Collboni points out that the figures and projects related to user registration «are the measure of the 2 million daily passengers»
President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, announced on Monday the bidding for the purchase, by Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB), of 39 new trains for the Barcelona Metro, 22 of which will serve the central section of the L9, which is expected to allow the opening of some of its new stations in 2027.
He made this announcement at the institutional Law of the Metro’s centenary celebrated by TMB at the Paraninfo of the Escola Industrial de Barcelona, where the mayor, Jaume Collboni, and the first sub-director and president of TMB, Laia Bonet, also participated.
«This July, 39 trains will be bid for to serve the central section of the L9 and increase the supply of conventional lines by 21%. Another step to improve the Barcelona metro, and this will allow us to increase the number of units distributed on the different lines from 185 to 224 by the year 2029,» said the president.
He detailed that the new trains, totaling 331 million euros, will be invested for the acquisition of new trains, with the different administrations of the Metropolitan Transport Authority (ATM) assuming the costs: Generalitat (51%), the city council (25%), and the metropolitan area of Barcelona (24%).
The public bidding, starting this July, plans to award the purchase in the spring of 2026, with the new trains expected to be incorporated into the network by 2029, increasing the capacity for smoother travel, aiming to absorb the increase in demand and enhance comfort, as well as being «more accessible and sustainable.»
Reduction in frequencies
The 22 new trains destined for the L9 will come from the 22 current trains of the L2, which are of the same series as the automated trains currently running on the L9; the new acquisitions will go to the L2.
Beyond the 22 new trains for the central section of the L9—which will be opened from La Sagrera (L9 North)—another 17 trains will reinforce the rest of the network lines, aiming for all conventional lines to operate, during peak hours, with a frequency of less than 3 minutes and a half.
By lines, the L1 will go from having 38 to 44 trains (reducing the frequency of passage during peak hours from 3:05 to 2:38); the L2 from 22 to 25 (reducing from 3:15 to 2:50), and the L3 will incorporate 4 new trains, although 4 of the current 30 will move to the L5, maintaining its 30 trains (but reducing its frequency from 3:28 to 3:20).
The L4 will add 4 trains, from 23 to 27 (reducing the frequency from 3:57 to 3:26); and the L5 will incorporate the 4 trains displaced from the L3 (thus reducing the frequency from 2:29 to 2:15); while the L11 will keep its 3 trains and its current frequency.
Pro-public transport governments
Illa framed the announcement within his commitment to kickstart Catalonia and showcase all its capabilities: «We commit to kickstarting Catalonia, and that is synonymous with investing more in the metro.»
He argued that the investment is possible due to the collaboration between administrations and because all of them are pro-public transport administrations: «There are professional public transport governments and governments that are not. The City Council, the Diputacón, the Generalitat de Catalunya, we are pro-public transport governments.»
He assured that the investment in resources for the network is reaching historic levels and reviewed the extension projects of the L1 to Badalona (Barcelona), L2 towards Barcelona airport, L3 towards Especres de Llobregat (Barcelona), L4 towards La Sagrera, and the culmination of the L9: «The commitment to public transport and the subway is a social policy and a structural planning.»
Jaume Collboni
Collboni stated that the infrastructure’s centenary comes at a time of user registration (469 million trips in 2024) and with a figure of 1.8 on the latest Sant Jordi, which, in his opinion, demands preparation for the future and to «be the counter of the 2 million daily passengers.»
He claimed that being able to move around the city economically, ecologically, and quickly is «the best guarantee of social autonomy and the right to stay in the city,» which is why he considered the increase in frequencies that will involve the incorporation of trains necessary.
«The goal is that in the next five years, on lines 1 to 5, you don’t have to wait more than three and a half minutes on the platforms,» he said, and thanked the Generalitat for reactivating some historically stalled projects, in his words.
Laia Bonet
On her part, Bonet appreciated that the anniversary arrives at a time of good health, with registration figures, but also with good user evaluation scores, rating at 8.2: «The highest score in history. And that’s not easy. It’s not easy in a public service to receive this evaluation.»
She expressed confidence in announcing new sections to expand the network’s capacity to connect more neighborhoods in the city and more cities: «Let grow what we like to call Barcelona del Metro, which is nothing but the Metropolitan Barcelona,» she said.
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