Fares on Barcelona’s public transport network are based on zones, much as they are in London and Paris. Unlike London, the entire city of Barcelona and some adjoining towns are within Zone 1. Zones 2 to 6 cover surrounding towns and cities, which are also included in the integrated fare system.
Different maps, different zones
Many people don’t realize that the zones on the ATM map (Barcelona’s metropolitan transport system) aren’t exactly the same as those on the RENFE map (Spanish train network).
The differences are minor and only affect a few stations, so it’s hard to spot if you check the individual maps online.
However, if you compare the maps side-by-side, you’ll see that there are several discrepancies. One of which is especially interesting for budget-minded travellers visiting Barcelona.
Firstly, Sitges and Mataró are both in Zone 3 on the ATM map and Zone 4 on the RENFE map. More importantly, Barcelona airport is in zone one on the TMB map and zone 4 on the RENFE map!
This means that if you purchase a single RENFE ticket from the airport to Barcelona Sants train station, it will cost you €4.60, whereas if you purchase a T-casual travel pass (10 journeys by bus, metro, tram and train), the same journey on the same train will cost just €1.22.
Another advantage of the T-casual is that it allows you to transfer to the metro or bus as part of the same journey, whereas the single train ticket or Bonotren only covers the train.
Important information about the L9 sud Airport metro
Despite the fact that both airport metro stations are within ATM zone 1, neither the T-casual nor the standard single metro ticket is valid for the airport metro stations. Instead, you have to purchase a special airport ticket, which costs €5.50 for a single journey and is only valid for the metro*.
If you do decide to use the metro to get to and from the airport, you should think about purchasing a Hola Barcelona Travel Card, which allows unlimited transport within zone 1 by metro, bus, train and tram and costs €16.62 for 48 hours when purchased online.
Find out more about Barcelona sightseeing passes and discount cards
If you mistakenly use a standard single-journey ticket or a T-casual to travel to one of the airport metro stations, you will have to purchase an airport ticket in order to be able to exit through the ticket barriers.
*Note: The T-casual and standard single journey tickets are valid when travelling to or from any of the other stations on the L9 sud metro line. You only need the special airport metro ticket when boarding/alighting at the airport T1 or T2 stations.
Zone two towns which sometimes count as zone one
If you look carefully at the ATM zoning map, you’ll see that some areas of Zone 2 (2A, 2B and 2C) are coloured dark green, the same as Zone 1.
The 18 towns in these areas are covered by the Tarifa Metropolitana (Metropolitan Fare). This means that if you start your journey in zone one, the towns are effectively in the same zone, and you can use a one-zone ticket or travel pass. On the other hand, if you begin your journey in zones two or more, then they are in zone 2.
This might sound confusing, but it basically means that if you are travelling from the city centre, then these towns, which are effectively suburbs of Barcelona, are in zone one. On the other hand, if you are travelling from outside Barcelona, they are in zone 2, also saving you the price of an extra zone.
How many zones? Which ticket do I need?
As can be seen from the maps linked above, there are a total of six transport zones radiating out from Barcelona city centre.
When you purchase a single-journey ticket, you can simply select your destination; no need to worry about which transport zone it’s in.
If you will be travelling outside of Zone 1 and want to save money by purchasing a multi-trip travel pass (T-casual, T-Jove, etc…), you will have to decide the number of zones needed.
To do this, you simply need to work out how many successive zones you will be travelling in, to a maximum of six zones.
For example, if you will be travelling from Barcelona (zone 1) to Mataró (zone 3), you need a 3-zone ticket, travelling in zones 1-2-3.
From Calella (zone 4) to Blanes (zone 5), you need a 2-zone ticket, travelling in zones 4 & 5.
The only exception is if you will be travelling between two consecutive stations, which happen to be in different zones. For example, from the last station in Zone 3 to the first station in Zone 4. In this case, you only need a 1 zone travel pass.
As always, if you’ve any questions, comment below, and I’ll do my best to answer them.
All prices and fares mentioned in this post were checked and updated in February 2024.
I am travelling from Blanes to Barcelona Sants, I’ll then be sightseeing for the day by using the Metro. I am confused with the ticketing, do I buy a 6 zone single and what does this cover? Will I need to buy anymore tickets?
Thanks Daryl
Hi Daryl,
If you’re travelling alone then yes, for two journeys it will work out cheapest to purchase two single six-zone train tickets to get to Barcelona and then, depending on your plans in Barcelona, purchase a separate one zone travel pass or single metro tickets for getting around the city.
To clarify, when you purchase your ticket in Blanes, you just need to select the destination and it will automatically give you a 6 zone ticket. Note that this ticket only covers the train and doesn’t allow you to transfer to the metro. Also, although Barcelona Sants is the main train station in Barcelona, it’s not the most centrally located. The R1 from Blanes also stops at Plaça de Catalunya which is closer to major sites including the Gothic Quarter and Passeig de Graàcia.
Which tickets or travel pass you should purchase in Barcelona will depend on how much you plan to use public transport while in the city. If you let me know your rough itinerary, I’ll tell you which ticket or pass I think will work out the cheapest.
We are a group of 8 travelling from airport to pineda de mar. Would a T family 4 zone card be applicable? (because on renfe it is in zone 5). thanks.
Hi Ming,
That is correct, Pineda de Mar is in Zone 5 on the RENFE map and Zone 4 on the ATM map so you can use a 4 zone T-familiar for this journey.
Take the R2 Nord train from Barcelona Airport terminal 2 to Barcelona El Clot Aragó followed by the R1 or RG1 to Pineda del Mar. Northbound trains depart from platform 4 at Barcelona El Clot Aragó station.
Hi Richard, you have a very helpful site! I was hoping you can direct me to the best ticket/combo of tickets.
We are in Barcelona for 2 days prior to a cruise. We are staying on La Rambla and want to do the go car (we did this in San Francisco and it was great!), we have tix for sagrada, want to visit the Miro museum, some of the interiors of Gaudi buildings that used to be closed to tourists on our prior visit in the 90s, and I want to take the high speed train to figueres-vilafant to see the Dali museum. I was hoping there was some kind of rail/subway ticket that combined this somehow but I can’t seem to locate one for that purpose. You talk a lot about zones but I can’t figure out if the Dali train stop is in a zone that would apply. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Hi Ilene,
Figueres is outside the Barcelona travel zones so it’s not covered by the passes which cover the trains, subway, buses and trams.
Having said that, AVE high-speed train tickets include a Combinado Cercanias code which, depending on where you will be staying on La Rambla, you can use for the Rodalies train from Plaça de Catalunya to Barcelona Sants, where the train to Figueres Vilafant departs from. There’s more information about the Combinado Cercanias ticket in this post and more information about purchasing train tickets online here. AVE tickets usually go on sale approximately 2 months before the date of travel and are discounted when they first go on sale.
