The impact of the tram on Diagonal: how it has changed public transport mobility
Validations have increased both on the tram and on other transports that circulate in the area.
BarcelonaAs the six-month anniversary of the launch of the new tram between Plaça de les Glòries and Verdaguer approaches, it's now possible to take stock of how this infrastructure has impacted public transport mobility in Barcelona. This impact is measured not only in the number of passengers who take the tram daily, but also in the impact it has had on other modes of transport. A butterfly effect that has changed the routines of many users and, according to data accessed by the ARA (Argentine National Transport Association), has also increased ridership across all public transport services in the area.
According to data from the Metropolitan Transport Authority (ATM) and the Barcelona Metropolitan Transport Authority (TMB), since the launch of this new infrastructure on November 10, ridership has increased across all public transport services operating in the area. Clearly, the impact of the lengthened tram line has been felt most by the various Trambesòs lines, as they have become a quick option for reaching the city center. While between January 1 and April 10, 2024, T4, T5, and T6 registered 2,888,886 validations, in the same period in 2025 there were 3,969,154, a 37.39% increase. The average was 39,692 trips per day.
However, the increase in passengers on the Trambesòs has not been detrimental to other modes of public transport. The new tram stations—Glòries, Monumental, Sicilia, and Verdaguer—facilitate connections with four metro lines (L1, L2, L4, and L5) via the Glòries, Monumental, and Verdaguer stops. According to TMB data, since the tram's launch, passengers have grown by 3% overall at metro stations along the Tram route.
A closer look reveals some of the new mobility dynamics that have emerged in the city. Validation data show how the tram's main connection points with other modes of transport are at Glòries (line 1) and Verdaguer (lines 4 and 5). In the first case, passengers have grown by 8.7% since the inauguration of the new section of the tram, while in Verdaguer passengers have increased by 10.8% on line 5 and have grown by a lesser amount (3.7%) on line 4.
On the other hand, the metro has increased its traffic at the Monumental stations (line 2) and at Selva de Mar and Maresme-Forum, both on line 4. In the case of Monumental, passengers have fallen by 9% since November 10, while in Selva de Mar the decrease in validations has been 4% and in Maresme. These data, in these last two cases, suggest that many users who previously took the yellow line from that point to connect with the blue line at Verdaguer now opt for the tram, which covers the same route in less time.
Changing habits
The cold facts hide behind personal stories. Citizens for whom the arrival of this new section of tram has allowed them to change their daily routines. This is the case of Imma, who lives in the Eixample district and works on Diagonal Mar. Before, she used to take the number 7 bus to Balmes to take her to work. Now, she explains, she takes any of the buses that take her along Diagonal to Verdaguer and then takes the tram to the Fòrum. "I go much faster," she celebrates.
The 7 bus line, because part of its route overlaps with the tram, could be affected by the opening of the new infrastructure. He explains that many commuters use both the tram and the bus to travel between the Fòrum and Glòries. "You often see people on the same route running to the bus stop if they see you coming first. And the same goes for the other way around." He works in Sant Gervasi, which until November required him to make two transfers. He took the tram to Glòries, and from there, metro line 1 to Catalunya to connect with the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat (FGC) to complete the route to Muntaner on the route between Carrer 1 and Ara. "That's better than taking three different forms of transport," he says, adding that in terms of time it takes him more or less to get from home to work, around 40 minutes. "My life will change completely when the tram reaches Passeig de Gràcia," he adds.
"We must continue working to connect both tram networks and increase public transport capacity," admits Laia Bonet, First Deputy Mayor of Barcelona City Council and responsible for Urban Planning and Mobility. However, she welcomes the fact that the first few months of the tram extension underway have already demonstrated how it has boosted public transport use not only on the Trambesòs but also on the metro network.
Regarding the connection, the next ATM council is expected to approve the executive project for the link between Verdaguer and Francesc Macià. This is the first step toward putting the project out to tender, once the budget allocations for both the Generalitat and Barcelona City Council are in place.