SPAIN: The Catalan government has approved a terminal strategy running to 2036 that commits roughly EUR 127m to four new rail freight terminals in Lleida, Penedès, Terres de l’Ebre and Empordà. The money covers a first phase from 2026 to 2031.
The Consell Executiu adopted the Estratègia catalana de terminals ferroviàries (ECTF) on 15 September. Regional minister for territory Sílvia Paneque presented the plan after the cabinet meeting. It was drawn up by her department with Cimalsa, the Generalitat’s public logistics company.
Rail carried 3% of land freight in Catalonia in 2025, the lowest figure in a series going back to 2006 and less than half the 6.3% recorded in 2020, according to Cimalsa’s logistics observatory as analysed by the Catalan news agency ACN. Volume was 2,645 million tonne-kilometres. Spain as a whole sits near the bottom of the EU for rail freight per inhabitant.
Four sites, four cargo profiles
Lleida takes the largest share, EUR 72m for a terminal serving animal feed, grain and agro-industry. Penedès gets EUR 30m for wine, cars and rolling-motorway traffic. Vilamalla in Empordà is allocated EUR 16.2m for meat, fresh produce and cars, and Terres de l’Ebre EUR 7m for timber and agro-industry.
The sites were chosen on documented demand from those sectors, the government says. The four add to three existing terminals at the ports of Barcelona and Tarragona and at La Llagosta north of Barcelona. Rail access to all of them runs over the state network managed by Adif.
Portbou and the gauge
Portbou, on the French border, is given a supporting role but no money within the EUR 126.96m. The Generalitat wants standard gauge there, and a standard-gauge link from Figueres to Portbou is listed as an action in the strategy. No timetable for the gauge change has been given.
The planning also allows for the Eix Transversal Ferroviari, a proposed Lleida–Girona line bypassing Tarragona and Barcelona. A first-phase study was put out to tender in August. The regional rail infrastructure company Ifercat has been tasked with taking it forward.
Targets and project status
The government sets the plan against a 10% rail share target for Spain and the EU’s 2030 goal of shifting 30% of road freight over 300 km to rail and waterways. It also argues that rail is cheaper than road for hauls beyond 100 km.
Only Lleida has reached the stage of an informational study with a budget line, according to government sources. The other three terminals are programmed in the strategy but have not reached that stage.