If you are staying further down La Rambla, you can take the L3 metro to Barcelona Sants Estaciò which is linked to the Barcelona Sants train station. This journey isn’t covered by the combinado cercanias but it is covered by the travel passes which are listed in this post. The only pass which includes transport and discounted entry to some of the Gaudí houses is the Barcelona Card, although the discount at Casa Batlló and Casa Milá is only 3 Euros so I don’t think that this pass is worth buying for the sights you mention because you can get almost the same discount by purchasing your tickets online without a pass.
For your itinerary, you will probably find that either a T-casual or T-familiar will be your best option for public transport. The exception would be if you plan to take take the metro from the airport or will be using public transport more than five times per day in which case it would make sense to purchase a Hola Barcelona Pass. There’s more information about these passes here.
Depending on which of the Gaudí houses you plan to visit, you could take a look at the Three Houses of Gaudí Pass, which covers La Pedrera, Casa Batlló, Palau Güell and includes a Barcelona Audio Guide. If you’re not interested in the Audio Guide, then it works out slightly cheaper to book the individual sites online although the pass is convenient since it lets you book all your tickets in one go.
Thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for. I am staying a few blocks from Plaça de Catalunya so that is perfect.
You’re welcome Ilene.
Thanks for your help and wonderful website. After reading more I have a query about bonotren. Ten of us (a convenient number apparently!) are travelling to Tarragona and Girona for day trips by train from Barcelona. Not sure which zone Tarragona is in or whether Girona is in a zone at all. Presumably only slow trains to Girona. Is there any equivalent for the faster ones. Can you help please?
Hi John,
Both Girona and Tarragona are beyond the Barcelona zone system but you can still purchase a Bonotren or Bono Exprés ticket which cover regional and regional exprés trains respectively. To purchase from a ticket vending machine, after selecting the destination you get the option of choosing a single ticket or Bonotren.
For Tarragona, you should take either a regional or regional exprés train because they stop at Tarragona station which is in the city. The high-speed AVE trains stop at Camp de Tarragona station which is 16km from Tarragona and by the time you’ve caught a bus to the city centre it works out slower than the “slow” train. There’s more information about this in my Tarragona guide.
For Girona, there is a Bono 10 Regional pass that covers Media Distancia and AVANT trains but it can’t be shared.
AVE high-speed tickets usually go on sale two months in advance and the sooner you purchase them the cheaper they are, the cheapest seats are the “Tourist Table” tickets which are four seats on either side of a table.
There is also a BonoAve Colaborativo pass which can be shared between up to four people but I’ve not used it and don’t know how much you will save compared to purchasing regular tickets well in advance because they are a fixed price, I suspect not much. You can find out more about the BonoAVE Colaborativo here.
Eight of us are going to Sitges from our apartment in Barcelona. Can we use a three zone t- familia on bus then train to get there. Thanks.
Hi John,
Yes, you can. Remember to validate the T-familiar once per person when you board the bus and then again when passing through the ticket barrier at the train station.
When you use a three-zone T-familiar, you’re allowed a maximum of one hour and 45 minutes between the first and last validations, which will be more than enough time.
Please note that he T-familiar can’t be purchased on the bus but you can buy them at metro stops, train stations and tram stops in Barcelona.
Hi Richard ,
Thank you for putting together such a fantastic and informative site, it’s so helpful!
Me and my partner are travelling to Barcelona next Friday and would like to know the best ticket to buy which will get us from the airport to the Passeig de Gracia stop from where we’ll catch the L1 metro to Arc de triomf.
We’re there for 3 nights and plan to visit attractions in the centre with the furthest ones being Nu camp and by moll de Ponent , should we buy a 4 day pass and if so which would one would you suggest ?
Thanks for any info and kindest regards from Jet :)
Hi Jet,
All the locations which you’ve mentioned are in transport zone 1.
Unfortunately, the L1 metro doesn’t stop at Passeig de Gràcia, so you’re going to have to change your plan slightly ;-)
You don’t say what time your flight arrives or at which airport terminal you land, so I’m going to assume that you will arrive when the trains and metro are running.
The fastest way to get to Arc de Triomf by public transport would be to take the Aerobús to Plaça d’Espanya followed by the L1 metro to Arc de Triomf. The entrance to the metro is about 100m from the bus stop.
The cheapest way would be to take the airport train from terminal 2 to Barcelona Sants and then catch a train (whichever arrives first of R1, R3 or R4) to Arc de Triomf. The airport train normally arrives at platform 13 or 14, the onwards train to Arc de Triomf (whichever of the lines mentioned) normally departs from platform 8 although you should check the signs on the platforms before boarding the train.
The time difference between these two options is largely due to the fact that there are only two airport trains per hour (one every 30 minutes) whereas the Aerobús departs every 5 minutes. Also, if your flight lands at Terminal 1, you will have to catch the free shuttle bus from terminal 1 to terminal 2 where the train station is located whereas the Aerobús departs from both terminals (T1 and T2).
If you decide to catch the train, then you could purchase a T-familiar ticket which costs €10 for 8 combined journeys and can be shared between the two of you. This means that the entire journey will cost just €1.25 each. The T-familiar isn’t valid for the Aerobús or the airport metro but it is valid for the airport train. You could then use the remaining 6 journeys on the ticket during the rest of your stay, for example, to travel to Camp Nou. If you decide to take the Aerobús plus metro to your hotel then you’d have to purchase an additional ticket each for the Aerobús which costs €5.90.
There’s more info about getting to and from the airport in this post, and more information about the travel cards in this post. The second post will help you decide whether it’s worth buying a 4-day travel pass or a different sightseeing pass during your stay.
My rule of thumb for choosing between the T-familiar and the Hola Barcelona Travel Pass is that if you will use public transport more than five times per day OR take the airport metro, then the Hola Barcelona Travel Pass will work out cheaper.
Although not right in the city centre, the Arc de Triomf is a fairly central location, so if you like walking and plan your days logically you could see the sights which are in the Gothic Quarter on foot and just use the metro when you visit sites which are away from the centre such as Camp Nou, la Sagrada Familia, Park Güell etc. In which case you’d probably find that 2 T-familiars shared between the two you would be enough (buy one at the airport train station then when it runs out buy another).
On the other hand, the Hola Barcelona Travel Card would give you the flexibility that you can use unlimited public transport whenever you feel like it for a fixed price.
Since you mentioned el Moll de Ponent, I’m assuming you’re departing on a cruise ship right? If so, a taxi from near the Arc de Triomf, which would be my choice, would cost approximately €15. Alternatively, you could take the metro L1 to Plaça de Catalunya followed by the L3 to Drassanes. From here it’s a short walk to the Cruise Bus stop, which is near the Columbus Monument at the end of La Rambla. The Cruise bus to the Cruise Ship terminals costs €3 per person and isn’t covered by any of the travel passes. There’s more information about the cruise bus and where it stops in this post.
Hi Richard, thank you for this awesome site!
My family and I will be traveling to Barcelona and staying within zone 1.
However, my sister will be arriving on 18th and then mum, brother and myself will arrive on the 19th.
The leave on the 23rd altogether and 6am, so arrive at the airport for atleast 4:30/5am.
