Barcelona Metro is carrying out summer engineering works on four lines, with the biggest disruption for many residents and visitors on L4, where the section between Verdaguer and Trinitat Nova is closed from Tuesday 25 June until Saturday 7 September. That matters for commuters using one of the city’s main east-north corridors, as Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona advises passengers to switch to nearby L3 and L5 services or use a replacement bus stopping at every affected station.

Separate works also affect L2 between Paral·lel and Sagrada Família until Sunday 25 August, L5 between Cornellà Centre and Collblanc until Sunday 1 September, and L10 Nord between Gorg and La Salut from Monday 5 August to Sunday 25 August. According to Catalan News, the wider summer programme is a €25 million upgrade affecting L5, L2, L4 and L10 Nord.

L4 closure affects a heavily used route

The longest closure is on L4, where maintenance work has shut the stretch between Verdaguer and Trinitat Nova for the summer. Catalan News reported that the project includes the renovation of six kilometres of track to reduce disruptions and vibrations, as well as signalling upgrades.

The same report said the interruption was expected to affect about 60,000 passengers per weekday at the start of the works, falling to around 45,000 a day in August. Line 11 is also out of service between Trinitat Nova and Casa de l'Aigua during the same period.

As an alternative, the metro authority recommends using nearby lines such as Line 3 and Line 5, which offer similar routes.

For passengers who need to make the same journey along the closed L4 section, a special replacement bus service is operating with stops at all affected metro stations and the same timetable as the metro, according to Catalan News.

What passengers should do on each affected line

Anyone travelling regularly across the affected sections should check their route before setting off and allow extra time for changes, especially for journeys involving Verdaguer, Sagrada Família, Cornellà Centre, Collblanc, Gorg and La Salut.

  • L4: Verdaguer to Trinitat Nova closed from Tuesday 25 June to Saturday 7 September. Use nearby L3 or L5 where possible, or the replacement bus serving every affected station.
  • L2: Paral·lel to Sagrada Família closed until Sunday 25 August. Alternatives named by Metrópoli Abierta include other metro connections via L1, L3, L4 and L5, plus TMB bus routes D50, H12 and H16.
  • L5: Cornellà Centre to Collblanc closed until Sunday 1 September. Metrópoli Abierta says the main alternatives are L1 and Rodalies commuter rail in Cornellà and L'Hospitalet, with shuttle buses and TMB routes D20, H8, 67, 68, 94 and 95 also available.
  • L10 Nord: Gorg to La Salut closed from Monday 5 August to Sunday 25 August.

Passengers can check fares and travel products through the official T-mobilitat website before travelling.

Why the works are being carried out in summer

The works are being scheduled during the summer because metro use usually falls during this period. The stated aim across the affected lines is to reduce incidents and vibrations, improve passenger comfort and journey quality, increase accessibility and capacity, and make maintenance more efficient.

On L2, the Generalitat is investing €5.6 million to replace track fixings with improved mechanical performance to cut vibrations, according to Metrópoli Abierta. On L5, the same report said Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona is investing €16 million to renew around five kilometres of track and raise a platform edge, with the works intended to remove vibrations, improve accessibility and increase capacity with one extra train from September.

Barcelona City Council’s mobility website also says the L4 disruptions include accessibility improvements at Ciutadella – Vila Olímpica station.

Primary sources: barcelona.cat. Reported by Source Text Link, catalannews.com, Alvaro Llagunes, metropoliabierta.elespanol.com, J. Francino, Malena Ramajo, Metrópoli, Pol Langa, t-mobilitat.atm.cat, Metrópoli Abierta - Urban Life.