If you have decided to study in Barcelona, and have just landed in Barcelona, you will need to know the best ways to move around Barcelona, before starting your new course at the university.
If you come from New York, Sao Paulo or other major world capitals, you should know that Barcelona is not an excessively large city, so it is easy to get around and get to know, in a short time, its public transport network, one of the most extensive in Spain.
If you have already settled in your student flat in Barcelona and you have located your university, it is necessary for you to know which the most suitable means of public transport are to move around the city on a daily basis.
Here are the best options for getting around Barcelona by public transport, to make your student stay in Barcelona as comfortable as possible.
Barcelona Metro
Barcelona's metro network has 8 lines that are very easy to use and can be identified by number and colour, as is the case in almost all cities.
The price of a metro ticket is 2.20 and it runs from 5am to 12pm. For us it is the best option to move around Barcelona all day long; our student flats in Barcelona have a strategic location and you will find a metro station near them. On weekends and the eve of holidays the metro is open until 2 am, except Saturday, which is open all night, so you can return to your student flat without having to use private transport.
TMB Buses
Getting around Barcelona by bus is also a very good option. Its more than 80 lines and 1,000 buses reach any corner of the city and cover a multitude of routes. On its website you can check the routes available to see if you fit better than the metro, TO MOVE from your student flat in Barcelona.
The price of each individual ticket is €2.20 and that of the 10-trip voucher €10.20. The metro ticket, the bus ticket and the railway ticket are the same for all three, you do not need to buy a ticket for each means of transport.
There are night lines that you can take to return to your student flat in Barcelona with the NIT BUS (Barcelona Night Bus). Check which ones arrive at your stop.
FGC (Ferrocarriles de la Generalitat de Catalunya)
There is a third option of public transport in Barcelona which are the railways of the Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC). They have several urban lines.
The price is 2.20, although if you have already bought the card for 10 journeys by bus or metro, you can also use it for your journeys on the Catalan rail network, as we have told you before, but within a set limit of time.
Therailwayof Barcelona has a timetable very similar to that of the city's metro, but it is more reduced at night, so you must make sure of its timetable if you are going to need it at night.
RENFE Cercanías
If you are wondering how to get from the airport to the centre of Barcelona, or visit other cities near Barcelona, Renfe's suburban trains are the best option. You can buy train tickets at the same station, in cash or with a card. Prices change depending on the distance you travel.
Tram
In addition to those we have already told you about, Barcelona incorporates another public transport system, “Tram or Tranvía”, which covers stretches that are sometimes not reached by the metro and the bus.
Transport cards to move around Barcelona
There are integrated bus, train, metro and tram cards in Barcelona, which can be combined. With this card, you will be able to access from one to the other without paying an extra hour and a quarter from the moment you take the first means of transport you will need for your journey. These are the most common transport cards for getting around Barcelona:
T50-30 -50 integrated trips for 30 consecutive days, with a price that changes depending on the areas. One zone card is 43 euros.
T-Trimester - A personalized pass that will allow you to travel unlimited for three months, 90 days, for 145 euros if you use it in a single zone.
T-Mes - It is the same as the previous one, but to use during a month with a price of 54 euros if you use it in a single zone.
T-Day - To travel unlimited for 24 hours for 8.90 euros.
T-10 card - Refers to the number of integrated trips. 10 integrated trips for 10.20 euros.
If you need more information regarding integrated tickets and season tickets, you can visit Barcelona's official transport website.
Welcome to Barcelona, university students!