Barcelona Transport

The transport system throughout Spain is very good, and coming from England I find it cheaper and so much more efficient in comparison. Here’s a guide to getting around Barcelona on public transport.

The system allows you to buy a variety of tickets which cover all forms of transport in the city: Metro, Bus, Tram, and Train (Renfe Cercanías and Ferrocarrils). Renfe Cercanías are the local trains and the FGC (Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya) are the Catalan regional trains.

As well as purchasing tickets from the machines at any metro station, you can also buy tickets at lottery shops and newsagent kiosks.

Public Transport Tickets

There are six zones. Zone 1 covers all of the city and beyond, including the airport. All of the tickets described below can be purchased for all zones.

Map of Barcelona’s six transport zones.

You can buy a ticket for a single journey, but in most cases one of the tickets below will be better value if you’re making more than one journey.

The tickets listed here are the most popular tickets, but there are more available. The tickets come in three forms: a digital ticket for which you need the app, an anonymous physical rechargeable card and a personalised physical rechargeable card.

T-casual

The T-casual is probably the most commonly used and allows you 10 journeys. The current price is €13 for zone 1.

If you use the ticket for a journey – say one stop on the metro – you have 75 minutes when you can use the ticket for another journey without being charged again. This time limit varies depending on the type of ticket you buy, but the more expensive the ticket the longer period of time you have. Not valid for L9 Sud to the Airport. A ticket is only valid for one person.

Other available transport tickets are:

T-Dia

This ticket can be used for an unlimited number of journeys in one day (24 hours). It’s valid for one return journey on L9 to the airport, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 stops.

T-usual

Lasts for 30 days from the date of purchase and allows unlimited journeys during that period. Has to be used in conjunction with an ID card. Can be used on L9 to the airport.

T-familiar

This card is similar to the T-casual except that it can be shared and it’s only valid for 8 journeys. It’s valid for 30 days from the date of purchase. Not valid on L9 to the airport.

T-Jove

The T-Jove is a ticket for people aged under 30 years. It gives unlimited journeys for 90 days on all forms of transport. The 90 day period starts when you first use the ticket. Valid on L9 to the airport.

More transport tickets

There are many more tickets available including very useful tickets if you’re just visiting the city for a few days. The Hola Barcelona Travel Card has tickets for 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 days. They give unlimited journeys including travel to the airport.

Full information on all Barcelona transport tickets.

Other Public Transport Links

Local train times
Local trains passing through Barcelona and the surrounding area are called Rodalies. At this link you can check out local train times for Barcelona and other parts of Catalonia:
www.renfe.com/es/en/suburban/rodalies-catalunya

Ferrocarrils – Catalan railway (FGC).

Renfe – Spanish train network.

Night Bus – Night buses and map of routes.

Airport Bus – Timetable and route map of the Airport shuttle bus.

Tram – City tram website, with routes and timetables.

Barcelona Buses

There is a comprehensive bus service in Barcelona that runs throughout the day, and a good night bus service. From the main bus stations you can pick up a map of the bus routes, but there is a bus map of all the city routes at every bus stop, including more detailed maps of the buses that stop at each particular bus stop.

You can find all the individual Barcelona bus routes and their individual maps at the TMB website.

Here you can view the complete bus maps: all bus routes in Barcelona city.

And, if you’re not sure which route you need there is also a route finder if you know the name of the street you need to get to: Bus Route Finder.

During the night there is also a bus service called Nitbus: www.ambmobilitat.cat/Principales/BusquedaNitBus.aspx

Regional Buses

There is a very useful bus service that runs to the Costa Brava (there are no trains to the Costa Brava) called Segalés. The website is in English, Catalan and Spanish: www.sagales.com

Cycle in Barcelona – use Bicing

Bicing is a public transport system on bicycles. Register first on their website, pay a small weekly or annual fee, receive your card in the post, then use their bikes from the many depots throughout the city. You need to have your NIE to register.

www.bicing.barcelona/es (website in Castellano or Catalan)

There is also car sharing in Barcelona (see below),  and there’s more about that on the Driving in Barcelona page.

