The works on the Garraf railway tunnels will begin next Monday and will last for three months. In recent weeks, a new alternative bus plan has been designed that will be launched precisely when one of the largest railway crises experienced in Catalonia, which began on January 20 with the Gelida accident, has not yet been resolved. In fact, the Garraf works will affect one of the main lines – the R2 south – that connects Sant Vicenç de Calders with the França station passing, among others, through Vilanova i la Geltrú, Castelldefels, Prat de Llobregat, Bellvitge, Sants or Paseo de Gràcia. It also affects regional trains that link Catalonia, Cambrils or Tortosa with the Catalan capital.
The alternative services have been established by the Generalitat, Adif and Renfe. The R2 south will continue to circulate but on a single track between Sitges and Garraf, which will reduce the number of trains by almost half. On the one hand, between Barcelona and El Prat there will be eight trains per hour and direction, between Barcelona and Castelldefels there will be six trains per hour and direction and between Barcelona and Garraf four. In addition, between Barcelona and Sant Vicenç de Calders, two trains will be enabled per hour in each direction, which will have double the capacity of those that circulate now.
As for the regional ones, there will be a direct bus service between El Prat de Llobregat- Sant Vicenç de Calders. Between Sant Vicenç de Calders- Tarragona/ Reus / Lleida / Tortosa / Port Aventura the usual train service is maintained. In addition, on weekdays, two incoming and two outgoing trains will make the route using the R4 as it passes through Vilafranca del Penedès, which will mean an increase of 40 minutes. In fact, double train circulation is expected on the R4, as it passes through Gelida, starting Monday.
The Generalitat has increased the number of intercity buses and has expanded the offer by 14,400 seats during these three months in which some tunnels affected by the passage of time and that the drivers assure are dangerous will be fixed.
