Information / Sources, Barcelona

It is important to know that there are TWO seperate and distinct cable cars operating on and between Montjuic and Barceloneta.
The first is Transbordador Aeri del Port, the cable car that begins about half way up the slopes of Montjuic and carries you across the harbor to Barceloneta (one way ticket 9 Euro).
The second is the 'Teleferico de Montjuic, whose lower station is adjacent to the funicular that brings you up from the Para-lel metro station, which takes you from there to the top of Montjuic and the castle there (cost 6.5 Euro).
Important also to know is that the metro/funicular begin running earlier than the cable cars so you may take the funicular half way up Montjuic and then find that you have no way to continue up the steep hill except by foot power.
Their hours are:
April, May and October – Everyday from 10:00 to 19:00.
June to September – Everyday from 10:00 to 21:00.
November to March - Everyday from 10:00 to 18:00.

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Here you have some websites for you to check if you plan to arrive to Barcelona by ground, or plan to doing some daytrips while there:

- Renfe trains
http://horarios.renfe.es
At this page you can find info about medium and long distance trains, and even buy the tickets (even its system is not very user-friendly)

Be aware that the short distance trains are called Rodalies/Cercanias:
http://www.renfe.es/cercanias/barcelona
This one is in Spanish only, but you can select your departure station in the "origen" menu, destination in "destino" (this one was easy! :)) your travel date in "fecha" (important, as weekends and festive days will have a different timetable) and click on "horarios"

- FGC trains
http://www.fgc.cat
Check the tourism section there. They have interesting offers as the combined tickets to Monserrat

- Buses
There are quite a few companies, but this one goes to many of the most popular places: http://www.sarfa.com

The city centre is pretty compact, IMO walking (or bike) is the best way to visit. But you would like to see some places not just in the city centre, or move from/to your accommodation place...

First, have a look at TMB webpage (see below). All information is in Catalan, Spanish and English. You'll find all the info about tickets, routes and prices, tourist itineraries, places of interest, maps and many other useful things. I strongly recommend you to check this website when preparing your trip to Barcelona.

The metro is pretty good and easy to use. You miss the urban landscape, but it's usually the cheapest and fastest option. Buses can be a bit confusing, if you don't know the city and do not speak Spanish or Catalan. Trams are nice, fast and easy, but these don't serve the city centre (can be handy if you are staying in some areas)

Transport tickets (prices updated on January 2010):

A single ticket costs 1.40 €, valid for buses, trams and metro, on sale at the metro/tram stations or directly to the bus driver.

The best option usually is a T-10 (ten trips 7.85 € for zone-1, far enough for tourist purposes). Sold at metro and tram stops. In both cases (single tickets and T-10), you have an allowance of 1 hour 15 min: you can change from a bus line to a metro or different line of bus (not the same for return, for example), or from a metro to a bus, or metro to tram and bus... You may change metro lines if you do not leave the underground. T-10 cards can be shared for more than one person.

There is a 1-day pass for 5.90 € (T-Dia) that may be of interest, it allows unlimited number of journeys in any means of transport during a 1 day (until service closedown). But you will rarely use so many trips on a single day.

Other options are the tourist's passes: 2, 3, 4 or 5 days (11.20, 15.90, 20.40, 24.10 €), with unlimited trips (single user, non transferable), but take into account these will be worth only in case you should do A LOT of trips.
T-Dia and tourist passes can NOT be shared, one card per person

Enjoy Barcelona!

The Metro is very good in Barcelona. I used it daily. You can find an interactive map here.

I used the T10 ticket (pictured to the right) for ten travels. This travel card offers you also the possibility of changing the metro with bus or tram for the journey as long as it is within a 1 hour and a half time period. Another possibillity is to buy single tickets (1.25EUR) or the 2-5day passes (9.60-20.80EUR).

To get an interactive online map of the city as well as very accurate directions through Barcelona, visit the bcn wepage. They have information in Catalan, Castellano, and English, and its all very helpful, but best of all is the 'guia.' You can get directions to a location and they will tell you the walking time and distance and metro time and distance it will take to get there. It is very helpful, especially when trying to navigate the tricky backstreets of the barri gotic or ciutat vella that sometimes aren't on the maps. All you need to do is type in the street and number and they provide you with an accurate, labeled map that can zoom in as far as the street itself or as far out as the entire city. It also includes a function that allows you to locate sights in a specific area. Very helpful.

If you did some shoping and you want to get your Tax back it's really easy here. You just need to have all your receits, a Tax Free formular filled in the store where you did your purchase (for more then 90 euro), passport and plane ticket and you go to a small window in Terminal A, they put some stamps and the bank (located right there) and give you the cash back in not even 5 minutes.
It can do more shoping in Duty Free shops if you have time before your flight. Just don't get sucked like me and don't let them call you telling to hurry up for your flight. ;-)

Barcelona is very well connected with its underground system. Tickets need to be bought in advance and can be paid for with cash or card at either ticket booths or automatic machines. Single trip tickets as well as multi-day tickets can be purchased, relatively inexpensive.

To find out how to geet anywhere in or around Barcelona, use the excellent TMB (Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona) web site.

You enter a street address, intersectionor ppoint of reference, and your destination, (you can even add the time and date you'll be travelling) and you get interactive maps, bus and metro routes and detailed instructions.

Fast track to getting around is at http://www.tmb.net/camins/source/ingles/formVullTMB.jsp?op=TMB