Alstom and Catalan operator FGC reveal the first train for the new express link to Barcelona-El Prat Airport

• Static and dynamic tests are currently underway at Alstom’s industrial site in Barcelona.

• The new FGC service, set to launch between late 2026 and early 2027, will connect the centre of Barcelona with the airport in just over 20 minutes.

24 October 2025 - The President of the Government of Catalonia, Salvador Illa; the Catalan Minister for Territory, Sílvia Paneque i Sureda; the President of Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC), Carles Ruiz Novella; and the President of Alstom Spain and Portugal, Leopoldo Maestu Miedes, today presented the first of ten electric trains that will connect Barcelona city centre with El Prat Airport. These trains, operated by FGC Mobilitat, will begin service between late 2026 and early 2027.

The new trains will link the city centre with both terminals of Barcelona-El Prat Airport, running every 15 minutes, with a journey time of just over 20 minutes. The new line, currently under construction, will span 22.7 kilometres and include nine stations: Sant Andreu, Sagrera, El Clot, Passeig de Gràcia, Sants, Bellvitge, El Prat, Airport T-2, and Airport T-1.

Static and dynamic tests are currently being carried out at Alstom’s industrial site in Santa Perpètua de Mogoda. The validation tests required for certification, which will take place on the General Interest Railway Network, will include traction, braking, dynamic behaviour, signalling, and telecommunications, among other checks.

Designed for the specific needs of airport journeys

The new trains, developed and manufactured at Alstom's industrial site in Santa Perpètua de Mogoda (Barcelona), are designed to provide rapid connections between Barcelona and Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport. They have been tailored for airport travel, offering ample luggage space and wider corridors to facilitate accessibility. The trains will also feature advanced signalling, safety, and passenger information systems to ensure the highest levels of safety and the best on-board experience.

Each five-car Coradia Stream train will feature 10 doors on each side (20 in total), with 202 seats (197 fixed, 7 folding and 2 PMR), accommodating up to 656 passengers. In addition to audible signals for door operations, a lighting system—green for opening and red for closing—will assist hearing-impaired passengers in identifying these actions.

Each train will be equipped with 20 panoramic screens displaying service information (four per car) and nine panoramic screens for airport information, providing data on flight departures and arrivals. All cars will include multiple luggage storage spaces. For passengers on the platforms, the trains will be equipped with 12 exterior LED screens: two front screens (located at the top of each car) and 10 side screens.

The trains will be fully accessible, with step-free access from the platform and an automatic ramp at the doors near the reduced mobility area. Each train will include two reserved spaces for people with reduced mobility, adapted toilets, and two multifunctional spaces for bicycles, trolleys, etc. The PRM area will be located in the second car, which will also house an accessible toilet with an electrically operated door.

In line with Alstom’s strategy and FGC’s commitment to promoting sustainable mobility, the new trains have been developed using eco-design principles: careful selection of raw materials, traction systems, energy efficiency, and recyclability at the end of their life. Ergonomic design, accessibility, low life-cycle costs, and fleet reliability will contribute to making these trains an attractive and sustainable option for public transport, significantly reducing road congestion and CO₂ emissions.

Alstom's Coradia series of modular trains benefit from more than 30 years of continuous development and proven technical solutions. More than 4,000 Coradia trains have been sold in 12 countries and are currently operating in Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Canada. The platform offers a full range of green traction solutions, including battery or hydrogen propulsion for non-electrified lines.

A new maintenance depot

Last April, construction began on Alstom's new depot, located on the same site as the Santa Perpètua de Mogoda factory, which will handle the maintenance of the trains for 15 years. Spanning 3,500 m², it will feature two maintenance tracks, auxiliary workshops, a warehouse, workers' quarters, and project offices. The facility will also include an auxiliary services workshop and a rail connection to the Adif railway network.

The maintenance facilities project covers 12 hectares, mainly for the construction of road access, the access railway track, the track yard, workshop, and separation of accesses and segregation of the factory. Additional work involves a third auxiliary track with wheel-turning equipment, a train washing tunnel, and a traction substation for the new track sections. The depot is expected to be completed by spring 2026.

Alstom™ and Coradia Stream™ are protected trademarks of the Alstom Group.