Metro expansion sparks divided opinions among residents as construction transforms Eixample and Poblenou

The roar of drilling machines has become the soundtrack of summer in central Barcelona. Along Avinguda Diagonal and deep beneath the streets of Poblenou, workers are carving out tunnels for two new metro extensions that will fundamentally reshape how half a million residents navigate the city over the next decade.

The projects—extending Line 9 southward through Eixample and creating an entirely new Line 12 connecting the industrial waterfront district to the airport—represent a €2.1 billion investment. Yet behind the official statistics lies a more complex human story, one told by shopkeepers watching footfall plummet, residents enduring daily construction noise, and young families weighing whether to stay.

"The work is necessary, absolutely," says Maria Fontàs, who manages a family-run pharmacy on Carrer de Còrsega that has operated for thirty-two years. "But we're losing customers. People avoid this street. Last month, takings were down 28 percent compared to June 2025."

The Eixample Chamber of Commerce estimates that businesses in the affected zone could lose €15 million annually through 2028. Yet not all voices express frustration. Transportation advocates point out that the extensions will reduce journey times significantly—the new Line 12 will cut travel from Poblenou to the airport from 45 minutes to just 22 minutes.

In Poblenou itself, the story becomes more nuanced. This traditionally working-class neighbourhood, increasingly gentrified over two decades, faces perhaps the most profound transformation. Some residents see the metro as a lifeline that will finally integrate their community into the broader city. Others worry it signals the beginning of the end for what remains of Poblenou's distinctive character.

"My rent has already gone up 12 percent since the announcement," says Pau Martínez, a 34-year-old freelance designer renting a flat near Pujades. "Everyone assumes property values will explode once the metro arrives. The metro should serve people who already live here, not push them out."

Transport Commissioner Jaume Collboni acknowledged these tensions during a recent public consultation at the Poblenou Cultural Centre. "We hear the concerns," he said. "That's why we've allocated €8 million for business support grants and committed to affordable housing protections in the development zones."

As Barcelona continues its race to modernise infrastructure for a projected population of 1.8 million by 2035, the metro expansion epitomises a broader tension: the cost of progress measured not just in euros, but in the daily lives of those whose neighbourhoods become construction sites. The work continues, with completion expected in 2029.

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