Hola Barcelona Public Transport Travel Card

The Barcelona metro

The Barcelona metro is the fastest way to move around the city. Its colour-coded lines connect the old town, the Eixample district, the beaches, Montjuïc and the business areas, with trains every few minutes during the day. On weekdays the metro runs until about midnight, later on Friday nights and all night on Saturdays, so a 72-hour card covers both daytime sightseeing and evening outings.

With Hola Barcelona you simply insert or tap your card at the gates each time you travel, as often as you like. Changing lines is free, and the Montjuïc funicular from Paral·lel station is part of the metro network and included. The card turns a busy itinerary into a relaxed one, since you never need to think about single tickets or queues at machines.

From Barcelona Airport to the city

One of the biggest advantages of this card is the airport link. Metro line 9 South connects both terminals of Barcelona Airport with the city's metro network, and the suburban train runs from Terminal 2 to central stations such as Sants and Passeig de Gràcia. Both normally require a special airport ticket, but they are included with Hola Barcelona.

If you are wondering how to get from Barcelona Airport to the city centre cheaply, exchange your voucher at the tourist information office in the arrivals area of Terminal 1 or 2, validate the card and take the metro or the train straight to your hotel. Plan your 72 hours so that your first and last journeys match your arrival and departure, and the transfer is covered both ways.

Buses, trams and trains in zone 1

The card is also valid on the city day buses, which reach areas the metro does not, such as the upper slopes of Montjuïc and the hills behind Gràcia. Barcelona's modern trams run along the Diagonal avenue and towards the waterfront, and the urban railway lines connect the centre with upper neighbourhoods like Sarrià and the foot of Tibidabo.

Suburban trains within zone 1 are included too, which is useful for reaching nearby beaches and towns at the edge of the city. Night buses, the airport express bus and the Montjuïc cable car are not included. Hola Barcelona tickets give you the freedom to switch between modes and choose the most scenic or fastest route every time.

Reaching Barcelona's main sights

Almost every landmark is close to a station. The Sagrada Família has its own stop on lines 2 and 5, and the famous hillside park of mosaics above Gràcia is a short climb from the Lesseps and Vallcarca stations on line 3. Barceloneta station on line 4 leads to the beach and the old fishing quarter, while Plaça d'Espanya on lines 1 and 3 is the gateway to Montjuïc.

Is the Hola Barcelona card worth it? If you plan more than four or five journeys a day, or arrive by air, it usually saves both time and money. Validity starts at the first validation, not at purchase, so you can buy in advance and start the clock when your trip begins.