Transport Options in Barcelona – An Overview

Transport options in Barcelona comprise of an excellent public transport system, supported well by easily available taxis and private shuttles. Depending on their needs and budget, tourists can choose the right mode to get around the city.

Public Transport:

The Barcelona Public Transport network consists of the metro, regional trains, an extensive bus system and a few trams. The public transport in the city is truly excellent and the average tourist will rarely need to look beyond a suitable transport pass to cover most of his travel. The metro system is cheap, safe, convenient and extensive, running from 6 AM to midnight on weekdays and till 2 AM on Friday and Saturday nights. Find yourself a hotel close to a metro stop and you will never be very far from any place in the city.

The bus network provides excellent coverage for the smaller streets and hard to reach spots for the metro. The Night Buses take over from midnight to 6 AM, running less frequently, but efficiently covering most of the city. Regional trains provide access to the Barcelona suburbs while the Trams have a limited run in the upper part of the city.
A public transport pass gives you access to the entire public transport network. You could get a pass for a single ride, for a set of 10 rides, 50 rides in a month or unlimited rides in a month. Check out the www.tmb.cat sight for pricing, discounts and network maps.

Taxi, Cab Barcelona:

Taxis are plentiful in Barcelona and can be flagged down on the street. The locals consider them expensive but compared to most other European cities, you will find them much more reasonably priced. You could consider taking one when the situation demands it, especially if you are traveling in groups of 3-4.
3. Bicing:
This is an excellent bicycle service available across the city at a very reasonable price. Bicycle stands are available at all major touristic, commercial and residential spots around the city and with a Bicing pass, you can pick up and drop off the Bicing bicycle at any of them.

Hop On Hop Off:

The Barcelona Bus service also runs an extremely efficient and well connected Hop On Hop Off bus service. A little on the pricey side, it has advantages of audio guides in several languages, a fantastic coverage of the city’s attractions and is especially useful for hard to reach spots in the city.

5. Transport options from the Barcelona El Prat Airport:

El Prat is Barcelona’s main airport catering to all of the main airlines. The best way of getting to the city centre from this airport is by taking the Aerobus Bus shuttle service which runs frequently, is extremely spacious and goes to Plaza Catalunya, the centre of the city, from where you can easily access both of the main metro stations covering all the metro lines between them. Airport taxis are also easily had by queuing at the taxi rank just outside of Arrivals. The Renfe train C2 can be taken from either the Passeig de Gracia station or the Sants Station to Terminal 2 from where a shuttle bus is available to get to Terminal 1. Finally, the local bus 46 can also be taken from Plaza Espana to the airport and back. Except for the C2 train, all other transport modes cover both of the airport terminals.