What would be best the option and also what would be the cheapest option for us to get to Barcelona, travel through the city and back to the airport? (From what I have seen, the hola BCN card or the T-grup cards will be the best?)
Also, are the card available to use at night/Early morning?
Furthermore, would you be able to clarify how the multi-person card and the multi trips works?
Thank you in advance,
Alvin
Hi Alvin,
Which travel card is best largely depends on how much you expect to use public transport. The T-grup costs €79.45 for seventy journeys, which works out at €1.14 per journey whereas the Hola BCN works out at a little under €7 per person per each 24 hour period (starting from the first time you use it) for unlimited journeys.
The other things to bear in mind when deciding are that the Hola Barcelona Travel Card is valid for the Airport metro, which costs €4.60 whereas the T-grup isn’t. The T-grup is valid for the night bus, the Hola BCN isn’t. Neither of them cover the Aerobús.
To share a T-grup, or other multiperson cards such as the T-familiar, between several people you have to validate the card once for each person when entering the metro or train or when boarding a bus or tram. At the metro and train stations there are ticket barriers where the first person inserts the ticket in the slot, goes through the barrier, takes the ticket as it is returned to him/her and then passes it back to the next person who does the same. There are ticket validating machines on the buses and trains where you do the same, although there’s no barrier to go through. There’s a photo of a validating machine in this post, they’re located just inside the doors of the buses and trams.
There are three possibilities for getting to the airport at 4am; a taxi, the Aerobús and the night bus. Personally, since there are four of you, at that time of day I’d take a taxi.
The best choice for getting to the city centre when you arrive in Barcelona depends on where you are staying, which airport terminal you land at and how much you value convenience over price. Let me know which hotel you’re staying at and which terminal you land at and I’ll give you some suggestions.
If you haven’t seen them already, check out this post which has more information about travel passes and this one which compares the different transport options at the airport.
We are a group of 7 arriving in Barcelona airport on 17th March. We plan to be in the city on 17th and 18th and plan to go to Tarragona on 19th and 20th. We return on 21st by morning flight. I was wondering which kind of ticket will be best for us. Different T-Casuals or 1 T-grup.
Hi Victor,
I don’t recommend the T-grup because the cost per journey is exactly the same as the T-Casual with the disadvantage that you’d all have to travel together all the time. For example, if part of your group wanted to visit Camp Nou while the others wanted to see the castle on Montjuic you’d have to buy some additional tickets.
Neither ticket covers the journey to Tarragona. When visiting Tarragona, you should take the Regional or Regional Express trains that arrive at Tarragona station, close to the city centre. The high-speed AVE -trains arrive at Camp de Tarragona station, located approximately 16km from the city. There’s more information about this in my Tarragona guide.
Bonotren tickets can be shared between multiple people, so the cheapest way to visit Tarragona with a group of seven people would be to purchase one Bono Exprés ticket and four single tickets.
Hi!
I will be in BCN for work and will get the T-casual card for 1 Zone (BCN), but will need to travel to Terrassa once or twice, can you simply buy an exit fare to exit there since it would be 3 zones in total, or do you have to purchase a separate card to begin with? Many Thanks!
Hi Michael,
You will have to purchase a separate ticket before boarding the train.
There are several train stations in Terrassa and, depending on which area of the city you are going to, you can choose between FGC (line S1) and RENFE Rodalies trains (line R4). There’s more information about Terrassa in this post.
Hi Richard,
thank you so much for your website. It is so helpful. I’m planning a trip to Barcelona in March and as part of that, a day trip to the Dali museum in Figueres, Girona. G-Maps suggests I take the RENFE train from Barcelona-Sants to FigueresVilafant for 35.80 rt (17.90 1-way). Are you aware of any other way? And if I do use the RENFE, is this covered using the Barcelona Travel Card?
Thank you
Hi Baz,
Figueres is beyond the Barcelona public transport zones and isn’t covered by any of the Barcelona travel cards.
The trains from Barcelona Sants to Figueres Vilafant are high-speed AVE/AVANT trains that take just under an hour. You then need to take the bus from Figueres Vilafant train station to Figueres town centre that takes about ten minutes and stops near the museum. The buses are scheduled to meet the trains.
There are also regional and middle-distance trains from Barcelona that arrive at Figueres station, which is near the town centre, that are slightly cheaper but take considerably longer (between 1hr 45 minutes and 2hr 45 minutes).
Alternatively, there are buses from Barcelona Estació del Nord bus station to Figueres town centre but they also take around 2hrs 45 minutes.
There’s more information about all three modes of transport in my post about Figueres and the Dali Theatre-Museum.
If you book the high-speed train in advance, it’s only slightly more expensive than the regional trains and saves time (there’s a discount for booking early). The only advantage of the slower trains is that they stop in other train stations within Barcelona. The slow trains can’t be booked in advance, you have to buy tickets at the station.
The RENFE website is notoriously hard to use so I wrote this post which explains how to book tickets step-by-step.
hi,
Hopefully you can help me out. We are arriving in Barcelona on 25th Feb at 09:45. Leaving on 28th 21:00 flight. We are staying in Mataro. We will be heading in to see some sights in Barcelona city.
We want to use public transport for all our travelling. Can you tell us the best tickets to buy.
Please and thank you.
Derek + Edel
Hi Derek,
The best ticket depends on how many journeys you will be taking between Mataró and Barcelona, how much you plan to move around Barcelona by public transport when you’re there and how many people are in your party.
Mataró is in ATM zone 3 and RENFE zone 4, so you should purchase a 3-zone ATM travel card for the longer journeys and one zone tickets for getting around within Barcelona or, depending on your interest it may be worth buying a sightseeing pass, some of which include a transport pass which gives unlimited transport within Barcelona. You can find out more about the different sightseeing passes and travel cards in this post.
Anyway, since you said that you are interested in seeing “some” sights in Barcelona, I’m going to assume that there are two of you and that you are going to travel between Barcelona airport and Mataró on the arrival and departure days and then visit Barcelona once during your stay. In this case, you will travel between Barcelona and Mataró four times. Since there are two of you, you could purchase a 3-zone T-familiar (valid for a total of eight journeys) and share it between you. This will cost €27 and will cover all the journeys between Barcelona and Mataró, including the arrival and departure days. You can purchase the T-familiar at the ticket machines at the airport train station.
For transport within Barcelona, depending on how many attractions you plan on visiting and how much you like walking, you could either share a 1 zone T-familiar, purchase a 1 zone T-casual each or buy a Barcelona sightseeing pass. I’ve explained the pros and cons of all of these in my post about Barcelona sightseeing passes.
When sharing a T-familiar you have to validate the card once per person travelling. Basically, the first person inserts the card in the machine at the ticket barrier, goes through the barrier and then hands the card back to the next person who then does the same.
The best way to get from Barcelona Airport to Mataró is by train. Take the airport train from terminal 2 to Barcelona El Clot-Aragó and then take any northbound R1 train to Mataró.
