These are all the cuts that will affect the Barcelona metro this summer

BarcelonaSummer is here, mobility in Barcelona decreases and, as every year, Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) takes advantage of the downturn to carry out the toughest improvement works on the network. This summer, the most important actions will be carried out on L1, L9 and some interchanges such as Verdaguer and Plaça de Catalunya. Before starting the works, TMB will carry out information campaigns to warn citizens about the changes.

In addition, the actions will begin a little later than in other years, to avoid coinciding with massive events such as the Pope's visit or the Tour de France, which starts in Barcelona the first week of July. These are "very important maintenance works, some of them very complex, which require unavoidable closures in order to address them", warned the deputy mayor and president of TMB Laia Bonet.

Replacement of old tracks on L1

TMB has reported that three stations on the red metro line (L1) will be out of service between July 17 and August 28 on the stretch between La Florida and Plaça de Sants. Specifically, the Torrassa, Santa Eulàlia, and Mercat Nou stops will not be operational. This is the most significant closure of the summer, which according to TMB will affect 43,000 users on weekdays during July and around 36,000 during August.

future launch of the central section of L9, which will open four new stops at the end of 2027To mitigate the effects on mobility, TMB recommends users take the L10, which also stops at Torrassa, or the L5 at Plaça de Sants, which will maintain the same number of trains as in winter. The L8 of Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) will also be available, which will also adjust frequencies to better handle passenger flow, and a shuttle bus for people with reduced mobility.

The L9 prepares to open stops

The other important closure affects the L9 at the height of the macropou located between La Sagrera and the Onze de setembre stop. This is, in fact, the first closure of the summer: it will begin on June 25 and will last until August 30. Afterwards, 11 extra days will still be needed during which the line will be closed until Bon Pastor to be able to carry out runs with trains without passengers.

These works —which have a budget of 22.6 million euros— have a key objective for the eternal works of the L9: to adapt the well and adjust the configuration of the tracks for the future commissioning of the central section of the L9, which will open four new stops at the end of 2027. Without this closure, progress could not be made on this work. The Generalitat (which is in charge of the work) plans to hold meetings with residents this very month of June to explain all the work.

The closure will affect 3,200 daily users during July and 2,300 in August. As alternatives, TMB proposes to divert users to L1 and L2, and also to buses H8, 34, and 126. They will also put an additional shuttle bus.

Verdaguer station, closed

In Verdaguer there are no train interruptions but there are at the station. This means that the trains will pass through but without stopping. This will be the case for 8 weeks, while the accessibility works that began in January of last year are carried out and which correspond to the first phase of the adaptation of the Verdaguer interchange to L4 (and later to L5). This first part of the works has an investment of 8.6 million euros. This will be the case for 8 weeks, while the accessibility works are carried out that began in January of last year and correspond to the first phase of the adaptation of the Verdaguer interchange to L4 (and later to L5). This first part of the works has an investment of 8.6 million euros.

During the summer, the steps will be removed, the lobby floor will be leveled, and the platforms will be rebuilt to avoid the distance between these platforms and the train. By 2027, the work will be completed with elevators and escalators. Until the station reopens on August 31, the works will directly affect approximately 6,500 daily users during July and 4,800 in August who will have to travel between the Joanic or Girona stops to access L4. Once completed, the connecting corridor, which has been closed since last October due to the same works, will also reopen.

Transfer to Catalonia by street

Starting July 6, TMB also plans to begin works at the Catalunya station. The reason is the improvement of the connecting corridor that links L1 with L3. At this point, the works must serve to remove the asbestos that still remains behind all the panels that now hide it so that it is not in contact with users. "You know that the asbestos has already been removed from all the rolling stock, but there is still a little left in the infrastructure and we are taking advantage of this renovation to remove it. It is asbestos that is encapsulated and therefore no longer poses any risk to the user," Bonet clarified.

Once this material is removed, the works will serve to rebuild the walls, the floor, and the ceiling, and to change the lighting of the corridor. While this pedestrian closure lasts, users will have to transfer via the street. It will be necessary to leave the station and re-scan the ticket, but TMB has explained that they will adjust the machines so that they do not take the second scan into account.