Hola Barcelona Public Transport Travel Card: A Complete Guide

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Barcelona!

A city of stunning architecture, vibrant nightlife, pristine beaches, and world-class cuisine.

Barcelona has a huge array of attractions. 

But to travel to these attractions, you need more money to spend on your travel expenses.

But worry not!

To minimize your travel expenses and provide you with free transportation in Barcelona, we have something for you.

One card with big offers is the Hola Barcelona Public Transport Travel Card.

It offers free and unlimited access to public transport networks in the city and its suburbs.

Using this card will make it hassle-free for you to enjoy Barcelona’s splendor.

Let’s explore what else it has to offer!

What is the Hola Barcelona Public Transport Travel Card?

What is the Hola Barcelona Public Transport Travel Card
Image: Getyourguide.com

The Hola Barcelona Travel Card is a multi-day public transportation pass in Barcelona.

It is also known as the HolaBCN card.

It entitles you to unlimited rides on the Barcelona public transportation system.

The ticket includes TMB buses from Barcelona Airport to the city center.

It also includes the airport metro from both T1 and T2, as well as the airport train to downtown.

You can also use the ticket on the city’s subway system.

This card is also valid on TMB buses in the city center and the local tram system.

The main benefit of this travel pass is that it allows you to take as many rides as you want during its validity period.

In contrast to the T-Casual ticket, which only allows you 10 rides before it expires.

The Barcelona Travel Pass, however, allows you unlimited travel at any time of day.

There are some limitations to this tourist travel card when compared to other transportation cards.

Let’s see what those limitations are.

Limitations on the Hola Barcelona Travel Card:

The pass is only valid from 5.00 AM to 11.55 PM. As a result, the card does not cover nighttime travel.

A one-day card is not available.

These cards are available for 2–5 days only. 

The card is only valid for one day, not 24 hours.

This means that the travel day of the card is defined as ending at 11:55 PM on the day it is used.

The card is only good for use on consecutive days.

For instance, if you purchase a 4-day card, you can only use it for 4 consecutive days.

You cannot add a day to the end by taking a “day off” from utilizing it.

The Tourist Travel Pass, unlike the Barcelona Card, does not entitle you to discounted admission to Barcelona attractions.

The card is only activated when you use it for the first time.

Therefore, you can obtain the tourist travel pass and keep it until you are ready to use it.

If you arrive late at Barcelona airport, it may be worth not using the card to pay for your airport transportation.

Because that would be considered the card’s first use.

If you arrive late at night, it may be worth paying for your transportation separately from the airport transportation.

In this manner, you can use the card the following day.

By doing this, you will receive a card that is valid for an entire day.

Is it worth buying a Barcelona travel card?

The value of a HolaBCN card is dependent on how you plan to spend your time in Barcelona.

We calculated the following for a typical 3-day trip:

Barcelona is a large metropolitan area with a population of nearly 5 million people.

Utilizing local transportation is the best option if you want to be somewhat mobile and visit a couple of the city’s attractions.

It’s good to be able to take an air-conditioned bus or train rather than having to walk for miles, especially in the summer heat.

You arrive by plane and must then travel from El Prat Airport to your hotel in the city centre.

The metro provides a quick and inexpensive connection.

You can purchase either the “Airport Ticket” or the “Halo Barcelona Travel Card”.

Regular single tickets and the T-Casual 10-trip card are ineligible.

Now that we’ve seen how it works, let’s see how much it costs!

How much does the Hola Barcelona Public Transport Travel Card cost?

Card TypeAdult (Age 99 and Younger)
48 Hour€18
72 Hour€25
96 Hour€33
120 Hour€40

Children under 4 travel free. Isn’t it wonderful?

You don’t even need to worry about payment.

You can reserve your order and pay later.

Additionally, you can cancel for free and earn a full refund if you do so up to 24 hours in advance!

The operating hours of this card are only valid from 5.00 AM to 11.55 PM.

Our suggestions 

Purchasing a Hola Barcelona travel card can quickly pay for itself for a typical 3-day stay:

You can save money by taking just a couple of daily excursions on the tram, bus, or metro.

The worth of comfort or time savings cannot be measured in dollars.

What is it worth to you, for instance, to avoid having to purchase single tickets from the ticket machine as frequently and possibly wait in line?

The Hola Barcelona Card comes in handy here.

Single tickets are valid for one or two stops, so you don’t have to worry about using them sporadically.

Simply board and go.

Furthermore, they are unaware that different companies operate local transportation.

The Metro itself has two operating companies (TMB and FGC).

All of them are eligible for the HolaBCN card:

TMB (Transporte Metropolitans de Barcelona), FGC (Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya), and Rodalies de Catalunya

Where can I use my Hola BCN card?

The following are the transportation options connected to this card:

  1. Any bus operated by Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB), except night buses.
  1. All metro lines are operated by the Metropolitan Transport System (TMB).
  1. Railroads of the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat (FGC) city network.
  1. RENFE commuter trains
  2. Montjuïc Funicular Service.
  3. Tramway network operator service is provided by TRAM.
  1. Train from Barcelona Airport to the city.

Night transportation is not available on this card.

But this card is ideal for saving money and moving around Barcelona.

Also, it is useful if you plan on moving from one location to another several times during your visit.

It will allow you to simplify your routes by allowing you to easily access the stops located throughout Barcelona.

Where is the Hola BCN card not valid?

Your Hola Barcelona Travel Card is not valid on the Aerobus/Shuttle bus.

These are privately run bus services that are not part of the Barcelona public transportation system.

However, if you have a HolaBCN card, you can use the metro for free to get to the airport or the city center.

Where can I buy the Hola Barcelona Card?

The best and most convenient way to purchase your card is online.

You must first decide how many tickets you want.

Click on the checkout button and pay online.

Meeting Point

You can exchange your voucher at any of the following tourist information offices:

Barcelona Airport, Terminal T1:From Monday to Friday, from 8 AM to 8:30 PM Saturday and Sunday from 8:30 AM to 8:30 PM
Barcelona Airport, Terminal T2:From Monday to Friday, from 8 AM to 8:30 PMSaturday from 8:30 AM to 8 PMSunday, from 9 AM to 3 PM
Plaça de Catalunya, 17-basement:Daily from 8:30 AM to 8:30 PM
Plaça de Catalunya (information booth in front of El Corte Inglés department store): From Monday to Saturday, from 9 AM to 8 PMSunday from 9 AM to 3 PM
Sagrada Familia tourist information booth:Monday, Tuesday, and Sunday, from 9 AM to 2:30 PMWednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 9 AM to 8 PM

Final Thoughts 

Is it worth buying the Hola Barcelona Travel Card? We’d say yes!

This card saves you a lot of money as well as time.

But keep in mind that these tickets are quite popular and are likely to sell out quickly.

We recommend purchasing the Hola BCN cards online before your trip.

You can do this for free, for example, by visiting this website (click here).

It also saves stress and time in Barcelona.

There are more exciting things to do in Barcelona than deal with the local transport ticket machines.

So reserve your tickets in advance and get ready to roam around the city of prodigies.

Featured Image: Getyourguide.com

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