The train from Barcelona airport arrives at platform 2 and the R1 northbound departs from platform 4. There are only 2 pairs of platforms at Barcelona El Clot-Aragó station so it’s very straightforward, just turn left as you come out of the elevator up from platform 2 and you’ll see the elevator and stairs down to platform 4. Once on the platform, you’ll see that R1 trains going north have final destinations which include Mataró, Calella and Maçanet-Massanes. You don’t need to worry about this because all of the R1 trains from platform 4 stop at Mataró.
If your flight lands at terminal one, then you can take the free shuttle bus from terminal one to terminal two and then walk over the bridge to the airport train station. This is explained in detail in this post.
On the day (or days) that you visit Barcelona for sightseeing, depending on where you are staying in Mataró you can either take the train or the E11.1 or E11.2 express bus into Barcelona both of which are covered by the 3 zone T-familiar.
Thank you very much Richard. You are an absolute legend :)
You’re welcome Derek
Question translated using Google Translate
We are planning to spend four days in Catalonia. Two of us are travelling.
If our accommodation is in Pineda de Mar, which ticket should we buy from Barcelona airport?
What kind of ticket should we buy if we want to travel to Barcelona almost every day to see the city.
I look forward to your answer.
Hi Karesz,
I’m assuming that the arrival and departure days aren’t included in the 4 days – right?
So on 4 days, you will travel Pineda – Barcelona – Pineda (2 journeys per day).
And then, on the arrival and departure days, you will travel from Barcelona Airport to Pineda de Mar and vice versa.
This is a total of 10 journeys per person between Barcelona and Pineda.
Pineda de Mar is in Zone 5 on the RENFE map and Zone 4 on the ATM map.
I recommend you each buy a 4 zone T-casual for transport between Barcelona and Pineda de Mar, which costs €39.20 per person for 10 journeys. You can buy them from the ticket machines at the train station at Barcelona Airport Terminal 2.
The advantage of the T-casual, compared to the Bonotren, is that it allows you to combine the train with the metro as one journey. So, for example, you could catch the R1 train from Pineda to Barcelona-El Clot-Aragó and then transfer to the metro L2 and continue to the Sagrada Familia and it would count as one journey.
Then, for transport within Barcelona, depending on how much you plan to use public transport, you could buy either a 1 zone T-casual each, or a 1 zone T-familiar and share it between you. There’s information about the differences between the T-casual and the T-familiar in this post.
To get from Barcelona Airport to Pineda de Mar, I recommend you take the train from the airport to Barcelona-El Clot-Aragó station and then transfer to the R1 (northbound) to Pineda de Mar. The airport train arrives at platform 2, the R1 departs from platform 4.
There’s more information about airport transfers in this post.
Hello
Please could you let me know if I am travelling from vilanova to sitges can I use a T1 zone ticket or a T2?
Thank you in advance for your help
Claire
Hi Claire,
I assume you’re referring to Vilanova i la Geltrú, right? (There are several towns called Vilanova in Catalunya)
If so then yes, you can use a one-zone ticket to travel to Sitges.
Despite the fact that Vilanova I la Geltrú is in zone 4 and Sitges is in zone 3 on the ATM map, you can still use a one-zone ticket because they are consecutive stations.
I am, that’s great news
Thank you
You’re welcome Claire
Hi,
This is helpful info. I am new to BCN and had a basic question: the T-Casual or T-Familiar ticket says they are multi-person. Does that mean that more than 1 person can use the same ticket at same time? As in, can I pass through the entry gate and then pass the ticket to my friend to let him use the same T-Casual ticket again?
Thanks in advance.
Prashant.
Hi Prashant,
The T-Familiar is, as you have said, multi-person which means that it can be shared between two or more people travelling at the same time. As you say, the first person inserts the ticket in the slot, goes through the barrier and then passes the ticket back to the next person etc. The ticket is validated (stamped) once per person who uses it. So if there are two of you sharing one T-Familiar, you can use it for four journeys each (a total of eight individual journeys).
The T-Casual is uni-person which means that it can’t be shared and can only be used by one person at any one time. There’s more information about both tickets in this post.
Hi,
I am coming to Barcelona. I have to travel from Barcelona city center to HP Sant Cugat every day. I am 24 and I will turn 25 in mid of January. Which ticket should I purchase? T-jove or T-usual? Also, will i have to purchase for zone1,2 or only zone 1?
Hi Lakshay,
The T-Jove is for under twenty-fives so you will have to purchase a T-usual I’m afraid.
Sant Cugat del Vallès is covered by the “Tarifa Metropolitana” so you can use a 1 zone T-usual which currently costs €40 for thirty days.
I have t-jove ticket for 1 zone, but I want to travel to Mataro. Which ticket should I buy? Is there any discount if I have t-jove for 1 zone or do I have to buy a regular single ticket to zone 3?
Hi Alicja,
Unfortunately, you don’t get a discount for having a T-jove and will have to purchase full-price tickets or, if you are making the journey several times, it might be worth buying a 3 zone T-casual.
Since you have a T-Jove, I’m assuming that you’re a student. Suppose you are travelling from the centre of Barcelona to the Tecnocampus in Mataró. In that case, the fastest option is the E11.1 bus which stops right near the Tecnocampus and takes about half an hour from Ronda de la Universitat (near Plaça Catalunya) to Mataró. This bus goes along the motorway and only stops once in Barcelona at Plaça Tetuan. The fare is €4.50 each way.
If you’re staying elsewhere in Barcelona, then the R1 train is also a good option and runs along the coast which is pretty scenic, depending on what time you are travelling you may get to see the sunrise over the sea in the morning. If you are going to the Tecnocampus and decide to take the train, then you can walk to the campus from the train station following the N-II, which takes about fifteen minutes. Alternatively, you can walk along the beach. As you come out of the train station, turn left, and there’s a tunnel under the train tracks to the beach. There’s another tunnel under the beach near the Tecnocampus where you can cross back. This takes a few minutes longer but is a nicer walk.
You can, of course, use your one zone T-Jove for any additional travel within Barcelona. For example, say that you are staying at the Xior Student Housing Residence in Besos. You could use the T-Jove for the tram to Sant Adrià and then purchase a ticket for the train (single tickets don’t allow you to transfer between different types of transport).
Hi,
Could you please advise me of cheapest way to get from Vilanova I la Geltru centre to approximately . I wish to make this journey 2/3 times a week.
Many thanks
Claire H
Hi Claire,
Whereabouts will you be travelling to in Barcelona exactly?
I ask because Villnova i la Geltru is in zone 4 on both the RENFE and ATM map and a 4 zone Bonotren costs €31.45 whereas a 4 zone T-casual costs €39.20.
If you will only be using the train and will be making the return journey 2 or 3 times a week then a monthly “Abonament Mensual” which costs €57.90 will probably be your best choice.
If you will use the train plus metro then, depending on how many journeys you will be making in a month, you could choose between either the T-casual (€39.20) or the T-usual (92.55).
If you decide to purchase the Abonament Mensual or T-usual then you will need to provide your DNI/NIE/passport number when purchasing the ticket.
