Barcelona Card – Save Money on Almost (!) Everything

You’re trying to plan the best Barcelona holiday possible but where exactly does one start?

Take some advice from the official Barcelona Tourism Office: the 85 attractions they’ve put together on the Barcelona Card will give great structure to your trip – and your wallet.

Yes, they even throw in unlimited transport and free admission to 25 museums.

In total there’s 115 discounts to be had on one simple card: here’s how you can take full advantage.

The Barcelona Card

The king of Barcelona discount cards is in reality a 3-in-1 transport card, museum pass, and discount voucher.

Grabbing one before you arrive is highly recommend because it gives you:

• Unlimited transport including bus, metro, tram, overland rail, and the Montjuic funicular.
• Airport transport (metro, train, or bus) from Barcelona airport to city centre.
• Free entry to 25 Barcelona museums and attractions like the Picasso Museum, the Antoni Tàpies Foundation, the Joan Mirò, MACBA Contemporary Art Museum, MNAC, Botanical Gardens, the Chocolate Museum, CaixaForum, CosmoCaixa and more.
• 85 Barcelona attraction discounts like La Pedrera, Casa Batllo, the theme parks at Tibidabo and Portaventura, Casa Vicens, the Wax Museum, the Erotica Museum, the Aquarium and Zoo, Poble Espanyol, Palau de la Musica, and much more.
• Tour and show discounts on bike tours, scooters, walking tours, flamenco shows etc.
• A map of the city and a metro map.
• A free city guide in English.

Below I’ll be doing some calculations to see how much money you can save but in the meantime check out the full list of Barcelona Card advantages.

Where to Buy the Barcelona Card

You can buy this Barcelona tourist discount card via the official Barcelona Tourism Office.

Clicking the button below gets you to their site for a special 10% online discount. Go ahead and click through to their site if you’re curious for more info, or get at me in the comments below.

BARCELONA CARDGet a 10% Discount Now

The Barcelona Card Express

The Barcelona Card Express is a 48 hours pass for those with little time to visit the city.

The only difference between this and other Barcelona Card options is there are no entrances included – only discounts for the main attractions (there’s a discount list here).

Clicking the button below gets you a 10% discount booking online with Barcelona Tourism Office.

BARCELONA CARD EXPRESSGet a 10% Discount Now

Barcelona Card Pickup Points

To claim your card simply print out the voucher and show it at the following locations:

• Airport Terminal T1 and Terminal 2. Every day from 8:30 to 20:30.
• Barcelona Airport Metro Stations (T1 and T2). 8:30 to 21:00.
• Plaza Catalunya. Number 17-S near the Hard Rock Cafe and the giant ‘i’ with the underground escalator.  Every day from 8:30 to 20:30.
• Sants Estació. Plaça Paisos Catalans. Every day from 8:30 to 20:30.
• Placa Espanya. Every day from 9:00 to 15:00. Jun-Sept from 8:30 to 20:30.
• Sagrada Familia. Every day from 9:00 to 15:00. Jun-Sept from 8:30 to 20:30.
• The Columbus Statue. Plaça Portal de la Pau. Every day from 8:30 to 20:30.
• Plaza Sant Jaume. In Carrer Ciutat 2. Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 20:30. Saturdays 9:00 to 19:00. Sundays and public holidays: from 9:00 to 14:00.

Note: the Barcelona metro station pickup points (L9S) are the best option for late arriving flights – at either station simply look for the Barcelona Turisme information point to pick up your Barcelona Card.

All Barcelona Card ticket offices are closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Barcelona Card Prices

Your Barcelona Card is valid anywhere from 48 to 120 hours so costs shift accordingly.

• 48 hours (Express): €20.00 €18.00 (online)
• 72 hours: €45.00 €40.50 (online) adults/€21.00 €18.90 (online) kids.
• 96 hours: €55.00 €49.50 (online) adults/€27.00 €24.30 (online) kids.
• 120 hours: €60.00 €54.00 (online) adults/€32.00 €28.80 (online) kids.

Kids are between 4-12 years old.

Keep in mind that validity only begins the second you use it for the first time. Example: if you use a 72 hour card for the first time at 8 pm on the 1st of the month the card will expire at 8 pm on the 4th of the month.

Adding the “Gaudi Bundle” For Sagrada Familia/Park Guell

As many of you have noted the Barcelona Card does not include discounts for Sagrada Familia and Park Guell – two of Barcelona’s most important attractions.

Since nobody would dare dream of missing these behemoths I’m giving you the link to get skip the line entrance to both these attractions using the same bundle – the “Gaudi Bundle”.

Grabbing this package through ticket giants Ticketbar includes:

• Skip the line entrance at Sagrada Familia.
• Skip the line entrance at Park Güell.
• A Sagrada Familia English audio guide app for your smartphone.
• A Park Guell English audio guide app for your smartphone.

The cost of each package is as follows:

• Adults: €29.50.
• Children (12-18): €25.50.
• Children (7-11): €7.50.
• Children (0-6): free.

