Scooters are a familiar sight on the streets of Barcelona. A practical way to beat traffic jams and travel quickly around the city, the combination of good weather and easy parking make electric scooters an increasingly popular choice.
If you’re visiting Barcelona for a few days and fancy having fun exploring the city on two wheels. You’ll be glad to know that plenty of companies and apps that rent electric scooters in the city.
Electric scooters are widely available for rent in Barcelona. Prices vary depending on the type of scooter and the duration of the rental. The average daily rental cost is approximately €25 for an electric kick scooter or €40 for an electric moped. Hourly rates range from €10 to €30. Electric scooter sharing apps are also available and cost around 25 cents per minute.
This post contains everything you need to know when hiring an electric scooter in Barcelona, including where to rent an e-scooter in Barcelona, where to park, rules of the road, and tips to help you have fun and stay safe.
Types of electric scooters available for rent in Barcelona
Electric scooters can be divided into three main types; electric kick-scooters, self-balancing electric scooters and electric mopeds.
Each type of scooter has its own set of advantages and disadvantages that you should consider when deciding which to rent. More importantly, each type of scooter is affected by different regulations and local bylaws.
Electric kick-scooters
Kick-scooters, are the most popular type of electric scooter in Barcelona. With a top speed of 25 km/h, most kick-scooters fold up for easy storage and have become a popular choice for commuting within the city.
Electric kick-scooters are available for rental in Barcelona either by the hour or on a daily basis. There are also several companies that offer guided tours of Barcelona’s top sites using this type of electric scooter.
Self-balancing electric scooters
Self-balancing electric scooters, commonly referred to as Segways, first appeared on the streets of Barcelona more than ten years ago.
Unfortunately, at the time, they were unregulated and, as popularity grew, they quickly became a nuisance in the narrow streets of the Gothic Quarter. As a result, Barcelona city council introduced laws regulating their use, and Segways can now only be rented as part of a tour.
For more information about Segway tours available from the official Barcelona Tourist office, click here.
Electric mopeds
Electric mopeds are basically similar to regular petrol-driven mopeds except that they are fitted with an electric motor and battery.
Electric mopeds are becoming increasingly popular with Barcelona residents, and you’ll see this type of electric scooter parked all around the city. They are most commonly rented by the minute using ride-sharing apps such as Redy but are also available to hire by the hour and by the day.
Where can you ride an electric scooter in Barcelona?
Electric Kick-scooters can be ridden on cycle lanes and on roads that have a speed limit of 30 km/h; they may not be ridden on the pavement unless there is a designated cycle path.
Barcelona has an extensive network of cycle lanes that cover the entire city. At last count, there were a total of 137km of cycle lanes, all of which can be used by electric kick-scooters.
Many of Barcelona’s cycle lanes run along the side of the road, where they are separated from motorised traffic by a line of blocks. There are cycle paths in many of the city’s parks and a cycle lane that runs the entire length of Barcelona’s seafront, which is just over 4km long.
As mentioned above, self-balancing electric scooters (Segways) may only be rented when accompanied by a guide as part of a tour. Segway tours typically last two to three hours and include the beach, The Gothic Quarter, Ciutadella Park, Sagrada Familia and Av. Diagonal, all of which are very scenic areas of the city.
Electric mopeds are governed by the same laws that regulate traditional (petrol driven) mopeds. They may only be used on the streets and are not allowed to use cycle lanes or cycle paths.
Where can you park an electric scooter in Barcelona?
Electric scooters and mopeds may be parked in designated motorbike parking areas on the street; look out for diagonal white lines on the asphalt and a blue sign with the word “Motos” underneath. They may also be parked on the pavement, as long as you comply with a strict set of guidelines.
You are only allowed to park a motorbike/scooter on pavements that are more than three metres wide. There must be at least three metres for the passage of pedestrians, and the bike must not be parked close to a building or within two metres of a bus stop. More information here.
