1 - Welcome and reception building

The trip around the Catalonia Railway Museum begins in a 1970s building that was refurbished in 2018. It was originally built as a supermarket for Renfe employees. This type of building, known in Spanish as an “economato” (company store), was aimed at offering basic products at lower prices, thereby compensating for the railway workers’ low wages.

The facade –a new structure featuring a Mediterranean lattice design– identifies the installations of the old Steam Locomotive Depot, which now houses this heritage centre. Just before entering the Museum, on the right, you can see the sectioned Talgo III locomotive called “Virgen del Carmen”; in 1966, near Seville, it set a new Spanish speed record of 200 km/h.

The Museum’s suggested railway trip begins, as in the case of every trip, at a station. The Museum reception is dominated by the image of the roof and platforms of Barcelona’s Francia Station, one of the most monument ones in Europe.

To the right of the desk, in the audio-visual area, you can enjoy a 10-minute film (in five spoken languages and sign language) about the history of the world of trains in our country. On exiting the room, in front of you there is a multisensorial model adapted for the visually impaired, giving them a general idea of all the historic railway installations on display, before beginning the trip. Beside the model and behind the desk, a timeline of the Vilanova railway reveals the train’s outstanding role in the city and the reason behind the Museum’s existence. To the left of the reception there is an area where children can play and dream with trains, called Rincón de Víctor (Victor’s Spot), as well as a rest area with vending machines selling drinks and snacks.