One ticket covers everything. Barcelona’s travel tickets work on all public transport in zone 1, the central city: metro, buses, trams and local trains. Each journey lasts 75 minutes, so you can change from the metro to a bus, for example, and you’re only charged for one trip as long as you switch within that time. The one exception is the airport metro stations, which need a separate airport ticket (the Hola Barcelona card covers them).
Metro
The metro is the quickest way around the city, with frequent trains from about 5am until midnight, later on Friday nights and all night on Saturdays. Most stations have lifts, and the colour-coded map is easy for older children to follow.
Lines are numbered L1, L2 and so on, and each has its own colour. Make sure you get on in the right direction: each platform is signed with the name of the last stop on the line in that direction.
Buses
City buses are handy for shorter hops and for seeing the city as you go. Every bus is step-free, with space for pushchairs. Get on at the front and validate your ticket.
Trams
Barcelona’s modern trams (the TRAM) are step-free and easy with a pushchair, and use the same tickets as the metro and buses. There are two separate tram networks, which don’t join up yet:
Trambaix (lines T1, T2 and T3): starts at Francesc Macià on Avinguda Diagonal and runs west along the Diagonal, past L’Illa shopping centre and Zona Universitària (within walking distance of Camp Nou), then out to the suburbs of Esplugues, Cornellà and Sant Feliu.
Trambesòs (lines T4, T5 and T6): starts from Ciutadella | Vila Olímpica, by Parc de la Ciutadella and the Zoo, and from Verdaguer on Avinguda Diagonal. It runs through Glòries and out to Diagonal Mar, the Fòrum and the beaches at the northern end of the city, then on to Sant Adrià and Badalona.
Work has started to link the two networks along the Diagonal, with the connection due around 2028.
Trains
FGC trains take you up to the edge of the city, for Tibidabo and CosmoCaixa, and further afield to places such as Montserrat. Rodalies trains take you out of town to stops up and down the coast, and to the airport.
Tickets: the T-mobilitat card
Barcelona uses the T-mobilitat system. You load your travel tickets onto a rechargeable card, or onto your phone, and top it up when it runs out.
On a card: Buy a T-mobilitat card for €1 at the ticket machine in any metro station (the machines have English menus), load your ticket onto it, and recharge it at any machine.
On your phone: Download the TMB app, register, and choose the Mobile option. You can then buy tickets in the app and tap your phone at the gates. It works on Android phones with NFC and on iPhones (iOS 17.4 or later), with a one-off €1 charge the first time.
Which ticket should we buy?
T-casual: For one person. 10 journeys, each allowing changes within 75 minutes. It’s personal, so each person needs their own.
T-familiar: Good value for families. 8 journeys in 30 days that the whole group can share on one card: tap it once for each person.
Hola Barcelona: Unlimited travel for 2, 3, 4 or 5 days, including the airport metro. Handy for busy sightseeing days. Buy the Hola Barcelona card →
Barcelona City Card: Free entry to 25+ museums and cultural venues, 70+ discounts on tours and attractions, and an option with unlimited public transport (including the airport train) for 2–5 days. There’s a cheaper Kids card for ages 4–12, and under-4s are free. Buy the Barcelona City Card →
Under-4s: Always travel free.
