Girona railway station

Girona (Catalan: Estació de Girona) is a railway station serving the city of Girona in Catalonia, Spain. It is located in the northern part of the municipality, lying at approximately 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) southwest of the city's historical centre.[4]

Girona
The platforms at the station's elevated area with a Renfe series 449 EMU departing towards Portbou
General information
LocationPlaça d'Espanya
17002 Girona
Spain
Coordinates41°58′40.23″N 2°48′59.18″E / 41.9778417°N 2.8164389°E / 41.9778417; 2.8164389
Elevation75.2 metres (247 ft)[1]
Owned byAdif
Operated byRenfe Operadora and SNCF
Line(s)
Platforms5 island platforms (3 for the elevated area and 2 for the underground area)
Tracks9 (5 at the elevated area and 4 at the underground area)
ConnectionsBus transport Adjacent bus station
Construction
Structure typeElevated, underground
Depth26 m (85 ft; underground area)
ParkingSeveral pay parking garages are located near the station.
Bicycle facilitiesA bicycle parking rack and a Girocleta station are located adjacent to the station's main entrance.
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station code79300[2]
History
Opened1862
Rebuilt1973
Passengers
20183,624,517[3]
Location
Map

The station is on the Barcelona–Cerbère conventional rail line and the Perpignan–Barcelona high-speed rail line. It is served by Rodalies de Catalunya regional line R11 and Girona commuter rail service line RG1, as well as by several national and international AVE and TGV high-speed services operated by Renfe Operadora and SNCF.[citation needed]

Girona also has a freight station, located about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south of the passenger station.[citation needed]

History edit

This station was opened in 1862, when Iberian (1,668 mm or 5 ft 5+2132 in) gauge trains on the Barcelona–Cerbère line started arriving from Maçanet de la Selva. From 1892, the station was also served by narrow (750 mm or 2 ft 5+12 in) gauge trains on the Sant Feliu de Guíxols–Girona railway and, from 1898, by narrow (1,000 mm or 3 ft 3+38 in) gauge trains on the Olot–Girona railway. Both these narrow gauge lines closed in 1969. Girona's third narrow gauge line, the Palamós–Girona–Banyoles railway that served the city between 1921 and 1956, terminated some distance away at Porta de França.[4][5]

The Iberian gauge station was re-located onto an elevated viaduct in 1973. By 2012, the station, while remaining in the same location, was planned to become subterranean with all tracks including the new high speed from Barcelona to France moved underground. However, due to severe work delays the underground station opened on 8 January 2013 with only the standard (1,435 mm or 4 ft 8+12 in) gauge high speed tracks, and the elevated station remains in service.[citation needed]

Station layout edit

Girona station has tracks on two levels. Trains on the original Barcelona–Cerbère line operate via a set of high-level platforms situated on a viaduct, whilst trains on the new high speed line from Barcelona to France operate through a set of low-level platforms.[4][6]

The station has a large passenger building underneath the high-level tracks, where there are several services including commercial establishments. The Girona bus station is located just next door. The trains run on the upper level, which is accessed by stairs, escalators, and elevators. This level has a total of four tracks: two general, one Iberian gauge siding on one side and one standard gauge siding on the other side. There are a total of three platforms, partially covered by canopies, and a building on the right of way dedicated to traffic and various services related to railways.[clarification needed][citation needed]

The low-level platforms are situated parallel to, and just to the west of, the high-level platforms, but are 26 metres (85 ft) below ground level. There are four standard gauge tracks, on either side of two island platforms. The platforms are accessed by stairs, escalators, and elevators from an entrance hall above the tracks.[4][6]

The forner station building of the Olot–Girona railway [ca] still stands, adjacent to the low-level entrance hall, and is included in the Inventory of the Architectural Heritage of Catalonia [ca].[7]

Services edit

Preceding station Renfe Operadora Following station
Barcelona Sants
Terminus
Avant Figueres–Vilafant
Terminus
Barcelona Sants AVE
Barcelona Sants
Terminus
Figueres–Vilafant
Figueres–Vilafant
Barcelona Sants Figueres–Vilafant
Avlo Figueres–Vilafant
Terminus
Preceding station   Rodalies de Catalunya Following station
Fornells de la Selva RG1 Celrà
towards Portbou
Fornells de la Selva
Regional (R) services only
R11 Celrà
Regional (R) services only
towards Cerbère
Preceding station SNCF Following station
Barcelona Sants
Terminus
TGV
Figueres–Vilafant
towards Paris-Lyon

Gallery edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Gerona (Est.)". EuroFerroviarios (in Spanish). 1 February 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Listado de líneas y estaciones" [List of railway lines and stations] (PDF) (in Spanish). Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Government of Spain. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 October 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  3. ^ "Adif - Información de estaciones - Girona". ADIF. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d OpenRailwayMap Infrastructure (Map). Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  5. ^ "El ferrocarril a Catalunya i la seva evolució" [The railway in Catalonia and its evolution] (PDF) (in Catalan). Museu del Ferrocarril de Vilanova i la Geltrú. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 September 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
  6. ^ a b OpenRailwayMap Gauge (Map). Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Antiga estació del tren d'Olot". Inventari del Patrimoni Arquitectònic de Catalunya (in Catalan). Direcció General del Patrimoni Cultural de la Generalitat de Catalunya. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.

External links edit