Using the Barcelona Metro

Barcelona is a beautiful and exciting city to see, but the idea of getting around can be a bit intimidating, especially because of the size of the city. Luckily, staying at a Sant Jordi Hostels Barcelona hostel gives you easy access to all there is to see.

No matter how you choose to get around, transportation in Barcelona is cheap and efficient. The options include walking, taking the bus, getting a taxi, or using the metro. From experience, the Barcelona metro is the simplest and quickest way to get around. But by all means, if you have the time and the energy, walk! The best way to explore a new area is by seeing it on foot.

The metro in Barcelona is not only a fast and easy way to get around the city, it is also inexpensive, reliable and runs on a very useful schedule.

Days and Times

Worried about not knowing when the metro is running? An easy to use table is shown below. One of the best things about the Barcelona metro system is that you will not be waiting for long. Each station has the metro arriving every 2 to 6 minutes.

Tickets

The most common type of metro ticket is the T-Casual. This ticket gives you 10 intermodal journeys from 1 to 6 zones from €11.35. In the case of one-zone cards, passengers have 75 minutes between the first and last validation when changing lines or mode of transport. This time increases by 15 minutes for each zone. Not valid for Aeroport T1 and Aeroport T2 metro stations on line L9 Sud. What better way to get around the city? Believe it or not the metro card can be used for the bus as well, so no need to buy another. If you think you will be using the metro often then a card for a specific number of days would be best. These tickets range from 2 to 5 consecutive days with unlimited usage.

*The prices listed above are current as of August, 2021. They are subject to change.

If you are staying at the Rock Palace hostel in Barcelona then you will be only two blocks away, or a 6-minute walk, from the metro stop Passeig de Gracia. This stop is extremely useful because it is where three different metro lines meet; L2, L3, L4. The map below map is provided on the back of a flyer that you will receive when checking in at the Rock Palace hostel.

Taking the Metro to the  Barcelona Airport

Getting to the Barcelona airport (BCN) with the metro is very easy and convenient, but keep in mind that to get to the Barcelona airport with the metro you need to purchase a special ticket. The ticket you purchase to get around the city is not the same as the one to get to the Barcelona airport. However, there is a metro line (L9) that takes you directly to the airport terminals 1 and 2. A single ticket (one way for one person) to the Barcelona Airport using the metro costs €5.15. The line to the airport is the L9. The stations on the L9 metro line are as follows:

Zona Universitària (Barcelona City)
Collblanc
Can Tries/Gornal
Europa/Fira
Fira
Parc Logístic
Mercabarna
El Prat Estació
Cèntric
Parc Nou
Mas Blau
Aeroport T2 (Airport terminal 2)
Aeroport T1 (Airport terminal 1)

When looking at a metro map, look for the station that changes to L9S. This will take you to the airport and the metro runs every 7 minutes! Keep in mind heavy travel times, peak hours, and any unexpected delays.

Airport / Tickets info

T-usual ticket: Valid for the Aeroport T1 and Aeroport T2 metro stations of the L9 Sud line.

T-día ticket: It also allows a maximum of one round trip to or from the Aeroport T1 and Aeroport T2 metro stations of the L9 Sud line.

Pick-pockets in the Barcelona Metro

It is a well known fact that pick-pocketing is common in Barcelona. One of the most frequent places for pick-pocketing to occur is on the metro. The great thing is that there are ways to prevent it from happening to you:

1. Pay attention to your belongings and your surroundings
2. Do not keep anything in your back pockets
3. If you have zippers on a purse or bag then have them in front of you so no one can open your bag
4. Invest in luggage locks. They are cheap but effective
5. While on the metro, hold your bag in front of you. Even a backpack!
6. Be careful of distractions. Pick-pocketers often work in groups so as one person creates the distraction, the other will go for your stuff
7. Watch out for your friends. Keep an eye out for each other

Any additional information about the Barcelona Metro can be found on their website:
https://www.tmb.cat/en/home