Stazioni ferroviarie intermodali come propulsori di rigenerazione urbana. Il contesto spagnolo

Railway infrastructures play a central role in urban regeneration processes and the implementation of global sustainability goals, promoting territorial balance, connectivity, and sustainable mobility. Spain emerges as a relevant case study in the European railway landscape. In recent decades, the country has developed the most extensive high-speed rail network in Europe, proving an ongoing commitment to effective infrastructure planning. These strategies have been pursued to improve the rail network and enhance its interaction with the territory. In the context of European policies for post-pandemic recovery, Spain is assigning a considerable part of the NextGenerationEU funds to ecological transition. The ‘Plan de Recuperación Transformación y Resiliencia’ identifies two measures, C1 ‘Impact Plan for Sustainable, Safe and Connected Mobility in Urban and Metropolitan Environments’ and C6 ‘Sustainable, Safe and Connected Mobility’, which aims to develop and increase sustainable mobility in urban and long-distance areas, improving public transport, and increasing the resilience of infrastructures, particularly the railway infrastructure. Consistent with this framework, the paper is part of the research on the relationship between infrastructures and cities, focusing on the policies and projects implemented by Spain within the recovery and resilience plan. It focuses on four case studies, involving the transformation of existing railway stations (the stations Atocha and Chamartín in Madrid and Barcelona-Sants and Sagrera-Sant Andreu in Barcelona). The study examines how these projects interact with the urban fabric, focusing on impacts arising in public space. Furthermore, it explores the strategies used to develop intermodal points and multiple transport modes, including their integration with high-speed railway lines. The outputs of the research contribute to the debate on the relationship between railways and cities through the formulation of guidelines and best practices.