How to move around Barcelona and other Barcelona, Spain Transportation Tips

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: The city centre is pretty compact, IMO walking (or bike) is the best way to visit. But you would like to see some places not just in the city centre, or move from/to your accommodation place...

First, have a look at TMB webpage (see below). All information is in Catalan, Spanish and English. You'll find all the info about tickets, routes and prices, tourist itineraries, places of interest, maps and many other useful things. I strongly recommend you to check this website when preparing your trip to Barcelona.

The metro is pretty good and easy to use. You miss the urban landscape, but it's usually the cheapest and fastest option. Buses can be a bit confusing, if you don't know the city and do not speak Spanish or Catalan. Trams are nice, fast and easy, but these don't serve the city centre (can be handy if you are staying in some areas)

Transport tickets (prices updated March 2009):

A single ticket costs 1.35 €, valid for buses, trams and metro, on sale at the metro/tram stations or directly to the bus driver.

The best option usually is a T-10 (ten trips 7.70 € for zone-1, far enough for tourist purposes). Sold at metro and tram stops. In both cases (single tickets and T-10), you have an allowance of 1 hour 15 min: you can change from a bus line to a metro or different line of bus (not the same for return, for example), or from a metro to a bus, or metro to tram and bus... You may change metro lines if you do not leave the underground. T-10 cards can be shared for more than one person.

There is a 1-day pass for 5.80 € (T-Dia) that may be of interest, it allows unlimited number of journeys in any means of transport during a 1 day (until service closedown). But you will rarely use so many trips on a single day.

Other options are the tourist's passes: 2, 3, 4 or 5 days (10.70, 14.30, 19.50, 23.10 €), with unlimited trips (single user, non transferable), but take into account these will be worth only in case you should do A LOT of trips.
T-Dia and tourist passes can NOT be shared, one card per person

Enjoy Barcelona!

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Website: http://www.tmb.net/en_US/home.jsp
Other Contact: http://tinyurl.com/d6xxgr

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: .
Taxis in Barcelona are black and yellow, easy to spot. They say that at the beginning of the XX century, a taxi driver heard the taxis in NYC were yellow. He decided to paint his car (at the time, all cars were black) like American taxis... until he find that panting was very expensive. So... he painted only the doors in yellow color. True or not... who knows!

There are several companies, but prices are set by the city council, so all them do cost the same.

You can stop one in the street if the green light on top of the car is on. At the end of the journey, you should only pay the amount on the taximeter, plus supplements from/to airport, luggage, etc (if applicable). We locals usually only tip the driver just to round to next figure (for instance, short trip with taximeter = 5.15, give 6 euros; airport to city centre = 28.30 (taximeter and all airport and other applicable supplements), in this case you may give 30 euros.

A good practice is always asking for a receipt, the taxi driver has the obligation to give you one if asked to. In case you have any complaint is your only proof.

You can check the link below about official taxi fares in Barcelona, updated for year 2009
Hope it helps!

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Website: http://www.taxibarcelona.cat/Default.aspx?tabid=3479

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Car/Motor Home
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Better DO NOT attempt to drive in Barcelona. It's not so crazy that other cities (Madrid is worse, for instance), but there is VERY little parking available. And when I say very little, it means really very little, and in addition nearly always you have to pay for it!!

In most streets on the city center you are allowed to park only a maximum of a couple of hours, and this will cost you a few euros (except on festives in most areas). There are color codes: blue (regular fare), green (special area for residents, very expensive if you're not), orange (for special uses). You can always park in the underground parking lots (there are many of these)... but they cost 2€ per hour or more, so taking a taxi will cost you not much more, and with less hassle. You can go anywhere by metro or regular city buses. The metro is easier to navigate, but if you take the buses you can do some sightseeing at the same time.

There used to be a good option for people visiting Barcelona as daytrip: METROPARK “Park and Ride” service. However, due the deconstruction/building works at Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes this option is no longer available.

