The Barcelona Pass (previously the Barcelona City Pass) was created to help tourists skip lines at busy attractions, avoid unnecessary hassle, and ultimately save 10% on virtually everything you can do in the city.
If done properly, you can plan your whole holiday with a couple mouse clicks from home.
But is the Barcelona Pass worth it? Let’s take a deeper look.
What’s Included in the Barcelona Pass
Each Barcelona Pass includes the following for visiting Barcelona:
- Sagrada Familia: Fast track, skip the line access
- Park Guell: Skip the line access + self-guided tour audio guide.
- A 1 or 2 day pass for the Bus Turistic hop on hop off bus tour (3 lines covering the entire city)
- City Tour of Barcelona app (100+ spots w/ audio guide from local experts)
You also get a digital discount code giving you 10% off major purchases like:
- Casa Batlló, La Pedrera, Camp Nou Experience, and the Picasso Museum.
- The Hola BCN unlimited transport pass
- Guided tours, flamenco shows, the city’s best museums, food.
- Nightclubs, shopping, the Dali Figueres tour, and many other excursions.
- Your return ticket to Girona and other Barcelona day trip tickets.
- Much more.
Barcelona Pass Prices
Before we figure out whether this is a good discount for you, here’s a list of the Barcelona Pass prices.
The first price listed in each category is for the one day Bus Turistic pass, while the second is for two days.
- Adults: €86.50 or €95.50
- Youth (13-29): €83.50 or €93.50
- Senior (65+): €69.50 or €79.50
- Child (11-12): €65.50 or €70.50
- Child (7-10): €27.50 or €32.50
- Child (4-6): €17.50 or €20.00
- Infant (0-3): Free
Looking to book group tickets for 10+ guests? You’ll need to do so using the Barcelona Pass group ticket form.
🧐 | Curious yet? Read Barcelona Pass reviews from all around the world.
Is Barcelona Pass Worth it?
To be honest, if you’re looking for a chill beach holiday it’s probably not going to cut it.
That said, if you’re coming to Barcelona with culture in your eyes, and want to check off the major themes of Barcelona’s top things to do like Sagrada Familia and Park Guell – with no stress – then it’s something to seriously consider.
Here’s a few reasons:
Barcelona Sightseeing Passes Help You Save Money
It’s the reason you looked for a discount card in the first place.
The 10% discounts you’ll get on subsequent attractions is the highest discount percentage available on the market for any of the major attractions.
Some math: the 3 tickets included in the basic pass (Sagrada, Park Güell, and the Bus Turistic) cost €77.30 with the two audio guides adding €5.00 of value each – making €87.30.
If we buy the pass and nothing else we’re saving a measly €0.80.
That said, if we decide to use the pass for just 3 items like Casa Batllo, Camp Nou, and La Pedrera using the 10% discount we end up saving nearly €10.00 and it brings us well into the black.
If we continue by getting an Hola BCN transport card, Poble Espanyol, a flamenco show, an amusement park pass, or anything else on the long list of discounts it starts to really add up.
You Can Skip the Line at Barcelona’s Most Popular Attractions
Even if you’re just breaking even you may want to ask yourself how much your time is worth.
In summer attraction entrances can have lines lasting hours.
With the Barcelona Pass you use your personal discount code to book all your attraction tickets online in advance, skip the lines, and enjoy your visit hassle free.
If your time is (conservatively) worth €20.00 an hour you’re now way into savings.
There’s Nothing to Pick Up
Unlike other Barcelona discount cards you’ll benefit from the City Pass being all digital.
That way you won’t have to worry about picking anything up in busy Barcelona city centre during rigid office hours, printing out tickets, or even losing them.
Just book them at your own pace at home, then show the tickets on your phone. Easy peasy.
Why Buy with Tiquets and Barcelona Hacks?
- There are no commissions
- The 10% discount is the highest across-the-board offer online
- It helps cover time and expenses I dedicate to this blog
If you’re looking to simplify your holiday and save a bit of cash, we’d really appreciate you clicking through to the Tiqets link below.
There you’ll get reviews of the Barcelona Pass from travelers just like you as well as the main buying channel.
Validity and Duration
The Barcelona Pass is valid from the moment of purchase until 5 days after your arrival in Barcelona (arrival date must be specified while purchasing).
Of course, this doesn’t mean that you’ll be forced to visit all the attractions during this time, it only means that the 10% discount code will be active during this period.
You can schedule the visits for the additional attractions for whenever you want.
How to Buy + Use the Barcelona City Pass
You can buy and get your City Pass up and running using the following steps:
- Enter Tiqets City Pass page.
- Click the button ‘book now’
- Choose the # of tourist passes (also selecting whether you want 1 or 2 days with the hop on hop off bus tour)
- Enter your arrival date (IF your arrival date is within 3 days of booking you can then book time slots for Sagrada and Park Guell immediately, otherwise you’ll be asked to choose times after payment)
- Follow the easy payment steps
- Check your email for your receipt and tickets (will be sent within 1-3 minutes!)
