Adif and intermodal operator Combiconnect are due to begin the first test operations with freight trains at the La Llagosta terminal near Barcelona in January, following the completion of the initial phase of works at the site.
The first test will involve a fully loaded freight train arriving from Antwerp. At La Llagosta, containers and semi-trailers will be unloaded before new loading units are prepared for the return journey to Belgium. The exercise is intended to verify handling procedures, administrative workflows and coordination with railway undertakings and customers, while also supporting preparations for a gradual ramp-up of activity in the coming months.
The start of test operations follows the completion of the first phase of the terminal’s redevelopment, into which Adif has invested more than EUR 123 million. With construction activities concluded for this phase, the project has entered a stage focused on operational validation.
La Llagosta has been designed as an intermodal terminal serving both domestic and international freight flows. Once fully operational, it will offer rail–road transshipment supported by gantry cranes, optical character recognition portals and integrated IT systems. Complementary services for intermodal operators are also planned.
The terminal is operated by Combiconnect, a joint venture between Hupac Ibérica and TPNova Rail & Logistic Services, under a 20-year concession with the option of extension. The leased area exceeds 105,000 m² and includes an intermodal handling zone of 85,200 m² with access to four tracks, an additional 19,800 m² for related logistics activities and an office building. The infrastructure incorporates four double-ended sidings of around 700 metres each, suitable for both UIC and Iberian gauge traffic.
Combiconnect is responsible for loading and unloading intermodal transport units, train operations and shunting movements, as well as associated logistics services. Planned commercial activities include semi-trailer parking, weighing, power supply for refrigerated containers, storage of empty containers, customs services and maintenance options for containers and refrigerated equipment. Cross-docking and last-mile delivery services are also included in the operational concept. Prior to the start of operations, Combiconnect has invested around EUR 20 million in terminal development.
The first phase of the project has included the construction of mixed-gauge connections linking La Llagosta to the Mollet–El Papiol line, providing onward access towards the Port of Barcelona via the Castellbisbal junction and southwards along the Mediterranean Corridor. Adif continues work on the second phase, which foresees new standard-gauge connections to the Barcelona–French border high-speed line.
Located around 15 km from Barcelona, the La Llagosta freight terminal is intended to function as a high-capacity logistics hub with interoperability for different gauges and train lengths. The completed facility is planned with an annual capacity of up to 130,000 intermodal transport units and around 2,600 trains. The broader development is supported by European funding through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan under the EU NextGenerationEU framework.