Joy and curiosity among first passengers on Diagonal avenue tram

Year after year after year. Many Barcelona residents gave up on the two Tram networks connecting through Diagonal Avenue, but after years of waiting, on Sunday, the first passengers got off the tram at the newly opened Verdaguer station.

Many of these passengers celebrated the tram's debut, while others were simply curious to try the newly connected tram lines. Originally set to open with a large inauguration event on Saturday, the first service was postponed to Sunday due to a tram workers’ strike, with the celebration postponed indefinitely due to the DANA in Valencia.

"I thought it would be a more complicated trip," Enrique told the Catalan News Agency (ACN) after arriving at Verdaguer. "It’s a very good service," he added. Josep and Núria, who frequently shop at Glòries Shopping Center, echoed Enrique’s enthusiasm

"With the metro and buses, you always had to make a transfer, which was more difficult and took longer—about 30 minutes minimum," Josep said, noting that the tram now makes their journey faster.

The extended tram service includes stations at Verdaguer, near Metro lines L4 and L5, Sicília, Monumental (connecting with the L2 metro line), and Glòries on the L1 metro line. Mario, another tram user, praised the tram’s "sustainability, speed, and quiet operation" and sees himself using it frequently now that it connects efficiently with the metro and bus network.

The three new stations are:

• La Monumental: between Padilla and Lepant streets  
• Sicília: between Sicília and Nàpols streets  
• Verdaguer: between Bailèn and Girona streets  

Speed is also a key benefit for Carme, a resident who now expects to reach Glòries in just seven minutes. However, she pointed out that the tram section between Girona Street and Francesc Macià Square is still unfinished.

"If things keep taking this long, I may never see it, but it would be great," Carme said, recalling that construction began in March 2022.

Of the four kilometers that separate the Trambesòs and Trambaix networks, launched in 2004, only two kilometers remain incomplete. This unfinished stretch, running from Girona Street to Francesc Macià Square, the starting point of the T1, T2, and T3 lines going to Cornellà, Sant Feliu de Llobregat, and serving Sant Joan Despí, Esplugues de Llobregat, and Hospitalet de Llobregat.

Currently, Barcelona city council and the Metropolitan Transport Authority (ATM) have the construction projects underway, with the idea of being fully green-light during the second quarter of 2025.

Officials have noted, however, that completing the connection depends on both the Catalan government and the Barcelona City Council approving their 2025 budgets. If funding is secured, connecting the two tram networks will take 40 months.

Experts say adding the three new stations is expected to increase daily public transit trips by 24,000, reducing 2,000 vehicles from the streets. Connecting Glòries and Francesc Macià could double annual tram trips, from 31 million to 62 million.