Transportation in BCN

One of the first issues you will have when arriving in Barcelona is trying to understand how to get from one place to another, and how that will affect your stay here. Public transportation is very good and most students travel by Bus or Metro (underground).

Click here to go to the TMB website (official website of the Metropolitan Transportation of Barcelona) On this page you can find maps and routes. You can also request directions for the Metro and the Bus. It is a useful resource. Something you might find confusing is that there are some lines that are not Metros but Ferrocarrils. These are a group of trains that bring you farther out the city -L6, S5, S5, S2 and L7, which brings you to Tibidabo Station (Plaça Kennedy close to La Salle). Here is Ferrocarrils website.
The closest station to go to La Salle is the Tibidabo L7, while going back home is easier from L7 El Putxet station, since you walk downhill. The tickets for Bus, Metro and Ferrocarrils are the same ones.

I would never suggest to buy a single fare ticket. Instead, you might want to go for a T-10, which has 10 fares to consume during a long time span, or you could go for the T-Mes, which allows you an unlimited number of fares within one month, or the T-50/30, 50 fares in 30 days. The ticket I used to purchase was the T-Jove. It allows you to do un unlimited number of journeys within 3 months, with a discount for anyone younger than 21 or any student under 25. It is a fairly easy transportation system to use and it brings you everywhere. Be careful when going out, though! Don’t expect the metro to be operating 24hrs, as this happens only on Saturdays.  Check the schedules on the website to make sure.

If you like biking, Barcelona Bicing is your choice.  This service was introduced 2 years ago and allows you to hire a bike comfortably.  You take a bike from one bike station, go wherever you want, and leave it at another station. Most people will chose a metro or bus ride upwards, and then take a Bicing to go down! New stations are added all the time. Click here to see where to find them and how to get access to this service. But remember, it is intended for Barcelona residents, not tourists!

If you are no public transportation fan, and you’d rather have your own vehicle, you might want to think of a Scooter. This is a very common mean of transportation amongst the locals. It is comfortable, not as expensive as a car, and the weather in BCN allows you to drive all year long. In winter, just cover up with a warm jacket and gloves and you’ll be fine!

Obviously you can go around by car. La Salle has an indoor parking lot. Unfortunately, green lines have just been introduced around the university. This means that you must pay per hour to park in the street, while some time ago it was free. Travelling by private helicopter is not advisable, as I don’t think you’ll find easy parking. On an occasional night out, if you drink too much or public transportation is not the most comfortable option, Taxis are very convenient. Compared to other European cities they are not too expensive, they are also usually easy to find, and they are easily recognizable, with a very distinguished yellow-black pattern.