High performance in the L9 of Barcelona

As already mentioned before, this is the largest of the Generalitat investment and lies within the Pla director d' trhough 2001-2010, adopted on 25 April 2002.

The first stretch was opened on December 13, 2009 and you can see the full line in 2014. When the full opening, it will be a metro lines longest in Europe, with 47.8 km of route, and with more underground route.

The entire line is currently under construction, except for the section in service from Can Zam and Can Peixauet stations.

In addition to being the metro more long line of Barcelona, with a total of 50 stops, L9 is different from other existing which has a few new technologies important, never seen so far.

The trains of line 9 will run without a driver with an automatic control system. This positions Catalonia as a pioneer in the implementation of this system in the Spanish State. Automatic driving system is being introduced with strength in different cities around the world, as it provides more flexibility, punctuality, safety and effectiveness of public transport.

To make it possible is installed all the necessary technology. Xavier Badia, director of engineering of the factory of Santa Perpetua of Alstom, multinational that has carried out such operations to line 9, presented in a Conference which was held during the pageant of Bcn Rail that "it's the only subway that takes a double system of driving"": manual or semi-manual, fully automatic". Both trains and the new section allows permanent data transmission via radio (CBTC) and the location and control of trains from a command center. This control center of the L9 monitor trains, supervises operations and if necessary acts distance on several components of the infrastructure and the trains themselves to resolve incidents. Through special software are configured the parameters involved in the movement of trains, such as speed, braking, or the closing and opening of the automatic doors.

Unlike other trains from other lines, with the side doors as emergency in case of accidents or incidents exit, L9 has a front door on the last train. Xavier Badia explained that "a person who does not know the door opening system, 10 seconds is able to deploy via a single opening".

All stations will be adapted for people with reduced mobility. In addition they will have high capacity lifts and will travel quickly joining the halls of the stations with platforms. These intelligent lifts will be coordinated with the arrival of the trains. Stairs of emergency with independent outputs will also be included and all lanes will be protected with glass doors. When the trains entering the station, will open the doors of the same and the platforms in a coordinated manner.

The interior inaugurated 5 stations architecture has been designed taking into account the structural particularities of this line that has more depth below ground than the rest of the metropolitan network. You may as well point out that the lighting is more intense than normal to give more airy feel to the rooms, especially at the level of the platforms, where there are screens of automatic closing and opening. With regard to the colors, it has opted for Orange and light gray for the lining of the walls and pavement, it brings a renewed and modern aesthetics to new plants. Also note that the stations incorporate permanent artistic interventions to interior spaces, the artist Montserrat Soto. It's photographs of the suburban interior who want to remind the traveler that is underground, as if it were an artificial window.

In the first leg in service circulating simultaneously 3 trains often step in about 6 minutes throughout the day. Temporarily, the service hours are from 6 am to 10 pm every day of the week.

The series 9000 trains are characterized by their light structure, advanced technology and high energy saving.

The interior is equipped with air conditioning, spaces for wheelchairs and bicycles, indicators of light and sound for the closure of doors, interfonia, video surveillance and continuous information screens. The part where usually the driving cabin is situated is not separate in these trains, so that the passenger can occupy the position of the driver and experience the journey through a window. According to Xavier Badia "cars giving a feeling of great breadth in the metro and the vehicle in condition of cargo capacity is 8 passengers per square meter, the train can carry up to 1,250 people".