R8 (Rodalies de Catalunya)

R8
A Civia train on a Martorell-bound R8 service at Mollet-Sant Fost railway station, in 2013.
Overview
Service typeCommuter rail
StatusOperational
LocaleBarcelona metropolitan area
First service26 June 2011 (2011-06-26)
Current operator(s)Renfe Operadora
Route
TerminiMartorell
Granollers Centre
Stops8
Distance travelled40 km (25 mi)[1]
Average journey time19 min
Service frequencyHourly
Line(s) used
Technical
Rolling stockCivia EMUs
Track gauge1,668 mm (5 ft 5+2132 in) Iberian gauge
Electrification3,000 V DC overhead lines
Track owner(s)Adif

The R8 is a line of Rodalies de Catalunya's Barcelona commuter rail service, operated by Renfe Operadora. It runs hourly between Martorell and Granollers across the Vallès Occidental region, spanning 40 kilometres (25 mi) and eight stations.[1] The R8 primarily uses the Castellbisbal–Mollet-Sant Fost railway, as well as the Sant Vicenç de Calders–Vilafranca del Penedès–Barcelona and Barcelona–Cerbère railways on its southern and northern ends, respectively.[2] It is currently the only line of the Barcelona commuter rail service entirely bypassing Barcelona.[3] The trains operating on the line are Civia electrical multiple units (EMU).[1]

R8 trains started operating on 26 June 2011 (2011-06-26) after a service restructuring affecting the Barcelona commuter rail service. The R7, which had previously run between Martorell and L'Hospitalet de Llobregat stations via Vallès Occidental and Barcelona, was shortened and started operating between Cerdanyola Universitat and Barcelona Sant Andreu Arenal stations. The newly created R8 took over the former route of line R7 between Martorell and Cerdanyola Universitat stations, then continuing eastwards to Granollers Centre railway station, without entering Barcelona.[4][5]

  1. ^ a b c "Línia R8" [Line R8]. Rodalies de Catalunya (in Catalan). Generalitat of Catalonia. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  2. ^ Borràs, Bernat. "Línia R8 Martorell - Granollers Centre per Cerdanyola Universitat" [Line R8 Martorell - Granollers Centre via Cerdanyola Universitat]. trenscat.cat (in Catalan). Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  3. ^ "Xarxa Rodalies de Catalunya" [Rodalies de Catalunya System] (PDF) (Map). Rodalies de Catalunya (in Catalan). Generalitat of Catalonia. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  4. ^ Cabañas, Néstor (31 December 2011). "Ferrocarril de rodalies Martorell - Granollers" [Martorell - Granollers commuter rail]. Territori (in Catalan). Societat Catalana d'Ordenació del Territori. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  5. ^ García i Aranzueque, Raül (5 May 2011). "R8: Nova línia de rodalies" [R8: New commuter rail line]. El Punt Avui (in Catalan). Montgat. Retrieved 26 April 2014.