SPAIN: Alstom has unveiled the design of the Coradia Stream electric multiple-units it is to supply for use on services from central Barcelona to El Prat Airport from 2026.
In September 2022 Catalunya operator FGC awarded Alstom a €107m contract to supply 10 five-car 120 km Coradia Stream EMUs from its Santa Perpètua de Mogoda factory in Barcelona, along with contracts to build a depot (€19·5m) and provide 15 years of maintenance (€50·9m).
Features for the airport services will include extensive luggage space and wide aisles, with 202 fixed and seven folding seats and a total capacity of 656 passengers. There will be 20 large interior screens with railway information and nine screens for airport information including real-time flight departures and arrivals. There will two exterior LED screens on the ends of the trains and 10 on the sides.
The design was developed in collaboration with the ONCE Foundation to ensure full accessibility. There will be step-free access from the platform, and an automatic ramp at the doors near the two spaces for people with reduced mobility. There will be an accessible toilet, and two multifunctional spaces for bicycles and pushchairs.
The 10 doors on each side will have audible alerts along with green lights when opening and red when closing to assist hearing-impaired passengers.
The airport line is currently under construction. The 22·7 km route will have nine stations at Sant Andreu, Sagrera, El Clot, Passeig de Gràcia, Sants, Bellvitge, El Prat, Airport Terminal 2 and Airport Terminal 1.
Airport trains will run every 15 min, with a journey time of slightly over 20 min from Passeig de Gràcia station to Terminal 1.
- Stadler is also to supply four three-car EMUs with a capacity of 439 passengers for the 120 km Lleida - Manresa line under a contract worth €44m plus €21·2m for 15 years of maintenance. The line is currently operated by RENFE, but from the end of 2025 Catalan regional railway FGC will operate 12 trains each way per day between Lleida and Cervera with five continuing to Manresa.
