The Catalan Railways (FGC) transported over one hundred million passengers last year, a record figure, with a punctuality rate exceeding 99% on all lines and overall user satisfaction. Anyone who doubts these figures need only ask the passengers. They'll surely tell you that the lines connecting Sabadell and Terrassa with Barcelona, ​​and vice versa (60,000 people commute to work in Sant Cugat every day, though not all by train), are packed early in the morning, and that beyond Sant Cugat, it's a real squeeze to board the carriages, but that the service is exceptionally punctual. For all these reasons, I listened with interest to the arguments given by José Javier Bleda, the regional railway secretary for the Semaf union, to justify the strike that began yesterday and will continue next week. In an interview on Radio 4, Mr. Bleda spoke of "latent risks," such as "in certain areas of the network, trains begin to skid, preventing the driver from braking where they want"; that, ultimately, "many general issues have specific underlying problems"; that they have been reporting everything; that the reports have been ignored; and that patience has its limits.

Nine Tuesdays of difficulties in rail mobility, this time also affecting Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC). The Catalan train operator faces the first of the five days of strikewhich has called on the Semaf union to strike on February 24th and 25th and March 2nd, 3rd, and 4th to demand greater safety on the service.

Today I plan to go to Basel by train. What else can I do on the train but write about the structural absurdity of the situation with Adif, Renfe, and Cercanías (commuter rail) in Catalonia?

With many schools celebrating their holidays, this Friday marks the start of one of the long weekends circled in red on the calendars of all Catalan ski resorts. The recent snowfall and low temperatures will encourage skiers to flock to the Immaculate Conception holiday, especially after the Immaculate Conception. Those who remember that a year ago the slopes could not open due to lack of snowWith all the resorts open, the sector is preparing to regain momentum and kick off what is expected to be a long winter season with good forecasts. This is the feeling at the Masella resort, the first to open its slopes in the entire country, on November 26th, with almost all of its 36 kilometers already operational. With the exception of last year, this resort has started the winter season in November in 80% of years, thanks in large part to the investments made in snowmaking. "We've had plenty of time to prepare," explains spokesperson Ramon Boter. Families who can will start arriving this Friday, but for many, Saturday and Sunday will be the peak days, with the return trip expected on Monday.

"There's no need to deceive ourselves. Cercanías is the largest and oldest rail network. Ferrocarrils is, along with Cercanías, a toy network, if you'll pardon the expression." With these words, he disparaged the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, of the Catalan Railways (FGC) during his appearance this Wednesday in Congress to discuss the incidents that affect some part of the country day after day. The latest, a technical failure at Adif last week that paralyzed the long-distance service between Madrid and Andalusia.

In summer, many people look to the sky to see if it will be sunny and decide whether or not to go to the beach, but others prefer to look much further afield. Astronomy enthusiasts, or those simply curious, can continue to enjoy observing planets and stars during these days in an ideal space: the Montsec Astronomical Park (PAM), in Àger (La Noguera).

For years, the Catalan Railways (FGC) has been committed to promoting modal interchange when using public transport, facilitating the combined use of different modes of transport on a single journey.

The works on the L8 of the Generalitat Railways are preparing for a new phase: the arrival of the Tunnel boring machine that will drill through Barcelona from Plaza Espanya to the Gràcia neighborhood, next year. To introduce this large cutting machine underground, it is obviously necessary to make a hole through which the pieces will be lowered into the subsoil, the machine will be assembled, and drilling will begin. This attack shaft will be located on Gran Via, next to Plaça Espanya, between Llança and Vilamarí streets. It will run 20 meters underground but will nevertheless be very visible to residents because the hole doesn't reach it alone.