Line 8 is underground for most of its length and links Plaça Espanya, in Barcelona proper, with Sant Boi in the Baix Llobregat. The line travels through L'Hospitalet and Cornellà. Its original route opened in 1912 as a narrow gauge railway line (hence predating the first metro Line 3 by 12 years), and was known as S3 until 2003, the year in which the line was integrated into the Barcelona Metro network. The tracks on which line 8 runs are part the Llobregat-Anoia line, operated by FGC. Therefore, line 8 shares the tracks with many other FGC services that travel beyond Molí Nou-Ciutat Cooperativa. Freight trains also operate on the line, sharing tracks with line 8 between Sant Boi and Molí Nou-Ciutat Cooperativa.
An extension of the line further into central Barcelona, with a new station in Plaça Francesc Macià, has been discussed since May 1999. The project was finally approved by the government of Catalonia in 2021, with the final alignment serving the stations Espanya, Hospital Clínic, Francesc Macià and Gràcia.
It will connect to Trambaix routes T1, T2 and T3, Line 5 of the Barcelona Metro and the Vallès line. Preliminary works started in 2022, with major construction starting in January of 2024. Tunneling is slated to begin in late 2025. The extension is expected to be operational by 2029 or 2030.
The line is also projected to extend further towards the Besós river, serving stations such as Joanic, Sagrada Familia and Glòries.
Technical details
Colour on map: pink
Number of stations: 11
Type: Light metro (mixed traffic with suburban commuter train lines)
