Finding an AVANT train ticket to move around Catalonia has become quite a risky mission. Thousands of people who travel daily from Girona and Lleida to Barcelona face the impossibility of finding this type of ticket less than two weeks in advance. The high demand has overwhelmed the supply of places on high-speed services, forcing users to plan their trips weeks in advance or risk being left without transportation.
The Problem in Figures
Demand for AVANT services has skyrocketed in recent years. According to Renfe data cited by elDiario, in 2024, the Figueres-Barcelona line transported 1.52 million passengers—a 43% increase from 2022. The increase from Lleida was even more pronounced, reaching 488,000 travelers in 2024, which is a staggering 65% rise compared to two years before. This exponential growth has overwhelmed the capacity of the existing infrastructure, creating a critical bottleneck, especially during peak demand times.
Why Are AVANTs Collapsed?
The collapse of AVANT services stems from multiple factors. The most significant is the 50% fare reduction for passes initiated in 2022, making these trains a cost-effective alternative to private vehicles. Compounding this issue, the conventional Rodalies and Media Distancia services suffer from frequent incidents and delays, driving commuters towards high-speed options. Additionally, travel times are more attractive, with just 40 minutes from Girona to Barcelona compared to 90 minutes by conventional train, and 75 minutes from Lleida instead of over 180 minutes by Rodalies.
The Odyssey of Getting a Ticket
Daniel Blay, a regular on the Girona-Barcelona route, describes his strategy for acquiring tickets: “On Monday of each week, I try to reserve all the tickets for the following week because if not, you will run out.” For crucial schedules like the 7:25 train from Girona, tickets are often unavailable “within ten days or two weeks,” illustrating the intense competition for limited spots.
From Lleida, the scenario mirrors that of Girona. Kevin Bruque, a spokesperson for the Avant Catalunya Users platform, explains that “you will only find tickets 15 days in advance if you are lucky.”
Delays Exacerbate Chaos
Additionally, users have reported a significant rise in delays. A Telegram group formed by more than 550 users for the Girona line has documented 292 delays longer than four minutes in just November 2025. Many of these delays occur during return trips in the afternoon, often stemming from long-distance services from Seville, Valencia, or Madrid. As a solution, many travelers are advocating for dedicated shuttle trains that operate independently of other routes.
The Official Response is Insufficient
Renfe has acknowledged that the number of seats offered has increased from 1.4 million annually in 2022 to 2.4 million in 2024. However, users argue that frequencies haven’t been augmented during peak hours when the demand is at its highest. Renfe attributes delays to ongoing improvement projects on the Catalan railway system, particularly related to the future Sagrera station. Passengers, however, believe these explanations fail to address the core issues: the urgent need for more trains and seat availability.
Seeking More Solutions
Many traveler advocacy groups propose that the 50% fare reduction should extend beyond 2025, as its discontinuation would likely render transportation costs unaffordable for a significant portion of workers and students. Additionally, there are calls for both increased frequencies and greater seat availability. The CCOO has suggested reutilizing Avlo service trains currently out of service to double the capacity of AVANT trains, an initiative that has been included in the Generalitat’s railway strategy known as Catav. In Lleida, users are also seeking access to unused seats on Madrid-Barcelona AVE trains stopping at their station, a service currently limited to just four trains.
What Happens Now?
Minister of Territory Silvia Paneque recently announced that the Government is collaborating with the Ministry of Transport to enhance AVANT services in Girona and Lleida. The CCOO reports that the ministry is looking into the proposal to reuse the Avlo trains. The real question now is whether these initiatives will finally provide the solutions needed to alleviate the chaos of the current transportation system.
Image Source: Zarateman (Wikipedia)