Barcelona City Guide

Public transport

Operator. TMB (Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona) is the municipal operator of the metro, bus, and the funicular to Montjuïc. Fares are part of the integrated network system of the ATM (Autoritat del Transport Metropolità), which besides TMB also covers the Rodalies suburban trains run by Renfe, the FGC railway, and the Tram streetcar within Zone 1. A ticket validated once is therefore also valid for transfers between these different operators.

Network. Eight metro lines, buses, funiculars and a historic tram to Tibidabo.

Modes of transport. Metro · Bus · Night bus · Tram · Suburban train · Funicular

Operating hours. The metro runs Monday to Thursday from 5.00 am to midnight, Fridays and on the eve of public holidays until 2.00 am. On Saturdays service runs continuously from 5.00 am through to Sunday evening, on Sundays it ends at midnight. On certain festival nights (Sant Joan on 23 June, Festa Major de Gràcia on 21 August, La Mercè on 23 and 25 September, New Year's Eve) the metro runs all night. TMB does not specify fixed operating windows for buses, arrival times are shown in real time through the TMB app.

Night service. Nitbus night buses run via Plaça de Catalunya as the central transfer point when the metro isn't running. Specifically to the airport, according to Aena, lines N17 (Plaça Catalunya, Ronda Universitat, to Airport Terminal T1) and N18 (Plaça Catalunya to the airport, stopping at T1 and T2) operate. A complete overview of all Nitbus lines with frequency and operating days was not available on the official TMB website.

Buying tickets. Tickets for metro, bus, and combined fares are available from machines at every metro station. Tickets bought online, such as the Hola BCN Travel Card or a single metro/bus ticket, first arrive as a voucher code by email and must be redeemed at a machine in a metro station, with the exception of the two airport stations T1 and T2, where this redemption isn't possible. The TMB app additionally offers digital ticket options.

App and payment. The official app is called TMB App and provides real-time timetable information as well as ticket purchase. Whether direct contactless payment with a debit or credit card is possible at the metro gates without buying a ticket first isn't mentioned on the official TMB and ATM websites, so no statement can be made on this.

Which ticket. In Zone 1, where almost all of Barcelona's tourist destinations are located, a single ride on the metro, bus, or Montjuïc funicular costs 2.90 EUR (as of 2026-08). The T-Casual is valid for 10 rides for 13.00 EUR, so 1.30 EUR per ride, and can be validated jointly by several people. The T-dia allows unlimited rides for 24 hours from the first validation for 12.00 EUR, which mathematically corresponds to the value of around 9 T-Casual rides or roughly 4 single rides. For visitors staying 2 to 3 days, TMB also offers the Hola BCN Travel Card, available for 24 h from 12.50 EUR (11.25 EUR online), which additionally includes a round trip on the metro to the airport. Prices for the longer validities from 48 h to 120 h could not be read as a fixed price on the official sales page. Important for the journey in. The L9 Sud metro line to Terminals T1 and T2 requires its own airport ticket for 5.90 EUR. Single tickets and the T-Casual aren't accepted there, but the T-dia, T-usual, T-Jove, and Hola BCN are.

Fare zones. All tourist-relevant destinations in Barcelona lie in Zone 1, as do both airport terminals. For the metro to the airport, a separate ticket for 5.90 EUR still applies. A single ticket and the T-Casual aren't enough there, but the T-dia, T-usual, T-Jove, and Hola BCN do include the ride.

Tip. The T-Casual ten-trip pass is far cheaper than singles.

Links

• TMB – Metro and bus operating hours
• TMB – Tickets and fares
• ATM – Combined tickets at a glance
• Hola BCN Travel Card (official TMB tourist ticket)
• Aerobús – Fares
• Network map

Getting there

Main station

Location. The central long-distance station, with metro and suburban trains onward.

Long-distance trains. Barcelona Sants bundles practically all of the city's long-distance rail traffic. Renfe runs Alta Velocidad, Larga Distancia, and Media Distancia here, plus the connection to the Rodalies commuter trains. The most important route is Madrid, served by AVE, the cheaper Avlo, and Larga Distancia trains. To Andalusia, AVE and Avlo run directly to Sevilla Santa Justa and Málaga María Zambrano, with the train stopping at Zaragoza Delicias along the way. The Euromed covers the coast heading south to València Joaquín Sorolla. Internationally, Sants has been the starting point since 2023 for Renfe's high-speed trains to France, one route via Girona, Figueres, Perpignan, Narbonne, Béziers, Montpellier, Nîmes, and Valence to Lyon Part-Dieu, plus the Madrid–Barcelona–Marseille line.

Opening hours. Barcelona Sants doesn't operate around the clock. Monday to Friday except public holidays the station is open from 4.15 am to 12.30 am, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays from 5 am. The first long-distance trains toward Zaragoza, Seville, and Málaga depart around 5.50 am, toward València from 7.15 am.

Airports

Local quirks

• Sagrada Família only with a time slot. Without a pre-booked time slot you won't get in. Spontaneous visits simply aren't possible here.
• Train station only at Terminal 2. The Rodalies R2 Nord line stops at the airport only at Terminal T2, on level 0. Anyone landing at Terminal T1 first has to take the free shuttle bus to T2 before the train into the city is reachable. The L9 Sud metro line, by contrast, has its own stations at both terminals.
• Hola BCN card can't be activated at the airport. A Hola BCN ticket or single metro/bus ticket bought online first arrives only as a voucher code by email. This code can be redeemed at the ticket machines of every metro station except at the two airport stations T1 and T2 themselves.

Good to know

Currency

EUR €

Emergency number

112

Plug type

C · F

Time zone

Europe/Madrid

Driving

right

Speed limits. built-up areas 20/30/50 km/h (tiered), outside towns 90 km/h, motorway 120 km/h

Since May 2021, a three-tier system has applied within built-up areas instead of a single uniform value. 20 km/h on streets with a single level for the roadway and sidewalk, 30 km/h on streets with one lane per direction, and 50 km/h only from two lanes per direction upward. As a result, most inner-city streets are now limited to 30 km/h, which surprises visitors from countries with a uniform 50 km/h. A dense network of fixed and mobile speed cameras enforces this consistently, and fines on rental cars often arrive by mail only weeks later.

Tipping. Not expected. A few coins or five percent for good service is plenty.

Tolls. Some motorways are tolled, recognisable by AP in the name. Routes marked A are free.

Access restrictions. Cities above 50,000 inhabitants must set up low emission zones. Madrid and Barcelona enforce by camera, and foreign vehicles must register online in advance.