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With the Catalonia 2040 Railway Plan, the Generalitat de Catalunya is pursuing a long-term vision: the development of a rail system that meets the projected mobility needs of the population and intelligently integrates various modes of public transport. An important component of the underlying study was the analysis of infrastructure bottlenecks including the tunnel systems in Barcelona and the development of solutions for reliable and efficient operation. In addition, the plan contains concrete guidelines for phased implementation, which are based on expected demand growth and efficiently prioritize the necessary investments.

TÜV SÜD supported the Generalitat de Catalunya in the selection, development, and evaluation of the Catalonia Railway Plan 2040, which lays the foundation for an efficient, sustainable, and long-term viable rail system. This included both an analysis of the existing framework conditions and the development of concrete models and innovative operational options. The readiness for implementation of the individual models and options was verified through feasibility studies. The development of the study began in September 2024 and was successfully completed in December 2025. The project has since reached an important milestone: On June, 30, 2026, the Government of Catalonia publicly presented the Railway Services Plan 2040, confirming the strategic direction for the future rail network and highlighting the plan’s role in shaping sustainable mobility across the region.

“We are very pleased that the Generalitat de Catalunya has entrusted us with this challenging transformative project, to which we have been able to contribute our comprehensive expertise and many years of experience in the transportation and rail sectors,” says Lydia Alonso, Business Unit Manager Rail at TÜV SÜD Iberia.

TÜV SÜD rail services

TÜV SÜD supports manufacturers, operators, authorities and turn-key-contractors with internationally recognised testing, inspection, and certification services across the entire rail lifecycle with a strongly connected international network of more than 550 inhouse rail experts, backed by years of experience in high-speed, conventional, urban rail and metro. From rolling stock, infrastructure and signalling to generic safety systems. They support the safe and risk-based integration of complete railway systems and ensure that complex sub systems work together seamlessly. While its core lies in the accredited and non-accredited TIC business, the rail unit of TÜV SÜD provides tailored advisory services in selected markets. tuvsud.com/rail