GAUDI BUNDLEBuy Now

A Few Barcelona Card Hacks

• If you’re there for X days, get it for X days. Remember: public transport is included in the card and a day of normal public transport can really set you back.
• Pick it up at the airport. You’re already there and I’ve heard of trouble finding other pick up spots.

Remember: to book tours with a 50% Barcelona Card discount you’ll need to send an email to [email protected] letting them know which day you’ll be touring.

You have to book at least one day in advance and take the tour during the validity of your travel card. You need to show your cards the day of the tour.

Barcelona Card FAQ

How much money can I realistically save using my Barcelona Card?

With average travel, airport transport, a few free entrances, and just a few discounts at places you’ll be seeing anyway in any half-decent 3 day Barcelona itinerary you can easily save €20.00-€50.00.

Can I skip lines with the Barcelona Card?

No.

To get your entrance discounts using this pass you’ll have to show up to ticket booths.

If you’re looking for a Barcelona tourist card that allows you to skip lines and book everything online then check out the Barcelona City Pass.

Is it better to get the Barcelona Card or the Hola Bcn Card?

They’re both different products. The Barcelona Card includes unlimited public transport and free entrance to certain attractions while the Hola Bcn offers only unlimited transport.

At any rate I’ve prepared a page explaining the difference between these two discount cards so you can make the proper decision based on your needs.

Is the Barcelona Card valid for airport transport from Girona or the Aerobus?

No, the transport pass applies to city and public transport services only.

Which Airport transport is included in the Barcelona Card?

With your Barcelona Card you’ll be able to take the metro, airport train, or bus 46 into the city. The bus is only recommended for late night or early morning departures/arrivals when the first/last train has already departed.

The first train departs from Barcelona Airport at 05:42 and the last one leaves at 23:38. There are two trains an hour with service to Barcelona Sants, Passeig de Gracia, and El Clot.

For your flight home the first train departs Passeig de Gracia at 05:13 with the last one departing at 23:07.

Which Airport transport is best for my hotel/hostel/Airbnb?

Leave me a message below with your hotel, hostel, or apartment and I’ll let you know how to get in quickly.

Do I have to book for the Picasso Museum?

No, regardless of what it says on the card the Picasso Museum has confirmed that Barcelona Card holders can show up at the ticket windows at 23 Carrer de Montcada where they’ll get express entrance.

Is the Barcelona Card valid for days or hours?

The Barcelona Card is valid for consecutive hours. If you validate a 72 hour pass at 6 pm on Friday that means you’ll have until 6 pm on Monday to take advantage of the deals and transport.

What do I need to pick up my Barcelona Card?

A printed out copy of the voucher sent at the moment of purchase + one piece of ID.

What happens if I buy a Barcelona Card for more than one traveller?

Only the booking party will have to enter their data on the web and show ID to pick them up.

What do I get in the free guide?

You’ll get all the information on Barcelona’s main attractions, a handy city and metro map, and a booklet full of coupons to redeem for free offers.

Can I split up the time?

No. The Barcelona Card is valid for consecutive hours and cannot be used in any other way.

Can my Barcelona Card discounts be combined with any other offers?

No.

Can my Barcelona card expire?

From the moment of purchase it is valid the calendar year plus the first six months of the next year.

Can I change/cancel my Barcelona Card?

All change and cancellation inquiries can be made to [email protected]

Is the transport valid in all of Barcelona?

In all of zone one yes. This is a huge area and you probably won’t be travelling outside it – not to worry.

What do you recommend for a young traveler or student?

For those lucky enough to be young this transport card may be slightly inconvenient.

Most Barcelona tourist discount cards can’t give you anything that doesn’t already apply to you (ie. Sagrada Familia gives a €2.00 youth/student discount) – as mentioned before, these discounts cannot be combined.

My advice is buy single discounted tickets online and use the Hola BCN for transport.

Can I use it on the Montjuïc Cable Car or the Tram Blau?

No. Transport to Montjuïc via the cable car or Tibidabo are not included.

If you want to get to Montjuic you can access the funicular using the Barcelona Card by connecting at Paral-lel metro station.

What is the full Barcelona Card museums list?

Free: CCCB, Fundació Antoni Tàpies, Fundació Joan Miró, MACBA, MNAC, Museu Picasso, El Born Centre Cultural, MUHBA, Cultures of the World Museum, Design Museum, Ethnological Museum, Frederic Marès Museum, CaixaForum, CosmoCaixa Science Museum, Natural Science Museum, Music Museum, Chocolate Museum, Catalan Modernism Museum, Egyptian Museum, Museum of Olympics and Sport.

Discounts (20%-30%): Archaeology Museum, Catalan History Museum, Wax Museum, Sex Museum, Perfume Museum, Maritime Museum, European Modern Art Museum, Motorcycle Museum.

Hit Me Up in the Comments Below

If you’re still not sure about the Barcelona Card then write me with any questions below.

Don’t be afraid to join the discount card discussion in my new Facebook group called I’m Off to Barcelona – here you can ask any questions, air out grievances, chat with fellow travelers, and more – anything goes!

And as always I’m here to answer any question in the comment section below that you have about your Barcelona holiday, no question is too ridiculous!

Happy travelling 🙂