Barcelona’s Airport Is Finally Getting a Train That Serves Both Terminals

Barcelona-El Prat’s long-awaited rail link has moved into testing. The R-Aeroport line will connect both airport terminals to the city centre in about 20 minutes, and it is described as a rail line rather than a metro extension. The Ministry of Transport released test footage on August 9, after Alstom began validating the first train in October 2025. Passenger service is expected in the first half of 2027, though the president of FGC said an exact date is hard to set.

The route is 5.2 km long, with 4.3 km underground, branching off the Barcelona–Vilanova line. Two new step-free underground stations will serve Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, and the T2 station will connect directly to metro line L9. Trains are planned every 15 minutes to both terminals, which would double current frequency, using 10 new Alstom trains.

The project is not cheap. The Olive Press reports that Adif has spent more than 400 million euros, partly funded by the EU’s recovery and resilience programme. Once fully operational, Adif expects 7 to 9 million passengers a year to use the line, a sign of how much traffic the authorities hope to move off roads and onto rails once the airport link is running.

One change affects current users. The 1975 T2 Rodalies station will close when the new platforms open, so travelers who use that stop will need to adjust. Until the new line opens, existing airport connections stay as they are, so visitors planning trips before mid-2027 should not build itineraries around the new service. The report dates from August, and a firm opening date has not been announced.

Sources: The Olive Press