- Here you also receive your 10% discount code with links to websites to redeem them
- Show up with the tickets you’ve been sent via email and skip the lines!
Still having troubles? Get at me in the comments below.
City Barcelona Pass FAQ
Does the Barcelona Pass include public transport?
No, the only transport included is the 1 or 2 day Bus Turistic pass.
Can I use the 10% discount to get an Hola Bcn transport card?
Yes. This is particularly handy for those who want transport from Barcelona Airport.
If I visit for 6 days and buy two Hola Bcns for 4 days and 2 days do I get discounts on both?
Yes.
Do I have to pick anything up?
No, all tickets and discount codes are done online.
Do I absolutely have to select my visiting dates for Sagrada Familia and Park Güell?
Yes, it’s fundamental to get your tickets sent.
Keep in mind that time slot selection is super standard – the only open tickets for Sagrada are for a small time window (4:00 pm to 6:00 pm) at the end of the day and carry a premium price tag.
Park Guell also caps out at 200 visitors per hour and so booking in advance is virtually mandatory.
You’ll have to select your times anyway, pass or not.
For other attractions that require a date and time, can I select whatever I want?
Yes.
I received the booking confirmation but didn’t get the tickets, what do I do?
Tiqets promises to have all tickets emailed within 24 hours so if less than 24 hours have passed you’ll simply have to wait.
In the odd case they don’t arrive within this period write to [email protected] with your booking number.
How much is a Barcelona Pass?
Adults cost €86.50, senior (65+) cost €69.50, and youths (13-29) cost €83.50. Children cost between €0 and €27.50.
How long can I use the discount?
The discount is valid from the second you buy the pass until 5 days after your indicated arrival.
Can I use the discount code on any website?
No, discount codes can only be used through the links you’ll be provided in the email.
Can I use the discount code at ticket windows?
No.
Do I have to visit all the attractions within 5 days of my arrival?
No, attractions can be visited at any time as long as tickets are purchased within 5 days of arrival.
Am I gonna save money with the City Pass?
If you use the Barcelona Pass for only two more attractions, yes.
To skip the lines do I have to show my visitor pass?
No, in reality the pass is digital so there’s nothing to show. What allows you to skip the lines are the attraction tickets you’ve purchased with the pass.
I’m looking at the Barcelona Card too – what’s the difference?
For the Barcelona Card know that those discounts are only applied at ticket windows – no line jumping possible here.
With the City Pass you’ll be able to apply the discount to tickets bought online from the comfort of home and skip the lines later. No other card gives you this option.
The Barcelona Card also differs in that it places a lot of its value in transport around the city. Unless you’ve got a hostel or holiday apartment a bit far out of the city or are planning on squeezing in a ton of attractions in a short time the transport isn’t mandatory.
Related: How Many Days Should I Stay in Barcelona?
Looking for a Barcelona City Pass?
This is probably the best Barcelona discount pass in circulation at the moment: having everything booked from the comfort of home, skipping lines, and saving money… but it really depends what you’re planning to do.
If you’ve got any more questions about the Barcelona Pass or anything else related to your holiday get at me in the comments below.
Finally, don’t be afraid to join the City Pass discussion by first giving me a like on Facebook and then joining my group I’m Off to Barcelona – here you can ask any questions, air out grievances, and chat with thousands of Barcelona travelers.
Anything goes!
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December 13, 2019 at 7:00 amHi Ash, It's me again and just would like to clarify on City Pass. I have purchased my Sagrada tickets way before , so will it still be an advantage to buy a City Pass? I have not yet purchased Parc Guell tickets though. Just to clarify the validity of the City Pass. I arrive Barcelona on the 15th and will have half a day - am thinking of using the Bus Turistic for this half day ; we will join the GoEuGo tour that leaves BCN on the 16th to go to Madrid and Lisbon. Back in BCN on the 22nd and will stay there till Dec. 25. Can the City Pass be valid from 15th Dec to 25? Thank you again, mary
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December 13, 2019 at 10:16 am
Team MemberAshHello, First off Mary if you've already got Sagrada booked then you're going to have a hard time making up the value. You'd probably have to book 5-6 other attractions to make it worth it. If you're not going to there's no shame in booking all the tickets individually and forgetting about the pass. As for the validity... if you specify your arrival date as the 1th you'll have until the 20th to take advantage of the discounts. Keep in mind though that it's valid from the moment you book and are sent the code. So you'd have from today onward until the 20th to book. Cheers, Ash
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December 6, 2019 at 9:25 pmHeyyy Ash. This may sound daft but is there a time limit or anything? I’m in Barca 19-24th Jan, all the other passes I’ve seen are for a certain amount of hours. How does the city pass work? Cheersss
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December 7, 2019 at 9:36 pm Team MemberAshHi Ben, All is explained above! Your 20% discount will be valid from the moment you buy it until 5 days after your stated arrival date. So if you book today it'll be valid from Dec 7th to Jan 24th. Cheers, Ash
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November 23, 2019 at 9:09 pmDear Ash, It’s me again! We are trying to figure out the best way to get around Barcelona on New Year’s Eve. We (5 adults, 1 9yr old) will be arriving at 8am by cruise ship. We would like to have recommendations of what to do and see during the day and how to get around. Two of us cannot walk for long periods of time. We were able to reserve a VIP table at Poble Espanyol for NYE. Please help!!! Sincerely, Katie
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November 24, 2019 at 1:20 pm Team MemberAshHi Katie, Hello again! In general the best way to get around the city is by metro. Locals use it for everything and it will take you to every corner of the city. As for the other questions... this entire site is dedicated to suggesting things to see ;) Is there something specific you wanted to do? I'd start with my list of things to do in Barcelona and my post on NYE in Barcelona and go from there. If you need anything a bit more custom please let me know. Cheers, Ash
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November 18, 2019 at 8:18 amDid you have any issues using the 20% discount code? I received the code via email and used the provided link to try and book tickets but everytime I try to validate the code on the payment site, nothing happens.
