Barcelona’s regional rail operator Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) confirmed that trains will run normally on 2–4 March after the Semaf drivers’ union called off its planned strike. The announcement, issued on 27 February but targeting the critical MWC window, came as welcome news to the 90 000 delegates descending on the city for Mobile World Congress 2026. FGC’s contingency plan, activated on 3 March, adds 30 extra services on the L8 line and doubles train length from three to six carriages, raising capacity to 8 000 passengers per hour on the Plaça Espanya–Europa | Fira corridor. Additional staff, signage and social-media alerts are in place, while Catalan police (Mossos d’Esquadra) stand ready to manage crowd flows. For corporate mobility managers the decision avoids thousands of costly last-minute taxi vouchers and hotel shuttles. Many firms rely on the suburban network to move guests between downtown meetings and the Fira Gran Via venue, and travel-policy exceptions prepared for a strike have now been shelved. Event organisers GSMA said uninterrupted rail service is essential for keeping carbon-emissions targets on track, as over 60 % of attendees travel to the congress by public transport. The dispute centred on workload and safety protocols; while a long-term deal is still under negotiation, both sides agreed to mediation to avoid harming Catalonia’s flagship tech showcase. Employers running side events should still advise delegates to allow extra time at peak entry and exit waves and to carry proof of congress accreditation, which FGC inspectors may request to prioritise MWC passenger flows.
Source: Catalunya Press
