On 03.09.2022, Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) and Alstom signed a EUR 177 million contract to deliver EMUs for the airport trains connecting Barcelona and the El Prat airport. On 06.11.2024, the manufacturer unveiled the final design at the “Tomorrow Mobility World Congress” in Barcelona.
The new trains, designed and manufactured at Alstom’s industrial site in Santa Perpètua de Mogoda (Barcelona), are scheduled to provide relatively fast (120 km/h) connection services between Barcelona and Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport in 2026.
Tailored for this specific route, they feature ample luggage space and wider corridors to enhance accessibility. They will also have state-of-the-art signalling technology and advanced safety and passenger information systems, ensuring top safety standards and an optimal onboard experience.
A look inside and outside
Each of these 5-car Coradia Stream trains will have 20 doors, ten on each side, and seating for 209 passengers (202 fixed seats and seven tipping), accommodating up to 656 passengers. To aid impaired passengers, the trains will have audible feedback plus a door operation lighting system: green lights indicate doors opening, while red lights signal doors closing, complemented by audible signals.
Each train will have 20 screens displaying train information (four per car) and nine additional screens providing real-time updates on flight departures and arrivals.
The new trains will have levelled access and retractable steps for easy access for all. Each train will offer two reserved spaces for passengers with limited mobility, adapted restrooms, and two multifunctional spaces to accommodate bicycles, strollers, and other items. This is all the result of a ‘design for all’ approach in collaboration with the ONCE Foundation.
Alstom: “Aligned with Alstom’s sustainable development goals and FGC’s dedication to eco-friendly mobility, the trains will follow an eco-design approach. This includes carefully selecting raw materials, energy-efficient traction systems, and recyclability at the end of their lifecycle. The trains’ ergonomic and accessible design, with low life-cycle costs and high reliability, will make them an appealing and sustainable choice for public transportation, significantly reducing road congestion and CO₂ emissions.”
FGC also awarded Alstom a 15-year maintenance contract. The trains will be maintained at a new depot in Barcelona.
The livery
The design evidences FGC’s transition from its legacy orange into bright green. Unlike the artistic impression shown two years ago, the current design features a single shade of green, with the fronts separated from the rest of the train. The access doors also change from green to dark grey.
Before:
After:
Where will they run?
The new FGC service will link central Barcelona directly to both terminals of Barcelona-El Prat Airport. Trains will depart every 15 minutes, with travel times of just over 20 minutes between Passeig de Gràcia station and Terminal 1. Currently, under construction, the line will extend 22.7 kilometres and include nine stations: Sant Andreu, Sagrera, El Clot, Passeig de Gràcia, Sants, Bellvitge, El Prat, Airport Terminal 1, and Airport Terminal 2.
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