Understanding the metro in Barcelona is fundamental to having a good holiday.
The 11 lines (eight classic lines and three overland trains) are as prompt as any metro system in Europe and perhaps more importantly – they’re air conditioned 😉
Let’s get up to speed.
PROBLEMS YOU MIGHT HAVE
The only complaints you hear aside from spoiled locals who have never commuted a day in New York or London are tourists not taking proper precautions and being robbed by pickpockets.
There are also those people who get ripped off buying €2.15 single tickets, but after reading my Barcelona metro guide you won’t be one of them.
Hold onto the handles over your head! You’re about to become a Barcelona metro professional 😉
A QUICK BARCELONA METRO FAQ
What time does the Barcelona metro close?
- All lines run Sunday to Thursday from 5 AM to midnight
- Fridays and holidays until 2 AM
- Saturday it runs all night
- Open all night 23-24 June, 15-16 August, 23 to 24 of September and New Year’s Eve
How much do Barcelona metro tickets cost?
- Single tickets cost €2.15
- Valid for all metro, bus, and tram lines in the metropolitan area
- 75 minute validity
Does the metro reach the airport?
- The new L9 line reaches Terminal 1 and Terminal 2
- The L9 doesn’t serve the main tourist areas and is mostly used by locals from outskirts
- A return ticket costs €9 and is rarely the best airport transport
HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON BARCELONA METRO TICKETS
I always suggest tourists pick up a discount transport card that gives you unlimited metro access like the Hola Bcn or Barcelona Card. They save you time and money. Get one.
Find out which discount card is right for you by clicking the banner below:
Again, you can buy single tickets for €2.15 but the price and ticket machine lines are hardly ideal.
There’s also the famous Barcelona metro card the T10 – it’ll give you ten rides but unlike the passes above it’s not valid for the airport. More money to the wind.
For a greater look into all Barcelona metro passes and more check out my article how to master Barcelona transport in one glorious guide.
OTHER BARCELONA METRO INFORMATION
Safety
In general the trains are well kept and quiet.
The only thing you’ll need to worry about, as mentioned before, are the petty thieves operating in tourist areas – mainly in and around the stations at Liceu, Drassanes, Placa Catalunya, Passeig de Gracia, and Sants.
Use common sense and you’ll be fine.
Frequency and proximity
- The most important lines are the red, green, and yellow (L1, L3, L4) lines
- During the day trains run every 2-4 minutes
- At night trains run every 6-10 minutes
- The yellow line gets you to the beach
- The red line gets you to Placa Catalunya and the famous La Rambla
BARCELONA METRO TIPS
- Avoid taking it during rush hour (8-9 AM and 6-7 PM)
- Changing lines could leave you a long walk at Plaça Catalunya, Passeig de Gracia and Sants.
- Always walk further up the platform for more carriage space
- Miss the last train? There’s probably a night bus to get you back
THE BARCELONA METRO MAP
Click the button below to enlarge or download your very own Barcelona metro map.
You can also grab these at the Barcelona Tourism Office at the airport or any metro stop.
GET ALL OVER ME IN THE COMMENTS NOW
Bum steer on your Barcelona metro pass?
Not sure which Canadian-Ethiopian fusion restaurant within 3 minutes walking from the northern beaches would suit your vegetarian celiac boyfriend on crutches? I’m here 😉
Drop me a line any time.
Karolina says
Hi there,
Myself and my boyfriend are visiting Barcelona in August. We’ll be staying there for 7 nights, and most likely to use the metro as our main public transport option as we’re staying near the Europa/Fira station.
What is the best travel card that you’d recommend us to purchase? As well as that, I’d like to visit Monseratt too. Do the travel cards include trains too?
Thanks!
Ash says
Hi Karolina,
For a straight up and no-nonsense transport pass I would recommend getting a 120 hour Hola BCN Card. For the last two days you could consider getting an additional 48 hour card.
It’ll take care of your airport transport + all your metro, bus, and overland train needs. Such low hassle and it’ll save you money if you’re getting around a bit.
If it’s your first time visiting though and you’ve got a lot of the main attractions in mind then I’d recommend taking a look at the Barcelona City Pass.
First off it includes entrance to things you’re going to see anyway. Second, it lets you book everything from the comfort of home and skip lines (long in summer) at the best attractions. Third, it’ll give you a 20% discount voucher for pretty much anything you’ll do in Barcelona including Montserrat.
While it isn’t a transport card it does give you 20% off the aforementioned Hola BCN Card.
If you’re seeing Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, and want a cool bus tour + plan on seeing Casa Batllo, Casa Mila’ and others this is the best way to save money and time.