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Website: http://www.bsmsa.es/mobilitat/en/index.php

'Mode': TO
Category: Airplane
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Barcelona has ONLY ONE airport:
Barcelona – El Prat (BCN)

Some companies (mainly Ryanair) advertise Girona (GRO) or Reus (REU) as "Barcelona", being these far away (80-100 km). GRO is convenient if going to Costa Brava / Catalan Pyrenees, REU if going to Costa Dorada, Tarragona, Port-Aventura, etc., but usually not the "best" option when your destination is Barcelona itself (unless the airport of departure is more convenient for you)

Some low-cost companies use BCN (Easyjet, Vueling, Clickair, Air Berlin...) in addition to the biggies (Iberia, Spanair, Air France, BA...) check all possibilities, the regular companies sometimes have even better offers than the "cheap" ones!

BCN has LOTS of shopping and eating possibilities, so it's not a bad place to wait. The fashion shops have the same prices than at the city center, and you can find most Spanish brands there. As well, you can do there the last minute shopping of your souvenirs.

The Renfe Cercanías Line 10 links the airport with the center of the city (Barcelona Passeig de Gràcia) and the Sants and França railway stations. Trip does cost less 2,5 €m but you can use as well a T-10 card or other transport cards, making it even cheaper! Not the best option with luggage or babies, as there is quite a long walk to the airport station, and some stairs. Trains do leave every 30 min.

Also you can get there by bus: Aerobús Traveling with luggage, apart from taxis, IMO this is the best option (no stairs). One way: 4.05 €, round trip: 7€. Buses every 10-15 min

If you prefer to take a taxi, there are ranks of these in from of each terminal exit, and usually you can take one immediately or just after queuing a few minutes. You should pay what the taximeter shows, plus a few euros of airport supplement and about 1 € per each piece of luggage. An average total to the city center would be about 25-30 €.

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Phone: 902 404 704
Website: http://www.aena.es
Other Contact: http://www.castelldefels.com/aer

'Mode': TO
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: .
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Here you have some websites for you to check if you plan to arrive to Barcelona by ground, or plan to doing some daytrips while there:

- Renfe trains
http://horarios.renfe.es
At this page you can find info about medium and long distance trains, and even buy the tickets (even its system is not very user-friendly)

Be aware that the short distance trains are called Rodalies/Cercanias:
http://www.renfe.es/cercanias/barcelona
This one is in Spanish only, but you can select your departure station in the "origen" menu, destination in "destino" (this one was easy! :)) your travel date in "fecha" (important, as weekends and festive days will have a different timetable) and click on "horarios"

- FGC trains
http://www.fgc.es
Check the tourism section there. They have interesting offers as the combined tickets to Monserrat

- Buses
There are quit a few companies, but this one goes to most of the popular places: http://www.sarfa.com

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: .
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While on holiday, you might like to take one or more of the "leisure" transports. You can get wonderful views of the city from the cable cars, or from the top of Montjuic and Tibidabo mountains

MONTJUIC

- There is a cable car, "Aeri del Port" from Barceloneta to the Harbour and to Montjuic
Aeri del Port

If you decide to take this one up to Montjuic, take it at Barceloneta. You usually have to wait for a long time at the intermediate stop at the harbour near Columbus statue, as you will only allowed to get up if someone goes down there (but most people will continue until Montjuic)

- There is ANOTHER cable car at Montjuic Mountain, "Aeri de Montjuic" (that goes around the mountain, not from/to the mountain)
Aeri de Montjuic
never took this one, can't say if it's worth it!

- A different option (definitely less scenic, but cheaper and faster) to get up to Montjuic is the funicular from Paral.lel. This one is included in the transport cards (like T-10)
Funicular de Montjuic

TIBIDABO

- The Blue Tram starts at Av. Tibidabo, you can reach it by FGC train L7 (Pl. Catalunya- Av Tibidabo) or several buses. The Blue Tram will take you to the bottom of the Funicular that reach Tibidabo's top (Amusement park, church...)

Blue Tram only runs on weekends off-season, here you have their timetables:
Tramvia Blau

When the Blue Tram is not running, you can take a bus instead to the Funicular

The Funicular only runs when the Amusement Park is open
Funicular del Tibidabo

The only time I tried to get on the Blue Tram the queues were so huge we decided to walk up (we were going to CosmmoCaixa, not to the top). I never went to Tibidabo using public transport so I can't tell you first hand how convenient it is (it looks fun indeed)

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