed regarding the transfer of Cercanías and Renfe Mercancías services.

First year of bittersweet balance in Montcada i Reixac compared to the already Historic underground railway tracks. After decades of waiting for the start of these works, the local council reported at the end of January the appearance of significant cracks in some floors of up to three different buildings in the Can Sant Joan neighbourhood, which is located within the area affected by the R2 underground works. These are gaps in the ceiling, floor and walls that in some cases even allow a glimpse of the street or adjacent neighbours.