, Travel Guides

Getting Around Barcelona by Metro: Everything You Need to Know

The Barcelona Metro is one of the fastest, most convenient, and affordable ways to get around the city. With more than 180 stations and eight main lines, it connects most of the top attractions.

In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know to use the metro like a local: lines, schedules, ticket options, and insider tips.

Map and Main Lines

The metro is operated by TMB (Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona) and includes 8 lines, numbered L1 to L11 (some are shorter or automated).

Here are the most useful ones for tourists:

L1 (red): connects Plaça Catalunya, Arc de Triomf, and Glòries.
L3 (green): perfect for visiting Las Ramblas, Park Güell, and Camp Nou.
L4 (yellow): takes you to Barceloneta Beach and the Born neighborhood.
L5 (blue): stops at Sagrada Família and Hospital Clínic.

You can download the official map from the TMB website or simply use Google Maps to plan your route.

Timetable and Frequency

Monday to Thursday: 5:00 a.m. – midnight
Friday: until 2:00 a.m.
Saturday: open all night
Sunday and holidays: until midnight

Trains run every 2–5 minutes during peak hours, so you rarely have to wait long.

Tickets and Prices

Here are the most common ticket options for visitors:

Single ticket: €2.65 per journey
T-usual: A personal travel pass that offers unlimited journeys for 30 days on all public transport within the integrated fare system (metro, bus, tram, and train).
It’s available only with the T-mobilitat card — a rechargeable contactless card used for travel in Barcelona.
Hola BCN! card: unlimited travel for 2, 3, 4, or 5 days — ideal for short stays

Tickets can be purchased at vending machines in every station or via the official TMB app.

Useful Tips

With a single-zone ticket, you can take as many buses, metros, or trams as you want within 75 minutes from the first time you use it — all included in the same trip. If you travel across more zones, you get 15 extra minutes per zone. For example, if you take the metro and then a bus within 75 minutes, it still counts as one single trip — you don’t need another ticket.