Electric scooters (including kick-scooters) may not be parked in areas that are designated for parking bicycles. They also may not be locked or chained to lamp posts, railings, signposts, benches etc. This strict, and some would say unreasonable, law was introduced in 2019 as a way of controlling the large number of unlicensed scooter-sharing companies which had sprung up in the city.
Illegally parked electric scooters get towed away. The rental company that owns the scooter is then fined and will invariably pass the cost of the fine, plus an administration charge on to the person who was renting the scooter at the time.
Where to rent an electric scooter in Barcelona
There are several companies that rent kick-scooters in Barcelona. Rentals are either priced per hour or per day and include the loan of a helmet (required by law) and advice about riding a scooter in Barcelona. The companies listed all get a five-star rating on TripAdvisor.
Lynx
Lynx operates a fleet of top-of-the-range XIAOMI scooters and has two Barcelona offices located at Passeig de Sant Joan, 63 and Carrer del Comte d’Urgell, 13. The rental price includes a helmet and charger. You can either pick up your scooter from one of their offices or have it delivered to your hotel or apartment.
For more information, go to Lynx e-scooter rentals and use the code PHBCN at checkout to get a phone holder included free of charge with your rental, usually €1.50.
Jetscoot
Jetscoot rents three different types of electric scooters from their offices at Carrer de Sant Pere Més Baix, 29. They also have other offices where they rent e-bikes, jet skis and other water sports equipment. Rentals are priced on a per-hour basis.
Rent Electric
Rent Electric rent a range of electric vehicles, including e-scooters, e-bikes and Renault Twizy electric cars. Rental prices are per hour and include a helmet and map.
GoMeep
For longer stays, or if you are thinking of moving to Barcelona, GoMeep rent electric scooters on a monthly basis at a very competitive price. The minimum rental period is currently two months.
Electric scooter-sharing apps
There are half a dozen electric scooter-sharing apps in Barcelona, each of which has a fleet of easily identified electric mopeds that are parked at designated motorbike parking areas throughout the city.
All of the apps work roughly the same way. In my experience with Yego, after installing the app, you have to create an account. You then enter your credit card details and upload a photo of your driving licence and ID card or passport and wait until your account is approved. The approval process can take up to two days, so it’s best to install the app before you arrive in Barcelona.
Once your account is approved, you can use the app to find and reserve the nearest available scooter. Once you have booked a scooter, you have 15 minutes to start your journey.
The price charged by the apps is around 25 cents per minute. This includes two helmets which are stored in the top box or under the seat and insurance. The minutes used are accumulated and charged to your credit card at the end of each month.
Please check full details when installing the app because each company has different policies and fees. Ecooltra, for example, offers prepaid packs and contracts, which may work out cheaper than renting by the minute.
The most popular e-scooter sharing apps in Barcelona are:
Yego
Yego is a Barcelona based start-up that currently rents scooters in Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Malaga Paris and Bordeaux (France). Yego operates a fleet of green retro-styled electric mopeds which look like vintage Lambrettas or Vespas and are a fun way of getting around the city in style.
Ecooltra
Ecooltra is currently the largest e-scooter sharing company in Europe with a network that covers Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Paris and Rome, making them a good choice if you will also be visiting one or more of these cities.
Get €5 credit for free here >>
Acciona
Acciona is a Spanish e-scooter sharing company that currently rents electric mopeds in Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Seville, Malaga, and Rome. The Acciona bikes have two power options (equivalent to a 50cc or 100cc petrol moped), which makes them a good choice if two of you are on the bike.
Get 30 minutes free credit here >>
SEAT MÓtosharing
Spanish car manufacturers SEAT has a large factory just outside Barcelona. A few years ago, they started manufacturing a series of electric motorbikes, a fleet of which are operated in Barcelona under the brand name SEAT MÓtosharing. The SEAT scooters have three power options, the most powerful of which is equivalent to a 125cc motorbike.
