Catalonia Launches €867K Tender for Tramvalira Cross-Border Tram Study

Catalonia has launched a tender worth €867,446 for a 12-month feasibility study on the Tramvalira project, a proposed 20-kilometre segregated tram line from La Seu d'Urgell to Escaldes-Engordany with at least five stations and an estimated construction cost of €250 million.

The Andorran government expressed satisfaction with the move, viewing it as a boost to cross-border cooperation on sustainable mobility. Officials highlighted its potential to enhance connectivity, reduce reliance on private vehicles, and support efficient transport across the Pyrenees. The study, 65% funded by the EU's Interreg VI-A Spain-France-Andorra (Poctefa 2021-2027) programme, will assess technical and functional viability, socioeconomic returns, demand forecasts, and phased implementation options. It will weigh the tram against bus enhancements such as higher frequencies or bus priority lanes.

Key elements include route analysis, complementary infrastructure, a parallel cycle path in urban and peri-urban sections, and a branch to Aeroport Andorra–La Seu d'Urgell. The budget breaks down as €568,126 for background analysis, mobility diagnosis, route studies, and demand projections; €30,458 for socioeconomic evaluation; €57,846 for the airport link; and €42,000 for 12 virtual renderings. The selected firm must deliver a model one month before the final report, allowing Infraestructures.cat three months for review. It requires at least biweekly in-person meetings with Catalan infrastructure officials, Andorran authorities, and affected municipalities including La Seu d'Urgell, Valls de Valira, Montferrer i Castellbò, and Ribera d'Urgelllet, alongside interim deliverables.

The initiative follows the Tramvalira steering committee's formation in February and Infraestructures.cat's June admission of limited internal resources.

In parallel, Andorra has opened an international tender for a €37,620 five-month strategic study to restructure its bus network for compatibility with a future tram. The work will optimise bus operations in a segregated system, designate space for stops, interchanges, park-and-ride facilities, and linkage parking, and integrate these into the sectoral infrastructure plan for transport. It must account for urban expansion, planned roads, cycle paths, and other developments to ensure comprehensive public transport coverage. Bids are due by 5pm on 7 August.

Construction costs for Tramvalira may adjust based on study outcomes and subsequent tenders.