R4 (Rodalies de Catalunya)

The R4 is a line of Rodalies de Catalunya's Barcelona commuter rail service, operated by Renfe Operadora. It runs northwards from the northern limits of the province of Tarragona to Barcelona, passing through the inland Alt Penedès region. The line then continues towards central Catalonia, describing a U-shaped route through the Barcelona area. According to 2008 data, the line's average weekday ridership is 105,935, the highest on any line of the Barcelona commuter rail service after the R2.[1]

R4

A Manresa-bound Civia train on a R4 limited service as it passes through the disused Els Comtals railway station, in 2014.
Overview
Service type	Commuter rail
Status	Operational
Locale	Barcelona metropolitan area
First service	1989 (1989)
Current operator(s)	Renfe Operadora
Ridership	105,935 (2008)[1]
Annual ridership	29.4 million (2008)[1]
Route
Start	Sant Vicenç de Calders
Stops	40
End	Manresa
Distance travelled	143 km (89 mi)[1]
Average journey time	56 min–2 h 39 min
Service frequency	Every 8 min–1 h
Line(s) used	Lleida–Manresa–Barcelona Sant Vicenç de Calders–Vilafranca–Barcelona
Technical
Rolling stock	Civia and 447 Series EMUs
Track gauge	1,668 mm (5 ft 5 21⁄32 in) Iberian gauge
Electrification	3,000 V DC overhead lines
Track owner(s)	Adif

R4 trains use the Meridiana Tunnel in Barcelona, where they share tracks with Rodalies de Catalunya's Barcelona commuter rail service lines R1, R3 and R7, as well as Girona commuter rail service line RG1 and regional rail line R12, calling at Sants, Plaça de Catalunya and Arc de Triomf stations.[2] South of Barcelona, they operate on the Sant Vicenç de Calders–Vilafranca del Penedès–Barcelona railway, using Sant Vicenç de Calders as their southernmost terminus, north of Barcelona they operate on the Lleida–Manresa–Barcelona railway, with no services terminating north of Manresa.

Together with lines R1, R2 and R3, the R4 (then simply numbered line 4) started services in 1989 as one of the first lines of the Cercanías commuter rail system for Barcelona, known as Rodalies Barcelona.[3] In 1995, the branch line to Cerdanyola Universitat railway station opened for passenger service and was incorporated as part of line R4.[4] With the creation of Barcelona commuter rail service line R7 in 2005, the branch line was transferred to the R7.[5] In the long-term future, it is projected that the route of the R4 south of Barcelona will be transferred to the R2, and all its services will terminate at Barcelona–El Prat Airport.[6]