Fast, safe and cheap: the metro is the ideal means of transport to get around in Barcelona. It’s often the fastest option offered by public transport to get from A to B in Barcelona. With nine metro lines and eight train routes connected to the network, almost all of Barcelona’s attractions can be reached by underground.
Contents
- Barcelona metro network
- Tickets for the metro
- Schedule and times metro Barcelona
- Taking the subway to the airport
- Traveling with children by metro in Barcelona
- Wheelchair accessibility
Barcelona metro network
The underground network in Barcelona is operated by two different companies: the city transport company Transportes Metropolitanos de Barcelona (TMB, identified by the red 
) and the regional train Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC, recognisable by this symbol: 
).
Most attractions in the city can be reached by the regular metro (TMB), but for Montserrat and the attractions at Montjuïc and Tibidabo, for example, you will have to use an alternative means of transport (such as the cable car or Hop-on Hop-off bus for Montjuïc and the FGC, bus and “funicular” for Tibidabo).
Underground lines
The TMB metro network consist of nine different lines, plus the Funicular de Montjuïc. The orange line 9 is divided into North and South. Here’s a list of all Barcelona’s metro lines. People often refer to a line by its colour instead of its number.
L1 (red): between Hospital de Bellvitge and Fondo
L2 (purple): between Paral·lel and Badalona/Pompeu Fabra
L3 (green): between Zona Universitària and Trinitat Nova
L4 (yellow): between Trinitat Nova and La Pau
L5 (dark blue): between Cornellà Centre and Vall d’Hebron
L9 Nord (orange): between La Sagrera and Can Zam- L9 Sud (orange): between Aeroport T1 and Zona Universitària
L10 (light blue): between La Sagrera and Gorg
L11 (light green): between Trinitat Nova and Can Cuiàs
FM (green): between Paral·lel and Parc de Montjuïc (funicular railway)
There are also the following Generalitat de Catalunya city trains (FGC trains, please note because if you travel outside zone 1 different fares apply), which are also covered by the Barcelona metro network:
L6 (purple): Catalunya – Sarrià
L7 (brown): Catalunya – Av. Tibidabo
L12 (light purple): Sarrià – Reina Elisenda
L8 (pink) Pl. Espanya – Moll Nou
S3 (green): Pl. Espanya – Can Ros
S9 (dark pink): Pl. Espanya – Quatre Gamins
S1 (orange): Barcelona-Pl.Catalunya Terrassa
S2 (light green): Barcelona-Pl.Catalunya Sabadell
S4 (olive green): Pl Espanya – Olesa de Montserrat
S5 (blue): Barcelona-Pl.Catalunya Sant Cugat
S6 (red): Barcelona-Pl. Catalunya U. Autónoma
S7 (bordeaux red): Barcelona-Pl. Catalunya Rubí
S8 (light blue): Espanya – Matorell Enllaç
R5 (mint): Pl. Espanya – Manresa
R6 (grey): Espanya – Igualada
Map
Click on the image above to see a pdf of the metro map.
These are the main stops for tourists, all within Zone 1:
- Plaça Catalunya (L1, red line and L3, green line from TMB and L6 and L7 from FGC) At the heart of Barcelona, most metro lines converge.
- Sants Estació (L3, green line and L5, blue line) – Barcelona’s largest train station.
- Passeig de Gràcia (L2, purple line, L3, green line and L4, yellow line) – The boulevard where all the famous fashion houses are located, the works of Antoni Gaudí and those of other modernist architects.
- Sagrada Família (L2, purple line and L5, blue line) – The Sagrada Família is Gaudí’s famous cathedral.
- Diagonal (L3, green line) – Two steps away from Gaudí’s La Pedrera.
- Paral-lel (L3, green line and L2, purple line) – Departure point of the ride train (funicular) to Montjuïc hill.
- Collblanc (L5, blue line) – Located near the FC Barcelona stadium Camp Nou.
- Barceloneta (L4, yellow line) – Less than a ten-minute walk to the beach.
- Vallcarca and Lesseps (L3, green line) – To get to the popular Park Güell
- Arc de Triomf – (L1, red line)
Tickets for the metro
Where?
You can buy metro tickets from the vending machines at all metro stations and at the airport. If you prefer, you can also do it at the ticket office, although that’s not always possible. Tickets for public transport in Barcelona are also sold in tobacco shops, on the website and via the TMB app. With the exception of tickets to and from the airport. These can only be bought at ticket machines in the metro station, on TMB’s website and via TMB’s app. The app can be downloaded on Android and iPhone and provides all information on bus and metro services.
Which metro ticket to buy?
For travelling within Barcelona, you can buy a day ticket, ten-ride ticket or monthly ticket. If you are alone and only take the metro once, it is best to buy a single ticket. But with a ten-ride ticket, you’ll pay far less per ride. This card can be used by several people, but not at the same time. Please note that for most tickets you will need a T-Mobilitat, a public transport card. Read all about this card and the different tickets for public transportation in Barcelona.
Are you in Barcelona for a longer period and planning to travel a lot by metro? Then a 30 or even 90-day subscription might be interesting.
Both the regular tickets and the metro card for tourists are valid not only for the metro, but also for the bus, tram, FGC trains and the regional trains of Rodalies de Catalunya (unless you are going out of town, then a different fare applies). Read all about Barcelona’s public transport system
How do you buy your tickets?