Hello Richard,
Thank you for the information, it’s really helpful. I’m a student and I will be in Barcelona in a few weeks. I wanna go from the airport (BCN) to Vic. As I understand, I should use R2 from the airport to Sants, then R3 from Sants to Vic. Buying T-casual for airport-Sants is cheaper than RENFE but it’s very expensive for Sants-Vic (since Vic is in zone 6). So, what is the most cheapest and direct way from the airport to Vic?
Thank you so much in advance!!
Hi Begüm,
If you will only be making the journey from the airport once or twice then the cheapest way will be to purchase a single train ticket to Vic from the ticket machines at the airport train station. This will cost just €6.95.
The airport train normally arrives at either platform 13 or 14 at Barcelona Sants. The R3 train to Vic normally departs from platform 8 but you should check the signs at the station to make sure.
Hello!
I’m arriving in Barcelona in 5th of august and leaving in 8th of august.
We are a group of 4 people.
We having a hard time understanding what kind of ticket to buy, because the zones are confusing.
We’re staying in the Inout Hostel. We want to know what is the cheapest way to go to and from the airport and to go around the city for 3 days. Which means, trips airport-hostel and trips hostel-city centre. Maybe a 3-day ticket is enough?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Catarina,
Although your hostel is quite a long way from the city centre, it is still within transport zone one, so a 1 zone card like the Hola Barcelona Travel Card will be valid.
Obviously, you’ll be using public transport quite a bit during your stay, so either a T-casual, T-familiar or the 72 hour Hola Barcelona travel card will save you money when compared to purchasing single tickets.
My rule of thumb for deciding between the T-casual and the Hola Barcelona Card is that if you think that you will be making more than six journeys per day by public transport, then the Hola Barcelona Card will work out cheaper.
Also, bear in mind the fact that the Hola Barcelona Card is valid for travel on the metro from the airport, which costs €5.15, but the T-casual and T-familiar aren’t.
There’s more information about the different travel passes towards the end of this post.
Assuming that you will purchase one of the transport passes mentioned above, the cheapest way to your hostel would be to catch the R2N train from the station at Terminal 2 to Barcelona Sants, followed by the L5 metro to Diagonal. The Diagonal metro stop is connected to the FGC urban train station Provença. From here, you can catch lines S1 or S2 to Baixador de Vallvidrera, which is a 10 to 15-minute walk from your hostel.
All three passes can be used for this journey, so you could potentially share one T-familiar between the four of you, which works out at €1.25 each per journey.
If you arrive at Terminal 1, you can catch the L9 metro from the airport to Collblanc, followed by the L5 metro to Diagonal and the FGC train to Baixador de Vallvidrera. This journey is covered by the Hola Barcelona Card but isn’t covered by the T-casual or T-familiar. The alternative would be to catch the free shuttle bus from T1 to T2 and then proceed as described above. This takes longer but has the advantage that all three passes are valid.
To get to the city centre during your stay, you’ll mostly be using the FGC trains to and from Plaça de Catalunya.
The Inout Hostel website mentions that you can catch the Aerobus to Plaça de Catalunya and then the FGC train to the hostel. This is slightly faster and more convenient than the routes described above since it involves fewer changes, but you will need to purchase an additional ticket for the Aerobus, so it’s a bit more expensive.
There’s more information about airport transfers in this post.
Hi,
I would like to know if I am going to buy the T -Jove card for the subway, what lines will be available under the card and how I do know which destinations I can reach .
Thank you very much in advance !
Hi Yahya,
A 1 zone T-Jove covers the entire Barcelona Metro (subway), all lines and stations including the airport.
If you will be taking a bus or train to destinations outside of the city then you may need to think about one of the other T-Jove cards (2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 zone) in which case you should check the maps linked to in the post above.
If you’re unsure, tell me the name of the stations you’ll be travelling to and from and I’ll check for you.
Hi
You post and reply to posts are awesome
Thanks so much
Will be staying in terrassa in July 2021 for 20 days for holiday (single mom & daughter 13y old)
Obviously we’ll travel daily to Barcelona and around ( Monserrat and probably Costa Brava)
I already know i’m bound to get the TUsual for 3 zones
I was wondering what can i get for my daughter
I looked online and the under 16 have a ticket but they have to be registered as resident of spain and the youngster under 25 ticket is for 3 months only which is quite pricey and ineffective
What would you recommend?
Thanks a bunch
Hi Ralu,
It sounds like you’ve already done a fair bit of research into this, as you say the T-Jove is expensive for a short stay and the T-16 is only for Barcelona residents.
If you really plan to travel into Barcelona or elsewhere (within three zones from Terrassa) for all or most of the twenty days then a 3 zone T-usual would probably be a good choice for both of you (one each).
A few things that come to mind:
Montserrat is 3 zones from Terrassa on the ATM map (2 on the Renfe map) so you’re covered with the T-usual.
Blanes (the southernmost point of the Costa Brava) is 6 zones from Terrassa so you won’t be able to use the 3 zone ticket for those days. Depending on where you want to go, it may be more convenient to hire a car for a couple of days because some Costa Brava towns are a bit hard to get to by public transport or there aren’t many buses per day.
Finally, If you haven’t seen it already, take a look at my post about Terrassa. The town centre is really nice, and if you haven’t been there before it’s well worth spending at least a couple of days exploring Terrassa itself. Don’t miss the Seu d’Ègara and the Catalan Museum of Science and Technology.
Hello Richard
This article is very helpful. I’ve been searching for the information about the Coloni Guell. Is it in zone 1? I can’t seem to find a map that tells me this… and indeed as you explained, the transport maps for Barcelona are confusing…. Thank you in advance for your help.
Hi Yewon,
I’m glad you found the article useful.
If you look at the FGC Map here, you’ll see that Colonia Güell is in zone two but it’s in the dark green coloured area which denotes the Tarifa Metropolitana area mentioned above. This means that, if travelling from Barcelona, you can use a one zone ATM ticket to get there.
Alternatively, the Barcelona Tourist Office sells an integrated ticket which includes entry to the Gaudí crypt and return train travel. More information here.
Hi,
We are three people travelling to Malgrat de Mar. Will stay there in the hotel but would like to travel to Barcelona and Blanes during the week. What option is the best and affordable for two adults and a child
Thank you
Hi Alina,
I’d normally recommend the train for both those journeys but a railway bridge between Malgrat de Mar and Blanes was badly damaged by storms earlier this year and they haven’t finished repairing it yet.
So I’d recommend taking the bus from Malgrat to Blanes, the journey takes about 20 minutes. Note that currently, due to COVID prevention measures, you can’t purchase bus tickets from the driver. This route is run by Sagales who have an app which can be used for purchasing tickets and checking timetables (more information on their website). Alternatively, if you are staying nearer to the train station then the train company has laid on a shuttle bus.
Assuming that your child is 4 years old or upwards, you’ll have to purchase him/her a full price ticket. This means that it would be cheaper to purchase a 1 zone T familiar for this journey and share it between you (from the machines at train stations).
