'A good solution, but let's see if we arrive on time for work': first day of buses replacing disrupted R2 service

After the severe disruptions to the commuter rail line earlier this week, Thursday saw Renfe's alternative bus services connecting the Catalan capital with towns and cities to the south begin. 

Around 6.30 in the morning, some 15 buses were waiting for commuters at Castelldefels to bring them to Barcelona. 

It was forecast for buses to depart every half hour, but in the end the frequency was increased to every ten minutes to keep up with demand. 

Passengers were pleased to have a functioning alternative on Thursday morning, although some were still cautious about celebrating too early. 

"It's a good solution, but we'll have to see if we arrive on time," one commuter who took the arranged bus service to Barcelona told the Catalan News Agency.

Many of the passengers at the Castelldefels train station in the early hours of the morning were unaware that they had an alternative to the train to get to Barcelona.

After two days of disrupted travel options due to the incident in Gavà, Rodalies train users celebrated the shuttle bus, although criticism was still present.

One of the issues that surprised passengers was the location of the buses at the back of Castelldefels station, in an area located a 6-minute walk from the main entrance.

Renfe chose this point due to the width of the street, as the station is located in a small square.

"I don't find it very well organized," complained Iolanda, who lives in Garraf and takes the train to Castelldefels every day to go to work in Barcelona, and added that the past two days were "horrible" as she tried to get to and from work. 

Castelldefels resident Àlex works in Sant Feliu de Llobregat, and it took two and a half hours for him Tuesday and Wednesday to make a journey to work that usually takes 50 minutes.

He sees the shuttle bus option as a more comfortable alternative, but not more agile: "I'll still take twice as long as normal and I'll probably be late for work."

Afternoon return services 

In the afternoon, the shuttle bus will make return journeys in the opposite direction, from Barcelona to Castelldefels, with some buses bound for Gavà added.

This return by road will operate between 5 and 7 pm.

The R2 South line between Sant Vicenç de Calders and Estació de França operates with two services per direction per hour, with stops at all stations.

As for the regional trains - R13, R14, R15, R16, and R17 - they have one train per hour in each direction with a stop at all the stations between Sant Vicenç de Calders and Barcelona.

Renfe also informs users that three services in each direction between Catalonia and Valencia may suffer from "delays in circulation in the affected section."

"Artificially generated controversy" 

Spain's minister of transport, Raquel Sánchez, considers the debate on the cause of the incident "artificially generated controversy" and has promised to explain the reasons for the breakdown in services after they are investigated. "We have no problem with this, we act with transparency," she said during a radio interview.

Ths Spanish minister added that "there's no proof" that if the service had been totally transferred this type of breakdown could have been avoided.

"The network is very complex and has nothing to do with the management of the FGC trains, which ultimately works like a metro line," the minister said. Sánchez also backed the Rodalies line as "reliable" and said that "only 6% of the trains are not on time."

Regarding Catalonia's demand for the Spanish executive to transfer the service, the minister commented that "it is not possible" and wanted to "correct" Catalonia's territory minister, Juli Fernández, after he affirmed yesterday that the Catalan government was not the owner of the service

Sánchez said that the Catalan government has been in charge of the service since 2010, and criticized that Catalonia does not want to sign the program contract. "We have been waiting years for it to be signed. The Catalan government never talks about it and does not explain to citizens what reasons it has for not signing." 

Rodalies is administered by the Catalan government and is operated by the Spanish-government owned company, Renfe.