933 663 198FGC implements the pilot test to practise English on the train
- The pilot test started today on Llobregat-Anoia line R5 and it will do so on R6, next week.
- Ferrocarrils opts in favour of an innovative system to take advantage of travel time by practising English conversation in small groups of participants and with personalised attention from native teachers.
Barcelona, 19 October 2015
Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya has started today the pilot test to offer English classes to its users during the train journey. During this week, from today until Friday 23 October, the test will be implemented on the Barcelona-Manresa line R5, during the journey on the train leaving at 06.59h from Manresa Baixador and on the train leaving at 19.56h from Plaça Espanya. Next week, from Monday 26 to Friday 30 October, the test will take place on the Barcelona-Igualada line R6, on the train that leaves at 07.06h from Igualada and on the one that leaves at 18.13h from Plaça Espanya. Ferrocarrils implements with this pilot test a new unique service in public transport through an innovative educational system that enables to take advantage of the travel time on train to practise spoken English.
In small groups and in a conveniently signposted space, users enrolled in the pilot test will be able to practise the conversation in English with a native teacher and other enrolled passengers, who will be able to join the class by boarding at any of the stations of the chosen route. Users will be able to put their knowledge into practise and to train their ear to understand spoken English and to be able to transmit messages in this language at the same time. To take this initiative forward, Ferrocarrils counts with the experience and collaboration of Vaughan System, a well-known company with more than 30 years experience offering English courses. “Vaughan method” bases its success on the quality of teaching staff: more than 300 teachers providing annually about 350,000 teaching hours. Once the pilot test is completed, FGC will assess the possibility of maintaining this initiative and of implementing it definitively.
Constant innovation in the offer of services
The opportunity to learn English on Ferrocarrils trains is one more example of the innovative character as a constant strategy in the management and a dynamisation factor, and a value added to the service FGC offers to its customers. Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya continuously works implementing initiatives and solutions at the service of users to achieve an intelligent rail management by applying technology and innovation. Among other actions, FGC has been a pioneer in the implementation of an automated and intelligent station management model, in the implementation of an automatic fraud control system through artificial intelligence, in the implementation of automatic parcel delivery machines at stations, and in the installation of power sockets on the trains to charge electronic devices. All this certifies FGC’s management under the “smart train” concept, which brings together the set of initiatives and solutions put at the service of users to achieve an intelligent rail management by applying technology and innovation.