For the day you go to Barcelona, I recommend taking the R1 train line from Malgrat de Mar to Plaça de Catalunya.
A 5 zone T familiar, which can be shared between the 3 of you, costs €40 and the single train ticket for this journey costs €5.50 so on the face of it, it looks like it would be cheaper to purchase single tickets. However, the T familiar has the advantage that it also covers metro and bus as part of the same journey so it may work out cheaper. For example, you want to start by visiting the Sagrada Familia then you would need to purchase the train ticket plus a single metro ticket => €5.50 + €2.40 = €7.90 so as you can see, depending on what you want to visit it may be worth purchasing a 5 zone T familiar (€7.90 x 6 = €47.40)
Once you are in Barcelona, I recommend sharing a one zone T familiar which costs €10 and can be used on metro, bus, trains and tram.
Theres more information about the different transport passes in this post.
Hi, I’ll be in Barcelona next Sunday with my family of 4 and we wish to use public transport to visit the city. We are planning to see Sagrada Familia, Casa Batllo, Barri Gotic, La Rambla and we will be staying near H10 Marina Barcelona. Is it OK to have 4xT-dia tickets for Zone 1?
Hi Donata,
All the places that you mention are in zone 1, so you could purchase a T-día for each of you.
However, most of those sites are within easy walking distance of each other so if you will just be travelling from your hotel to each of the mentioned sites and then back to your hotel you could save some money by sharing 2 T-casuals between the four of you.
For example, you could take the metro from your hotel to the Sagrada Familia then again from the Sagrada Familia to Casa Batlló. From Casa Batlló to La Rambla is an easy and scenic 10 minute walk along Passeig de Gràcia and La Rambla is right next to the Gothic Quarter so you can just walk down the Rambla and head off exploring the Gothic Quarter from there. When you’ve seen enough, catch a bus or metro back to your hotel.
Take a look at the locations on Google maps and you’ll see what I mean.
So, assuming that this will be your rough itinerary, as you can see you will probably only use public transport about 3 times during the day. Since there are 4 of you, that works out as a total of 12 individual journeys.
The T-casual is currently “multiperson” which means that the 4 of you can travel together using one card. You just have to make sure you validate once per person for each journey.
Two one zone T-casuals will cost €22.70, when shared between 4 people that works out at 5 journeys each. Whereas 4 one zone T-días will cost €42. If I were you, I’d purchase a T-casual, then a second one after the first has been used up.
By the way, If you haven’t booked your tickets for the Sagrada Familia yet make sure you do so in the next day or two since they often sell out in advance. More information about the Sagrada Familia in this post.
Casa Batlló doesn’t usually sell out but it’s worth buying tickets online anyway because they’re a few euros cheaper.
Thank you so much! This is soooo helpful! We have only 1 day for Barcelona (which is sad…) and we have never been to your beautiful city before, so I will definitely read your blog before we even arrive in Spain. Thanks for the tip on the tickets to Sagrada Familia, we would never want to be in Barcelona and not visit it!
You’re welcome Donata, glad to have been able to help.
There’s more information about the T-casual and other transport tickets here.
Have fun in Barcelona and if you’ve any more questions just ask!
Hi, This page is so helpful, many thanks! We will be travelling from Barcelona airport to Montgavina just outside Sitges in June with two adults and three children aged 9 – 14. We are planning to do a bit of travelling between Sitges and Barcelona. Which zones would we need and are there discount tickets for children? If we travelled to Port Aventura, would it be better to buy a separate ticket for this? Thank you so much!
Hi Eilidh,
I’m glad to hear that you’ve found the blog helpful.
Sitges and Urb. Montgavina are in ATM travel zone 3.
To get to Montgavina from the airport by public transport you can take either the bus or train to Sitges followed by the bus from there to Urb. Montgavina.
By bus, take the Monbus from terminal 1 to Sitges then walk 5 minutes to the train station where you can catch bus L3 which stops near Urb. Montgavina.
By train, take the R2nord from terminal 2 to El Prat de Llobregat (one stop) then change to the R2sud to Sitges followed by the L3.
Both these routes are covered by the ATM travel cards and will count as one trip. Bear in mind that with a 3 zone card there’s a maximum time limit of one hour and 45 minutes between the first and last time you validate the ticket during the same journey.
There’s a free shuttle bus between terminal 1 and 2 if needed.
More info about airport transport in this post.
Depending on how many times you will be travelling to and from Barcelona, you can choose between either the 3 zone T-grup, 3 zone T-familiar or 3 zone T-casual. The T-grup and T-familiar are multiperson tickets meaning that you can share one ticket between the 5 of you (validate once per person). The T-casual becomes unipersonal in March, meaning that if you choose this ticket you will have to purchase one each.
Children 4 years old and over have to pay the full fare, under 4 travel free (doesn’t help you much I’m afraid).
You might have read about the T-16 which is a travel card for children between 4 and 16 years old. Unfortunately, to qualify you have to be a Barcelona resident and the card is only valid for travel within the zone that you live in.
There is a travel card for under 25s called the T-jove which gives unlimited travel for three months but it’s too expensive to be worthwhile buying for a short stay.
The days that you travel into Barcelona you should use the 3 zone travel pass for the journey from Sitges and then a separate 1 zone card for additional journeys within the city if needed.
The T-familiar, T-casual, etc. allow you to transfer between train and metro/bus and it counts as one journey, don’t forget to validate the ticket once per person when you get on the bus.
More information about Barcelona travel passes in this post.
For the day that you travel to Port Aventura you will need a separate ticket since Salou is outside the ATM travel zones. RENFE sell combined tickets which include the train and access to the park.
Hi
I need to know about break journey rules. If I buy a single ticket from ribes de fraser to aeroport, can I break my journey at arc de triomph station, have a roam about for one or two hours and then again board the train from the station to reach the airport. Is it possible?
If it is not, what can be a better way to come back to barcelona from ribes d fraser, have a roam about for two hours, then heading towards airport.. please help.
THANKS
PRAN
KOLKATA, INDIA
Hi Pran,
Unfortunately, if you break your trip as you describe you’ll have to purchase two tickets.
Firstly a single ticket from Ribes de Freser to Arc de Triomf which will cost €9.10 (R3 regional line).
Then a single ticket from Arc de Triomf to the airport which will cost €4.60
From Arc de Triomf to the airport catch the R1, R3 or R4 (whichever arrives first) train to Barcelona Sants station followed by the R2 to the airport.
Having said that, depending on what you are interested in seeing while in Barcelona, you might be better off breaking your trip at a different station in Barcelona.
Let me know what you’re interested in seeing, how much time you have to spare and which terminal your flight departs from and I’ll try and give you some suggestions.
There’s more information about transport to and from the airport here.
Hi, I wonder if you can tell me the cheapest/fastest way to get from/to Lloret de Mar to Barcelona El Clot, we are a family of 4 and just want to visit for a day. Happy to get a taxi into Blanes as I understand we can get the R1 train from there. So just want an idea of cost/which tickets to buy? We prefer to explore by foot but if there is a cheap way to get around once in Barcelona that would be helpful. I am finding it confusing trying to find out!