Again, feel free to write me with a list of what you want to see and I can tell you better. But with seven days I imagine you’re seeing a ton of stuff so you might as well save 20% on all of it 😉
As for Montserrat the standard travel cards aren’t valid since it’s outside zone one – but travel instructions/tickets will be available in the tour packages offered with the City Pass, or any other for that matter.
Cheers,
Ash
Julianne McKell says
In June we will be arriving on a cruise ship that will be docked from 12-8pm. Is the Hola BCN card a good deal for that length of time? Would it cover the cost of the shuttle from the port to the metro station?
I have looked at the Hop On Hop Off option but my concern for that is figuring out when we will be near the Sagrada Familia. We will be buying the tickets online sometime before we leave. I have read that it is better to tour the Sagrada Familia first thing in the morning (which isn’t an option for us) or later in the afternoon. So, I would guess that going straight to the Sagrada Famiia would not be the best choice.
What would you suggest?
Thanks!
Ash says
Hi Julianne,
Thanks for writing
Even with the cheapest Hola BCN (48h) I just don’t think you’ll get the kind of value to make it worth it in only 8 hours. Especially if you’re gonna take the Bus Turístic.
In fact, aside from transfer from the port you could use the Bus Turístic as your sole means of transport and keep that money for a nice lunch, or god forbid an emergency taxi back should things not go as planned
First I’ll ask you to find out (if possible) which ferry dock you’ll be arriving at.
If it’s either the WTC (World Trade Centre) dock or the Sant Bernard dock you’ll easily be able to walk to the nearest Bus Turístic stop.
If not, I’ll recommend taking the PORTBUS (€4 return) to the Bus Turístic stop at the Christopher Colombus statue. It’s usually less wait and cheaper than a taxi.
For the Sagrada Familia you’re a bit handcuffed on the time but it’s a necessity.
My main problem with the crowds is that it creates giant hour long lines – if you buy your tickets in advance online like you say you’ll avoid this problem. So visit away even in the afternoon
I would grab the Bus Touristic from the port and go immediately to Sagrada Familia and get that out of the way (your guided tour can be easily timed for about 2 pm or even a bit later).
After 90 minutes you’ll have 3-4 hours to get back on the bus and admire some sights and even get off to admire a couple up close (Park Guell and Casa Batllo would be my recommendations) or have a snack.
The time restrictions certainly aren’t ideal but it’s doable!
Ok, let me know if you have any other questions about your Barcelona stop over because I’d be happy to help.
Cheers,
Ash
Julianne McKell says
Thanks, Ash! I appreciate your advice. Do you recommend using the Tourista buses? If we choose not to use the Tourista buses but instead use the metro would it be a more efficient use of our time? And if we go that route, would it be better to buy the BCN pass or the 10 ride card?
Thanks!
Julianne
Ash says
Hi again Julianne,
I don’t think the metro would be a more efficient use of your time unless you had one more very specific attraction in mind that you just had to visit (as in, visit properly). In this case you could get a T-10 (better value than Hola Bcn) and very systematically visit what you want.
The question becomes… what exactly are you hoping to see?
If you have one or two more specific attractions you can’t miss I can let you know the best way… but if you’re unsure and just want to see a bit of everything then the Bus Turistic is a good option and one I always recommend to cruise ship passengers on little time.
Also, once the PORTBUS drops you off you’ll have to walk up to Drassanes metro station, take the green line up to Passeig de Gracia, and then change to the purple line to get to Sagrada… you’ll essentially be skipping over the entire city centre by staying underground, which would be a shame because the city is really alive these days! It will also likely be a bit slower. Not too mention stuffy.
Anyway, let me know a bit more about what you wanna see and maybe I can get the perfect itinerary arranged… if not in the meantime I’m recommending the Bus Turistic.
Cheers,
Ash
Sharon says
This may be the dummiest question you have ever had BUT how do you know that the train you are catching on whateve line you choose IS going TO rather than going AWAY from your destination BEFORE you get on it?
Ash says
Hi Sharon,
Not to worry, there are no dumb questions only dumb answers, so I’ll try and do my best here 😉
In order to know the direction your train is headed you simply have to look at the signs posted in the metro – the stops which have already been completed (that is, the ones behind the train and in the opposite direction) will be displayed in white, while the stops the train still has to make will be displayed in colour.
Here’s an example of the sign:
Also, when you get on the train… over every second door there’s an additional line map. The stops which have already been completed will be illuminated by a red light, while the ones to come will not be lit up in any way.
OK! That’s that… if you have any more questions I am here! 🙂
Happy New Year,
Ashley