As an almost lifelong Florida resident and college student at the University of Miami, I have had limited exposure to a truly good public transportation system – one that uses multiple modes of transportation from buses to metros to trams and covers all corners of a major city while extending to its suburbs. This lack of comprehensive public transport is apparent across almost all of America, save for a few major cities. Before I came to Barcelona, I had often heard of the wondrous public transportation systems in European cities, either from my friends who had previously been abroad, from social media, or just out of pure interest. Admittedly, this is something that I was quite excited to experience for myself, and when I started my study abroad experience in Barcelona, I was immediately proven correct.
Throughout my almost four months in Barcelona, I came to find that Barcelona not only has one of the best public transit systems in Spain, but in Europe as a whole. While each city that I traveled to had decent, varied systems of public transportation, very few could beat the reliability, cleanliness, and user-friendliness of the TMB (Barcelona’s public transport conglomerate). With a bus system, five metro lines, additional railway services within Barcelona and throughout Catalonia, and a tram, TMB truly has it all.
However, at first, this system can be particularly difficult to navigate, especially from my perspective as an American student with little consistent exposure to public transportation. So, this was a source of great anticipation and anxiety for me. However, I quickly discovered that adjusting to the public transportation system in Barcelona was quite easy thanks to the user-friendliness of the TMB. Even then, there are a couple things that I wish I knew about public transport in Barcelona before coming. So, whether you are about to arrive in Barcelona to study for the spring or you are early on in deciding where to study abroad, these Barcelona public transport survival tips are designed to prime you for some of the most thrilling train or bus rides you may ever take.
Be Mindful of Your Surroundings and Personal Belongings
While Barcelona does have a reputation for its prolific pickpockets (or carteristas in Spanish), it is quite easy to avoid getting pickpocketed throughout your time in the city. On the metro, pickpockets tend to strike in busy metro stations, and less frequently, on busy trains during rush hour. The best way to avoid getting your stuff nicked on the metro is simply to be aware of your belongings. If you are carrying anything in your pockets, make sure they are in your front pockets, and if you have any bags, make sure they are zipped up/closed. Above all, do some research on what pickpockets use to distract you and grab your attention, so they can poach your belongings while you aren’t looking. With these tips in mind, not only will you look more local, you will most likely avoid having any of your stuff stolen.
Be Prepared to do a Lot of Walking Underground
Barcelona’s metro system is one of the most convenient in Europe, one of the reasons being that its five main lines are well connected with each other. Several stations in the Barcelona metro system have more than one metro line that passes through. However, making the connection at some stations is not as easy as one would think – I’m looking at you Passeig de Grácia. Stations like Passeig de Gràcia and Urquinaona are very well-positioned within the city, but have long underground walks to get from one metro line to the other. If you are out in the city on a day that you know you are going to do a lot of walking, then make sure to wear comfortable shoes, especially if you are taking the metro with a transfer. Most of these metro connections are well-marked within the stations, so as long as you walk with a purpose, this is a relatively minor drawback to Barcelona’s otherwise phenomenal metro system.
Invest in a 3-Month T-Jove Transport Card
These green T-mobilitat transport cards are a godsend. With a T-jove, you get a three month metro card for approximately 43 euros, which you can use to not only get around Barcelona, but also around all of Catalonia using the Rodalies RENFE trains. This is an incredible value for money and costs less than 2 T-usual (one month) cards, which can only take you around Barcelona. However, to get the T-jove, you will have to visit an information kiosk; these are located in several metro stations, and provide your passport to a teller to have the card issued. Sometimes, the lines at these kiosks can be quite long, so most students prefer to get the T-usual out of convenience. However, if you go to these kiosks at the right time, sometimes you will find there is no line, and in my opinion, the T-jove is definitely worth the extra hassle.
Enjoy the Ease of Movement Around the City
This is the most important tip! With a public transportation system as integrated as Barcelona’s, you can get pretty much anywhere, even at night with the night bus system. Take advantage of this and use the metro system to enjoy all that Barcelona has to offer.
While most of these tips seem like common sense, they are a good reminder to help you adjust to new forms of public transportation and ease into your new life as a Barce-local. It’s quite remarkable that in cities like Barcelona, you don’t need to own a car to get around, so enjoy the independence and take all the opportunities you can to explore this beautiful city.
Bryn is a senior at the University of Miami studying International Studies and Economics. He spent his Fall 2024 semester with Barcelona SAE, taking classes at the School for International Studies (SIS) and completing a business internship.