Thanks in advance
Hi Tracy,
I normally recommend the train for this journey. It’s slower than the bus but it’s also slightly cheaper and more scenic since it runs along the coast, next to the beach most of the way. The train service is also more frequent than the direct bus.
There are buses from Lloret to Blanes train station which are scheduled to meet the trains and you can purchase a combined ticket which is slightly cheaper than the cost of a separate single bus and train ticket.
Unfortunately, however, a railway bridge near Blanes was badly damaged by last week’s storms and there are currently no trains running between Malgrat de Mar and Blanes. The train company has laid on an alternative bus service between Malgrat de Mar and Blanes but it will most likely make things run a bit slower than ususal. Timetables here.
Depending on when you will be here this may or may not affect you.
As I said, the direct bus is faster and takes about an hour from Lloret to Barcelona Estacio del Nord bus station (near to the Arc de Triomf metro station), Timetables and fares here.
As for tickets, which is best will depend on where you plan to visit in Barcelona, how old your children are and when you will be here since, as you might have read elsewhere on the blog, at the end of February the T-familiar will be released and the T-casual will become unipersonal.
If your children are younger than four years old they can travel free of charge on the trains, metro and TMB buses as long as they don’t occupy a seat (ie sat on your lap or in a buggy).
Anyway, here’s a list of the relevant ticket prices to help you make your choice:
Direct bus Lloret to Barcelona €10.95
Bus from Lloret to Blanes railway station, price €1.90
Single train ticket from Blanes to Barcelona €6.95.
Combined train and bus from Lloret to Barcelona via Blanes (single) €8.00 (Covers the bus from Lloret to Blanes and the train from there to Barcelona)
6 zone Bonotren (not recommended for this journey since the ATM passes mentioned below are cheaper) – 10 journeys by train, can be shared between up to 10 people, validate once per traveller. Price €47,75 (doesn’t cover the bus from Lloret or metro in Barcelona). Blanes is in zone 6 on the RENFE Map.
5 zone T-casual – 10 journeys, validate once per traveller. Price €45.05. Allows you to transfer from the train to the metro etc as part of the same journey. Note that until the end of February this card can be shared between up to 10 people. From the 1st of March this ticket will become unipersonal meaning that it can’t be shared by people travelling at the same time. Blanes is in zone 5 on the ATM map, Lloret is outside the ATM zones (see map linked to in the article above).
5-zone T-familiar (available from the 1st of March) 8 journeys. Can be shared between up to 8 people, validate once per traveller. Price €40. Allows you to transfer from the train to the metro etc as part of the same journey. Blanes is in zone 5 on the ATM map, Lloret is outside the ATM zones.
Once in Barcelona, your best bet will probably be either a 1-zone T-casual (price €11.35 for 10 journeys) or T-familiar (price €10 for 8 journeys) depending on when you will be visiting. As per the criteria described above.
Single bus or metro ticket price within Barcelona zone 1 €2.40
I know that this is a lot of information to take in but hopefully it will help you decide.
In summary:
Fastest way: Direct bus (approx one hour)
Cheapest way: Bus to Blanes then R1 train to Barcelona
Best ticket for a family travelling around Barcelona mostly on foot: Probably T-familiar or T-casual (depending on when you will arrive and how may journeys)
By the way, you mentioned Barcelona El Clot-Aragó station but there are other stops on the R1 line which are in Barcelona. The most central station is at Plaça de Catalunya which is near to popular sights such as La Rambla, Gothic Quarter, Casa Batlló etc…
I’ll visit Barcelona and will stay in Sant Felau. According to different maps it is located in Zone 1 or 2. Will I have problems to use Hola BCN card in my everyday travel from Placa Catalunia?
Hi Georgi,
I assume you mean Sant Feliu de Llobregat which is in ATM zone 1 and RENFE zone 2 – right?
I wasn’t sure about this one so I contacted the TMB who told me that you can use the Hola Barcelona Card for the train to Sant Feliu but not for the buses either to or within Sant Feliu.
The reason for this is that the Hola Barcelona Card isn’t one of the tickets which are included in the ATM integrated tariff system and only covers the Metro, buses run by TMB, Montjuïc funicular, tram, commuter trains run by RENFE (Rodalies de Catalunya) or FGC in zone 1 and the airport train.
Buses in Sant Feliu de Llobregat aren’t run by the TMB, they’re run by the company Soler i Sauret.
You can, however, use a one zone T-casual for both trains and buses to Sant Feliu de Llobregat.
Thank you Richard for your detailed answer. However I intent to use the train to reach Place Catalunia and at the evenings back to Sant Felau, and as the train is run by RENFE I’ll appreciate if you could confirm that I can’t use Hola BCN card for that train in the morning and evenings! Thank you once again!
I’m talking about R1 and R4!
Hi Georgi,
I thought you wouldn’t be able to use the Hola Barcelona on trains for this route but I’ve contacted the TMB to check and they told me that yes, you can use it for the R1 and R4 train to Sant Feliu de Llobregat.
Thank you once again!
You’re welcome Georgi,
Have a great trip!
Im a university student and will need to travel from Pubilla Cases (metro in zone 1) to Universitat Autònoma (via Provencça on the S2 train towards Sabadell) during the week. How do I find out if Universitat Autònoma station is within zone 1 as it isn’t on a zone map – would I be able to use the T-jove for zone 1 for this journey or would I need one that reached further out?
Hi Tina,
According to the map on the FGC website, the UAB is in the overlapping area between zones one and two I mentioned in the article above. So yes, you will be able to use a one-zone pass for this journey.
Note that the S6 also stops at the university (in addition to the S2 mentioned)
I purchased T juve for zone 1 today. Can I use the card to travel from Cerdanyola to Barcelona city centre and back?
Hi Sebin,
Yes, Cerdanyola del Vallès is in zone 2C but it’s one of the towns that you can travel to from Barcelona with a one-zone travel pass.
Hi,
I plan on visiting Barcelona with 3 friends in May and going to Montmelo for 3 consecutive days for Formula 1 Gran Premio de España. We plan on using public transport for moving around on days we are not on track so I was wondering which tickets would you recommend to save money?
We are traveling by plane so we also need transport from the airport to Barcelona center.
Is a T-familiar card an option or is it better to buy a Bonotren 10 journeys ticket for train? Or is there maybe another option that would suit us better?
Thank you for explaining the public transport ticket system, I have to say it’s hard to understand all those option on your own.
Thanks in advance,
Anita
Hi Anita,
Trains to Montmeló leave from Barcelona (Plaça de Catalunya, Passeig de Gràcia and Clot-Aragó train stations) and cost €2.80. Once you arrive at Montmeló train station it’s about a 30 minute walk from there to the race track.
On race days, there’s normally a shuttle bus from the station to the track which costs around €1 (haven’t used it).