You can pay by cash, debit or credit card at the vending machine and ticket office in the metro station. (Please note you cannot pay contactless, for example, apple.) If you need a T-mobilitat card you are able to get an anonymous card at the ticket vending machines.
Prices
The most commonly used metro tickets in Barcelona are the single ticket, the day ticket and the ten-ride ticket. Most tickets may be used in the metro as well as other means of transport belonging to Barcelona’s public transport system such as bus, tram and train.
- Bitllet senzill (one-way) – Relatively expensive (€2.55 per ticket) and it only allows you to transfer within the same form of public transport (i.e. from metro line to metro line or from bus to bus, but not from bus to metro). Only recommended if you will only use public transport once or twice.
- T- Casual – (€12,15). This individual travel card is valid for 10 trips. If you stay in 1 zone, you have 75 minutes to take over your journey and can therefore transfer for free. This ticket cannot be used by several people on the same trip, check out the T-grup or T-familiar for that.
- T-Día (day ticket) – This card (€11,20) allows you to use public transport in Barcelona for a whole day – until the last ride is run.
- T-usual (monthly ticket) – This season ticket (€21,35) offers unlimited travel in 30 (consecutive) days. When purchasing this ticket, you need to bring a valid ID. If you do not live in Barcelona and you have a foreign ID-card or passport you can only buy the T-usual at the ticket office and not at the vending machine. For those who live in Barcelona: with an NIE number, the T-usual can be bought at the ticket machine and the T-usual can also be loaded onto the plastic T-mobilitat card. This Catalan public transport card can be ordered via this website and will be at your Spanish address within a week.
- T-jove (unlimited) – The T-jove is a personalised travel card for people under 25. It allows young people unlimited travel for 90 consecutive days for €42,70. Note: from March 2023, the T-jove will no longer be available as a paper ticket, but can only be loaded onto the plastic T-mobilitat card. This T-mobilitat card can be ordered via this website and will be in your mailbox (in Spain) on average a week later.
- T-grup – Ideal for groups. This travel card can be used by several people during the same trip and counts 70 rides. For 1 zone, the card costs €84,80 and you can travel for up to 75 minutes on 1 trip.
- T-familiar – This card (€10,70) is available for one zone and can be used for multiple people during the same trip. The card is valid for 8 journeys within 30 days.
- T-16 – This travel card is for one zone and can be used by children aged 4 to 16. This card allows unlimited free travel. This card is available for locals only.
- Airport ticket (Airport ticket) – A ticket for metro travel to the airport. The price of the ticket is €5.50.
- Hola BCN! Travel Card – A discount card that allows unlimited public transport travel for two or more days. The price of the Hola BCN! Travel Card ranges between €17.50 for two days to €40.80 for five days. Get a discount when you buy your travel card online!
- Barcelona Card – A discount card that allows you not only to visit museums for free, but also to use public transport for three days or more. Prices for the Barcelona Card start from €55 per person for 3 days. Get a discount when you buy your travel card online!
Schedule and times metro
The Barcelona metro has a high frequency, so you never have to wait more than a few minutes, only during the night schedule does the metro run about every ten minutes.
The metro timetable in Barcelona is as follows:
| Day | Schedule |
| Monday to Thursday: | 5:00 AM to 12:00 AM (Midnight). |
| Friday: | 5:00 AM to 2:00 AM (Saturday). |
| Saturday: | 5:00 AM and open all night until Sunday night. |
| Sunday: | Open all day, until 12:00 AM (Midnight). |
| Day before a holiday: | 5:00 AM to 2:00 AM (Next day). |
| Holidays: | 5:00 AM to 12:00 AM (Midnight). |
Taking the subway to the airport
The Barcelona airport is easily accessible by metro. From both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, the ultramodern line L9 Sud will take you into the city. This metro line is not the quickest way if your accommodation is in the old part of town or around Plaça Catalunya. In that case I would recommend the Aerobus, cab or train. On this page you will find all the possible ways to get to and from the airport.
Be aware that you need a surcharge ticket of 5.50 euros to buy the L9 Sud metro line to/from the airport. You can buy this at any metro station, but in case you forgot and got on the metro anyway, you can also buy the supplement when you get off at the airport.
There are discount cards available that do not require you to pay a surcharge for the subway to the airport, which are the Hola BCN! Travel Card (unlimited public transport) and the Barcelona Card (public transport with free entrance to museums).
Traveling with children by metro in Barcelona
Children under the age of 4 may travel for free on public transportation, including the subway. Children aged 4 and older must purchase a regular ticket.
It is possible to travel on the subway with a stroller or baby carriage. There is plenty of room, and the front and back of the subway even has extra space made for strollers. During rush hour, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., it may be busier, but because frequency is higher, so you will actually always manage to take your stroller with you.
Wheelchair accessibility
The subway is accessible to people with reduced mobility. There are specific seats. In addition, there is extra space at the front and back of the metro’s for wheelchairs. The metro platforms aren adapted as well so that you can board easily.
Almost all the stations have elevators, but unfortunately the following stations do not:
- Plaça de Sants
- Espanya
- Urquinaona
- Clot (Line 1 has no elevator. Line 2, on the other hand, does)
- Espanya
- Maragall
- Verdaguer
- Ciutadella-Vila Olímpica
- Virrei Amat
