- The investment will be used to upgrade the passenger terminal and optimise mobility at this intermodal station and strategic hub for the rail network.
- The project will reduce queues, improve the high-speed and commuter passenger mobility flows and services, and enhance the connections with urban public transport.
- The loan reflects the EIB Group’s commitment to sustainable transport, helping to consolidate its role as the EU climate bank.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Adif Alta Velocidad (Adif AV) have signed a €115 million loan to invest in the upgrade and expansion of the passenger terminal at the Barcelona Sants intermodal station. With this financing, investments will be made to meet the growing needs of passengers at Barcelona’s main railway station, a strategic hub within the trans-European transport network (TEN-T).
The project includes the reorganisation and transformation of the passenger building, with the creation of a new boarding hall for the high-speed services and the expansion of the commuter train area towards Països Catalans square. The project also includes the comprehensive restoration of this square in accordance with the original design, the improvement of ventilation and evacuation conditions on the platforms, and the installation of fixed and mobile telecommunications networks, among other measures.
The project will increase the space of the current passenger terminal by 30%. Once completed, it is expected to improve mobility flows and make it easier to switch to other modes of transport such as the metro, bus or taxi from the railway terminal. These improvements will help avoid congestion and reduce queues, and make rail services more comfortable, reliable and appealing. Passengers of both commuter and high-speed Adif services will benefit from the investments.
This loan is yet another sign of the EIB Group’s strong commitment to developing more sustainable transport solutions such as rail to reduce CO2 emissions and to provide high-quality public transport for all.
The project contributes to the EIB Group’s strategic priority and cross-cutting objective of allocating at least half of its annual financing to climate action and environmental sustainability, thereby consolidating its position as the EU climate bank. This is one of the Group’s eight strategic priorities set out in its Strategic Roadmap for 2024-2027.
The EIB has enjoyed a long-term partnership with Adif, collaborating on investment operations to extend, maintain, modernise and ensure the safety of Spanish rail infrastructure. In January 2025, the EIB and Adif AV signed a €350 million loan to invest in improving and updating conventional and high-speed rail infrastructure.
Background information
EIB
The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world.
The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.
All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Agreement, as pledged in its Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.
In Spain, the EIB Group signed €12.3 billion of new financing for more than 100 high-impact projects in 2024. In France, the EIB Group signed €12.6 billion of new financing for more than 100 high-impact projects in 2024. This financing is contributing to the green and digital transition of both countries, economic growth, competitiveness and improved services for residents.
High-quality, up-to-date photos of the organisation’s headquarters for media use are available here.
Adif Alta Velocidad
The biggest infrastructure investor in Spain, Adif Alta Velocidad is at the forefront of the transition to a new mobility model that is smarter, safer, more sustainable, more comprehensive and more multimodal. The company is creating a rail network to complete high-speed routes and trans-European transport corridors. The liberalisation of rail passenger transport, the digital transformation and large-scale cultural change are among the challenges facing the company as it aims to consolidate rail as the main mode of transport for the 21st century. Adif AV is an entity under the Spanish Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility.