Public transport in Barcelona:
practical information, tips, network maps, tickets & current pricing (2023)
With this website, we would like to offer you information and tips for using the public transport in Barcelona. The city is too beautiful to waste your time and money by struggling with fare systems, queues at ticket vending machines and language barriers.
Of course, you can also find here network maps, current ticket prices (2023) and much more.
Local transport in Barcelona – useful for visitors and tourists?
Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is the second-largest city in Spain. About 1.6 million people live in the urban area, and over 3 million people in the Barcelona metropolitan area (Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona).
Public transport in Barcelona is modern and works well. Ideal for discovering the city. (Image: Ricardo Ricote Rodríguez, CC 2.0 license)
Modern and well-functioning local transport
The city has a well-developed urban transport system. For tourists and visitors of the city, the public transport system is the 1st choice, for travelling around in the city.
Parking facilities in the city centre are expensive, and traffic jam is part of daily life.
Ticket and travel cards – how to find the right ticket for your journey
The entire fare system of the Barcelona public transport is city-wide organized by the “Autoritat del Transport Metropolità”.
Whether single ticket, 10 journey ticket (T-10) or travel card “Hola BCN”, here you will find information and current prices. So you can find easily the right ticket for your stay in Barcelona.
Knowing in advance, which ticket fits best to your needs, saves a lot of holiday time and money.
Choosing the right ticket before your trip will save you time and money in Barcelona.
Our tip in brief:
– if you don’t like to read details about the fare systems and the Barcelona public transport network –
For most visitors of the city the “Hola BCN” day ticket is the best choice.
With this card, you can use unlimited the metro, bus, tram and suburban trains (Rodalies, Zone 1) during the entire validity period (2, 3, 4 or 5 days).
The metro ride to and from the airport is also included. You don’t have to buy the “metro airport ticket” (10.30 euros – round trip).The “Hola BCN!” card is, compared to other big European cities, very cheap. The actual price (2023) is, depending on the chosen validity period, between 7.60 and 8.10 euro per day.
Save time and stress, by buying the „Hola BCN“ travel card online before departure – without any extra charge –
⮕ Here you can buy the „Hola BCN“ card online
– without any extra charge –Your benefits of online purchasing:
– You will not waste your holiday time in queues in front of the ticket vending machines.
– After a long flight, you don’t have to deal with fare systems and ticket vending machines. You have already the right ticket to take the metro from the airport to downtown Barcelona and back.
Overview: public transportation in Barcelona
Here is a short overview of the Barcelona public transport system. Detailed information, plans and tips are available on an extra site
Metro (subway)
You can get around fast and independent of traffic jams by metro (subway). Currently, the metro transports half a billion passengers per year on 12 lines with almost 160 stops. The metro in Barcelona is operated by two different companies.
The company “Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC)“ and “Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB)”.
Take the metro from the airport to the city center
Since February 2016, Barcelona Airport has been connected to the Barcelona metro network. The metro offers a fast and cheap connection from the airport to Barcelona city center.
> More information: By metro from the airport to the city center: travel times, ticket prices, stops….
> Metro Barcelona: more information
The metro allows you to travel quickly and independently of traffic jams. El Prat Airport has been connected to Barcelona’s metro network since 2016. (Image: © John Carter)
The city buses of TMB
The company “Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB)” also operates the city bus network in Barcelona. At present, more than 100 lines cover almost every corner of the city.
> TMB city buses: more information
The red and white buses are the backbone of Barcelona’s mass transit system. (Image: ©tigercub66)
Tram in Barcelona
There are two independed, not connected tram networks in the Catalan capital. Both networks are named after their end stops. The tram network “Trambesòs” after Sant Adrià de Besòs and the tram network “Trambaix” after the Comarca Baix Llobregat.
> Tram Barcelona: more information
Since 2004 there has been a modern tram in Barcelona again. The remnants of the original tram, the “Tramvia Blau”, now run on a 1.3 km route with historic carriages. (Image: © Escursso)
Suburban railway (Rodalies)
The suburban trains or suburban trains of the company “Rodalies de Catalunya” and “FGC” serve the surrounding area or the wider surroundings of Barcelona.
They offer public transport connections to over 70 municipalities or cities in the metropolitan region.
The suburban trains “Rodalies” and the light rail “FGC” offer connections to the surrounding area of Barcelona. They serve destinations more than 50 km away from Barcelona. (Image: © Raymond Kiès)
Barcelona public transport: zones and map
Especially for the suburban trains “Rodalies” and “FGC”, the ticket price depends on how many zones you want to cross.
A ticket must always be purchased according to the number of zones the traveler passes through. A maximum of 6 zones must be paid for.
Most tourists stay in zone 1
Nearly 300 municipalities are involved in the local transport of the Barcelona region. Therefore, the area is huge and extends more than 100 km. Most of the sights and the center of the Barcelona region are in zone 1.
> Download: Map with zones of local transport in Barcelona
> More information: Barcelona local transport tickets and current prices 2023.
Frequently asked questions about local transport in Barcelona – FAQ 2023
How much does a local transport ticket cost in Barcelona 2023?
A one-way ticket for local transport costs €2.40 in 2023.
Interesting for visitors of the city is the day ticket “Hola BCN”. With the “Hola BCN” ticket you can use the metro (incl. airport transfer), the city buses, the streetcar (Tram), the suburban train (Rodalies, zone 1), the suburban trains (FGC, zone 1) and the funicular / funicular (Funicular de Montjuïc) unlimited over the validity period (2, 3, 4 or 5 days).
You can find more information and tips in our online travel guide
Local transport Barcelona: useful for tourists?
Barcelona has a dense and well-developed local transport system.
For tourists and visitors to the city, public transport is the number one means of transport. Parking in the city center is expensive and traffic jams are common.
More information about public transport in Barcelona and helpful tips can be found in our travel guide.