The bus company Sagales normally run direct buses from Barcelona Estacio del Nord bus station to the racetrack for the Formula 1. Prices and timetables haven’t been announced yet but, based on previous years, it will cost about €15 return each day. Note that the T-familiar / T-casual etc. aren’t valid for this bus because it’s a special service.
As you are probably already aware. The T-familiar doesn’t actually exist yet but will be available starting March 1st of this year. Once available, it will be valid for 8 journeys and shareable (have to validate it once per person – similar to the old T-10).
The prices you need to compare are as follows:
Which you should choose will largely depend on where you are staying in Barcelona and how much you expect to be using the metro within Barcelona on the days you won’t be going to the track.
As a rough guide, if you will be staying with walking distance of Plaça de Catalunya, Passeig de Gràcia or Clot-Aragó train stations then you could share a 2 zone bonotren to go to the track and back and then purchase a one zone T-familiar (€10 for 8 journeys) as needed for the other days.
If you will need to take the metro to the train station from your hotel then you will probably be better off purchasing a 2 zone T-familiar instead of the Bonotren. Then on the last race day one person would need to purchase a single train ticket (for the 9th journey) plus use one journey of a one zone T-familiar to get from the train station to your hotel. The one zone T-familiar would then be shared between the 3 of you for the other journeys.
The best option for transport from the airport to your hotel depends on where you will be staying in the city. There’s plenty of information in this post.
If you haven’t booked your hotel yet, I recommend that you search on Booking.com and look for a hotel near to Passeig de Gràcia train station. That way you’ll be to take the train from the airport, plus easy connection to Montmeló and close to the main attractions for the days you won’t be at the racetrack.
Thank you so much for your help, it is greatly appreciated :)
We booked an apartment near Passeig de Gràcia so I guess we will be buying a Bonotren ticket. Is it possible to buy the 2 zone Bonotren ticket at the train stop near the airport?
Hi Anita,
Yes, you can purchase a 2 zone Bonotren at the airport train station or when you arrive at Passeig de Gràcia.
BUT, as explained in the article above, a 2 zone Bonotren isn’t valid for the journey from the airport to the city centre so you should use the 1 zone T-familiar for this journey.
Hi,
Thank you for all the information already! I have a specific question just to make sure I understand the system..
If I got it right. If I want to travel dayly for a month or two between Barcelona inner city and Mataro I need a monthly card for Zone 3, right? Does this allow me to travel with it as many times as I want within this 3 Zones, meaning going back and forth Mataro Barcelona and as well travelling in Barcelona using the public transport any time of the day?
And one more question, monthly tickets can be only for a calendar month like February, March etc.. or also starting with any date for 30 days?
Thank you so much in advance!!
Bests,
Anna
Hi Anna,
Sounds like you will be living in central Barcelona and travelling to Mataró for work and will also want to move around Barcelona at the weekends a bit, right?
If so, your best bet will probably be to purchase a 3 zone T-usual (price €75.60)
This gives you unlimited travel (as many times as you like) within 3 zones for thirty days after the first time you use it (not calendar months) and would cover your commute to Mataró plus use within Barcelona.
It’s valid for travel on commuter trains (RENFE Rodalies and FGC trains), Barcelona metro (including the airport metro), Buses run by companies in the ATM including the night bus (list of operators which are covered here) and trams.
If you’re under twenty-five then, depending on how long you’ll be here for, a T-jove could be even better value. A three zone T-Jove costs €147.55 for 90 days.
To get from Barcelona to Mataró you take the R1, final destinations listed on the screens at the station: Mataró, Calella, Arenys de Mar, Blanes and Maçanet-Massanes or the RG1 to Figueres and Portbou. All of which stop at Mataró.
On the way back to Barcelona from Mataró look for R1 trains to L’Hospitalet de Llobregat or Molins de Rei.
Alternatively, depending on where you will be staying in Barcelona, you could catch the E11.1 or E11.2 express buses which are non-stop to Mataró. The T-usual and T-Jove are both valid for this route.
You can only purchase single tickets on the bus. So if you decide to go by bus you’ll need to buy your T-usual or T-Jove beforehand at a metro or train station.
From what I read, the T-familiar is a closer replacement to the T-10 for visitors. While T-familiar will only have 8 trips, they still can be shared among a group of people. The rides will be 1.25 euros each, which is only .25 more than the T-10. But one should calculate how many rides they need. For us, we have a group of 4, that may only need 4 rides. That would be 2 T-familiar tickets. The goal would be to not have any unused rides.
Hi John,
You’re right. Unfortunately, the T-familiar won’t be available until the 1st of March 2020 which is why I haven’t included it in this article yet.
In the meantime, apparently the T-casual can still be shared among groups as the T-10 was and will change to be unipersonal on March 1st. Also, if like me you still have an old T-10 with a few journeys left on it in your wallet than this will still be shareable until it expires at the end of February.
To be honest it’s all a bit of a mess. When the T-casual was announced, it was meant to replace the T-10.
Due to the number of complaints from local residents, the T-familiar was hurriedly conceived. And then finally, due to the time delay of releasing the new T-familiar, they decided that the T-casual and unexpired T-10s would still be multiperson tickets up until the end of February.
So, if you will be in Barcelona before March 1st, it appears that you will be able to purchase a T-casual and share it between a group of people.
Thanks for reading and leaving a comment.
Richard, You have provided great assistance with information for upcoming trip to BCN in May….thanks, But where do you purchase the T-10 Pass. I’ve decided to take the train to Passieg de Gracia…which is a few minutes from our hotel.
Hi John,
You can purchase the T-10 from the ticket machines at the train station which accept cash or credit cards.
Note that from January 1st 2020 the T-10 will be replaced by the T-Casual which will be similar except for the fact that it can’t be shared. I’ve already included some information in this post about the new T-Casual and will add moe information in the New Year (once I’ve had the chance to do a full comparison with the other tickets).
I can’t figure out whether the T10 or new T Casual is good for ten trips all on one day or for 10 trips on consecutive days. Can you please explain? Thanks
Hello Cecilia,
There’s no time limit for when you can use the T-10, it’s valid for ten journeys.
You could use all 10 trips on the same day, consecutive days or spread them out over an entire year.
The T-10 remains valid and can be used up until 2 months after the next price increase (which normally happens on January 1st).
This means that you can continue to use the card until the end of February the year after you purchase it, although there have been years when the price hasn’t been increased and the cards have remained valid for even longer.
So, for example, if you were to visit Barcelona in for a week in January and then return to the city again in September of the same year you could use the same T-10 (or T-Casual) that you had purchased in January.
This year, the new T casual is going to be introduced on January 1st 2020. This means that if you are currently in Barcelona and have purchased a T-10 (December 2019) it will be valid until either (i) you have used up the 10 journeys (ii) the last day of February 2020. By the way, 2020 is a leap year so there will be 29 days in February.
As far as I can make out so far, the only differences between the new T Casual and the current T-10 will be that:
Slightly off-topic, but the new price tariffs seem to be a move towards favouring frequent users (ie. Barcelona residents) because the new T-casual will cost more than the T-10 which it replaces whereas the T-usual will be cheaper than the current T-mes.