Construction work begins on Barcelona metro, with partial closures on several lines
L5, L2, L4 and L10 Nord affected by €25 million upgrade ahead of America's Cup sailing competition
Construction work on several lines of the Barcelona metro began on Tuesday and is expected to be completed in September.
The €25 million upgrade will affect lines L5, L2, L4 and L10 Nord, which will see partial closures during the summer.
The aim is to reduce the number of incidents, improve reliability, eliminate vibrations in various sections, increase the capacity of some lines and improve the accessibility of certain stations.
The work has started early to prepare the service for the 37th edition of the America's Cup, which will be held in the Catalan capital from August 22 to October 27.
L5 and L2, the most affected lines
The two lines most affected, both in terms of duration and number of stops and passengers, are the L5 and the L2.
On the L5, the blue line, there will be no trains between Cornellà and Collblanc until September 1. A replacement bus service will run every three to four minutes.
The work on this line, which represents more than 60% of the total budget, will cover a five-kilometer section and will include a complete renovation of the tracks to increase capacity and improve accessibility.
The closure, which includes eight stops, will affect up to 72,000 passengers on weekdays.
On the L2, the purple line, there will be no trains between Paral·lel and Sagrada Família until August 25.
Although there will be no replacement bus service, the frequency of trains on other lines will be increased.
However, users can take the D50, H12 and H16 buses, which cover a similar route to the train line.
Work on this 4.4-kilometer section of the line will include the elimination of vibrations and the installation of new low-voltage boxes.
L4 and L10 Nord
On the L4, the yellow line, there will be no trains between Selva de Mar and La Pau from July 27 to August 22.
A bus replacement service will be available for the affected stretch, while the rest of the line will operate as usual.
These works aim to improve accessibility at La Pau station and renew signaling.
On L10 Nord, the works will be shorter, from August 5 to 25, and will affect the stretch between Gorg and La Salut in Badalona.
The cost of these works will be €1 million and will reduce vibrations on the line. A bus replacement service will be provided.
Mixed feelings among commuters
Most of the metro commuters were already aware of the different disruptions as the public company Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB), the infrastructure manager, has been warning about the situation for some weeks.
The company has also increased the number of customer service staff across its network to inform those who have some doubts.
One of the most complicated stations on Tuesday morning was the Sagrada Família metro stop, as both the L2 and L5 connect here. At the time, the platforms had minor queues and a little bit of overcrowding.
"Works affect us, but it is to improve the city," Victòria, a usual commuter, said to the Catalan News Agency (ACN). "I think it is positive," she added, as there are "other metro lines in the city, and you can be smart and reach your destination throughout them."
Those unaware of the disruptions complained the most.
"Now I have to get on another metro line and not have a direct connection, and I think this is terrible as it is always the same," Yaday, a user who still remembers last summer's L4 metro line disruptions, said. "These metro changes affect me a lot, as I have to work," she added.