Car hire for hours in Barcelona

MEC rent electric vehicles in Barcelona for hours or days. The minimum reservation time is 3 hours. They offer reasonable hourly rates which include 50km per day, and you can reserve cars without paying a subscription. Rates include insurance with a €300 excess, which you can pay extra for to reduce. Recharging the car is included, so there’s no extra cost for that at all. There are several pick up points across Barcelona, so all you need is to download the app and register to get going.

It’s worth knowing that there are specialist car hire excess insurance companies where you can purchase excess reduction insurance for a much cheaper price than with the care hire company – that goes for all care hire companies. With an annual policy you cover all car hire excess. You have to pay any costs incurred to the care hire company, and then claim it back from the excess reduction insurance. I have a policy with Worldwide Insure.

meccarsharing.com/en/

Transport to Barcelona Airport

Barcelona Airport Bus

There are regular buses from Barcelona centre to Barcelona Airport (El Prat) and they run every 7 – 15 minutes depending on the time of day. The times vary slightly depending on which route you take, and these buses now run 24 hours a day, just less frequently through the night.

They leave from Plaza Catalunya and Plaza España and a few other places, including one which leaves from Castelldefels. It takes about 30 minutes from Plaza Catalunya to the airport.

Barcelona’s Airport Terminals

Barcelona’s airport has two terminal buildings, and if you’re travelling via Terminal 1 (the newer terminal) then the bus is a good option as it goes to both terminals. If you take the train to the airport it arrives at terminal 2, and you then have to take the shuttle bus to Terminal 1. For terminal 1 take the A1 airport bus and for terminal 2 take the A2 airport bus.

Aerobus: This website covers both routes to Terminal 1 and 2 in English:
www.aerobusbarcelona.es

Going by Train to Barcelona Airport

Trains run every 20 minutes from the main railway stations in Barcelona, including Sants and Passeig de Gracia and arrive in about 20 minutes at Barcelona Airport Terminal 2. There are regular free shuttle buses running between the railway station (beside Terminal 2) and Terminal 1.

General Airport Info

Barcelona El Prat airport website and information line: Tel: 902 101 564

Girona-Cosa Brava Airport Information

Reus Airport Information

Transport to Other Airports

Girona Airport Bus

If you’re flying in or out of Girona-Costa Brava airport with Ryan Air, rather than Barcelona (BCN) then the best way of commuting to Barcelona is by bus. There is a train service, but it goes directly to Girona where you then have to take a bus back out to the airport in the direction of Barcelona.

Girona is roughly 64 miles from Barcelona (Girona airport is nearer, about 58 miles) and the bus ride takes just over an hour. Please note, Girona is also sometimes spelt Gerona (Catalan spelling).

The bus service is timed to coincide with the Ryan Air flights at the airport and leaves from Barcelona North Bus Station (Estació d’Autobusos Barcelona Nord). Make sure you get the airport bus not the Girona town bus. The nearest metro station to the bus station is Arc de Triomf on the red line (line 1).

Girona Airport Bus Timetable

The Girona airport bus is run by a company called Sagalés. Please use this link to go directly to their website where you can buy tickets and view the airport bus timetable.
http://www.sagales.com/index.php?Origen=cp316&Desti=15&secc=cerca

Train from Barcelona to Girona

The trains run regularly from Barcelona Sants, Passeig de Gracia and Clot-Arago stations. Once in Girona you need to catch the airport bus – visit this link for the timetable:
www.sagales.com

Reus Airport Bus

Ryan Air and other airlines also fly into Reus airport, which is south of Barcelona. You need to get the train from Barcelona to Reus town, then take the shuttle bus which runs between Reus and Reus airport (Linea 50). Reus Airport public transport.

Tourist Tickets

There are various other tickets aimed at visitors to the city:

Travel card 2-days, Travel card 3-days, Travel card 4-days, Travel card 5-days. All offer unlimited travel on all forms of transport for the number of days stated.

Barcelona Tourist Bus

This ticket is only valid for the Tourist buses which continually circle Barcelona stopping at the many places of interest. You can get on and off wherever and when ever you like.

Available as 1- and 2-day tickets, with discounted prices for children.