Reby
The popular electric scooter sharing app Reby operates in Barcelona using a fleet of stripped down and rather basic looking electric mopeds.
Founded in 2018, the company initially operated a fleet of kick-scooters in the city. When local bylaws were introduced in 2019 restricting their use, the company withdrew its fleet of kick-scooters (which can still be hired in other Spanish cities) and started operating electric mopeds instead.
Electric scooter tours in Barcelona
There are several companies which offer tours of Barcelona by electric scooters. Tours typically last from one to three hours and take in many of the city’s most famous sites.
Segwayday
Segwayday offers several itineraries by electric scooter, Segways and (petrol) mopeds from their office at Carrer d’en Rull, 2, Barcelona.
Find out more and book tickets online >>
Rules covering the use of electric scooters in Barcelona
Electric scooters are classed as motor vehicles and have to follow the same rules of the road as other motor vehicles; they are also subjected to a series of specific laws and by-laws, which are listed below. For general information about general traffic laws, you should check the DGT website (in Spanish) or click here for information in English.
Laws governing the use of electric kick-scooters
The following rules apply to electric kick-scooters in Barcelona.
- Electric kick-scooters may be driven on roads with a 30 km/h maximum speed limit and on cycle lanes or cycle paths.
- They may not be ridden on the pavement unless there is a designated cycle path. The maximum possible fine is €500.
- The maximum speed for kick-scooters is 25km/h when ridden on a cycle lane on the road or 10km/h on cycle lanes that are on pavements or in pedestrianised areas.
- They may also be ridden in parks, maximum speed 10km/h.
- Electric kick-scooters may NOT be parked in areas designated for parking bicycles (more information above).
- The minimum age for riding an electric kick scooter with a top speed of 25 km/h is 15 years, although some rental companies set a minimum age of 16.
- Electric kick-scooters with a max speed of 25 km/h can be ridden without a driving licence.
- You must wear a helmet when riding an e-scooter in Barcelona.
There’s more information on the Barcelona Town Hall website.
Rules governing the use of electric mopeds
The following rules apply to electric mopeds in Barcelona
- The minimum age for riding an electric moped in Spain is 16, although most rental companies require you to be 18.
- A driving licence is required, class A1, A2, A or class B with two years experience. EU driving licences are valid in Spain. If you have a US driving licence, you will also need an IDP (International Driving Permit). At the moment, UK driving licences may be used in Spain for a period of up to six months without an IDP.
- Electric mopeds may be used on roads with a maximum speed limit of 30 or 50km/h.
- Electric mopeds are not allowed on ring roads or motorways.
- A helmet must be worn when riding an electric moped.
- Insurance is obligatory and included in the price charged by hire companies and apps.
- Electric mopeds may be parked on the road in the areas designated for motorbikes and, under certain conditions, on the pavement. There’s more information earlier in the article.
General advice for riding an electric scooter or moped in Barcelona
Traffic in Barcelona is heavy and often congested, so you should always drive defensively and leave room for error.
A large percentage of road users ride motorbikes, and because of this, car drivers are generally very accustomed to the fact that motorcycles pass them on either side. However, you should watch out for other motorcyclists who will assume that you will take advantage of every available gap in the traffic.
Kick-scooters have the advantage that they can use cycle lanes. However, some cycle lanes run in the opposite direction to the rest of the traffic, and you should be wary of pedestrians stepping off the pavement without looking both ways.
Likewise, when using cycle paths that are marked on pavements and pedestrianised areas, you should watch out for pedestrians who may suddenly walk into the cycle path. Unlike cycle lanes on the roads, which are separated from the cars by blocks or a kerb, cycle lanes on pavements are usually only marked by a painted line.
If you decide to leave the scooter parked on the pavement, make sure you comply with the rules linked above. Illegally parked scooters do get towed away, sometimes three or four at a time.
