Public transport in Barcelona

Public transport in Barcelona is varied, relatively cheap and works excellently, so today we want to explain everything you need to learn how to use it, since the best way to get around Barcelona and, above all, to discover it, is using public transport.

subway and railway

It is the fastest, most comfortable and cheapest method. The Metro network is made up of 8 lines managed by Barcelona City Council and 4 more managed by the Generalitat de Catalunya. All of them are integrated into the same transport network and can be used with the same ticket. All lines are identified with a number after the letter L and a color.

The Metro normally operates from Sunday to Thursday from 5:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m., on Fridays it extends its hours until 2:00 a.m. and on Saturdays and some eves of holidays it offers uninterrupted service for 24 hours.

It is important to bear in mind that it is possible to travel through the entire Metro network, making transfers and without leaving for a maximum of 75 minutes, after which time it is necessary to validate the ticket again.

Metro Network Map

buses

Barcelona has a large fleet of buses with stops spread throughout the city. Here you can find a map with all the bus lines. The lines have recently been updated to create a new way of organizing them according to the way you move around the city. You will see that the numbers of some lines are preceded by the letters V (vertical, sea<->mountain), H (horizontal, Llobregat<->Besòs) or D (diagonal).

The bus schedule varies depending on the lines, but most of them start their service between 4:25 and 5:00 a.m. and end around 11:00 p.m. There is a night bus service, known as the Nit Bus, which runs approximately between 10:40 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. and covers a large part of the city. These buses differ because they are yellow and all their lines are preceded by an N.

It is important to remember that to travel by bus it is advisable to purchase a ticket in advance at the machines in the metro stations, tobacconists and/or through the TMB App. On board the bus you can only get a single ticket (€2.40) paying by card.

tram

The trams are also part of the Integrated Fare System, so they can be used with the same type of ticket as the metro and the bus. This network's main objective is to act as a link between Barcelona and neighboring towns in Llobregat such as Hospitalet, Esplugues or Sant Feliu, and the Besós area with municipalities such as Sant Adrià or Badalona.

This service operates from Sunday to Thursday from 5:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. and on Fridays, Saturdays and the eve of holidays it extends until 2:00 a.m.

Barcelona also has a historic tram, the Tramvia Blau, dating from 1901, the survivor of the old Barcelona tram line. Take a route of 1,276 meters ascent to the foot of the Tibidabo funicular going up surrounded by modernist and noucentista buildings that give way to nature and magnificent views of the city. (Temporarily out of service due to improvement works ).

Taxis

As an alternative to public transport, a very comfortable and easy way to get around Barcelona is with the official taxi service, it is easy to recognize them since they are all black and yellow. Taxi ranks can be found throughout the city, although the easiest thing to do is to wait for one to pass on the street with a green (free) light and raise your hand to stop it.

The prices of the journeys depend on the taximeter and most drivers accept payment in cash and by card.

TICKET TYPES

The Integrated Fare System is divided into different zones , although if we are only going to travel by metro, bus or tram and always within the city and nearby surroundings, a ticket for Zone 1 is more than enough. There are many types of tickets, but the most recommended to tour the city in tourist mode are the following:

• T-casual : One-person pass valid for 10 trips (€11.35)

• T-familiar : Multi-person pass valid for 8 trips in a maximum time of 30 consecutive days (€10) T

• -grup : Multi-person pass valid for 70 trips in a maximum time of 30 consecutive days (€79.45)

With these tickets you have 75 minutes between the first and last validation to make all the necessary transfers until you reach the destination

. None of them is valid for the Aeroport T1 and Aeroport T2 stations of the L9 Sud line.

There is also the option of the “ Hola Barcelona Travel Card ” tourist ticket, a one-person ticket with unlimited travel on the metro, bus and other public transport networks in Barcelona for 2 days (48 hours), 3 days (72 hours), 4 days (96 hours) or 5 days (120 hours) using a single ticket. In addition, it includes the return trip by metro from the airport to the center of Barcelona. You can check here the prices according to the number of days you need

Finally, if you are only going to need to make a transfer from the airport to the city center or vice versa, there is also the option of the T-Aeroport , a non-integrated one-person metro ticket that allows you to travel between the Aeroport T1 and Aeroport T2 stops of line L9 Sud and the rest of the metro network.

All tickets can be purchased at Metro station vending machines, in tobacconists and kiosks and through the web or in the TMB App.