Transportation

The bus network in Barcelona is very extensive and almost all services cover the major areas. The buses run daily from 6:30am till 10:00pm. Single tickets are available with the drivers and cost about €1.10 and travel cards must be validated in the machines when you board the buses.

The Metro is the most efficient means of transport in the city apart from the rush hours which are from 7:30am to 9:30am, and 6:00pm to 8:30pm. There are two companies operating in Barcelona, the Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) and the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC). The FGC operates on one line, whereas TMB operates on all the remaining lines.

With over 11,000 yellow and black registered cabs in the city, you are never too far from a cab, and can find one on the street at pretty much any time and you can also book one in advance. The basic cab fare is €2.00 and should be displayed on the meter before starting. Each kilometer traveled is of €0.85 and an extra €0.85 is charged for each piece of large luggage. Drivers expect a tip, somewhere around 5 to 10% of the meter fare.

Barcelona requires the driver to be at least 21 years old and must have a passport and a valid driving license, along with a valid international insurance policy, which, however, can be purchased at the time of hiring a car. Besides the local companies, there are also a number of international companies operating in

Driving in Barcelona is one of the most daunting experiences as car hires and parking are expensive and the roads are completely unorganized with many streets being single direction and left turns being rarer than rights, and not to forget the heavy fines!