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November 18, 2019 at 10:52 am Team MemberAshHi Dee, I've never had any problems myself... are you using the discount code with the links sent to you by Ticketbar? And not with any other sites? If this is indeed the case I'd get in touch with Ticketbar at [email protected] and they'll be able to sort you out. Cheers, Ash
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November 9, 2019 at 11:34 pmHello, I am planning to visit Barcelona with my friend in this January. We will stay there almost 3 days. Do you think there will be long lines at January. I mean, is it logical to buy Barcelona Pass just to skip lines. Because we are students and museums already gave us discounts. Thanks.
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November 11, 2019 at 1:44 pm Team MemberAshHi Safa, The lines between January 1st and 6th will be quite heavy but the rest of the month should be OK. That said, it really depends on what you're planning to see. If you're going to check out everything on the City Pass plus some more attractions with the 20% discount it makes total sense to get it. Not only for the convenience of skipping lines but because in most cases the 20% discount is also applicable to already discounted student prices. Cheers, Ash
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November 9, 2019 at 7:50 pmHi Ash, Me and my partner will be there in Barcelona landing at night 8 pm at BCN airport on Sat, 15 Nov and returning on Mon 18 Nov 10 am. So, I will be in Barcelona for two full days on 16 and 17 Nov. I'm interested in going to Sagrada, Parc Guell and Camp Nou, Picasso museum and couple of beaches (which beach is worth going?). Please advise how best to utilise 2 days and which pass would be good. Is there any other must visit places I should include? We are first time visitors to Spain. Best regards, Liza
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November 11, 2019 at 1:30 pm Team MemberAshHi Liza, If you're not interested in the Bus Turistic then the above pass won't be for you as it'll be almost impossible to make up the value. That said, if you are (you should be as it's perfect for first time visitors) it would be a great choice since it'll sort out all your bookings/airport transfer in advance and give you discounts on Camp Nou, a Picasso tour, and much more. If not there's no shame in booking the attractions individually. Attraction-wise I would simply follow the first two days of my three day itinerary. I would also put La Pedrera on the list of things to see. As for the beaches it's November so it won't be the optimal temperature but I would just head down to the Barceloneta neighbourhood (metro Barceloneta) and go for a walk along the sea. In that area you'll find lots of nice restaurants and some pretty cool little streets and squares. Cheers, Ash
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November 7, 2019 at 9:17 pmHello! Thank you for this useful website! Quick question: I just purchased the Barcelona City Pass. I received my discount code and the link to use it but I do not see the Hola Barcelona Card listed on the Ticketbar website. I tried to purchase on the Hola Barcelona website but it will not accept my code and only gives 10% off. Help! Thanks!! France
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October 29, 2019 at 3:53 pmHi Ash, Could you please explain how the City Pass is worth the price of €76.50, when the sum of three activities is €62: Gaudi bundle €35 + Hop on Hop off bus €27? Even if you take the 20% discount for two houses, the sum is still below €76.50. Thank you, Vlad.
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October 29, 2019 at 5:08 pm Team MemberAshHi Vlad, It was never insinuated that just buying the pass straight up you'd be saving money. Without buying others products to make up the costs it's possible to take a small hit on it. Also keep in mind you're not calculating the return Aerobus which is a €10.20 value. Also something to consider is the amount of time you can save by having everything booked in advance... I don't know how much an hour of your time is worth but it's not to be overlooked. In reality it's quite easy to get into savings for travelers doing a solid itinerary with the main sites when considering above. Ash
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October 29, 2019 at 6:09 pmThank you, Ash. Yes, it seems the pass is ok for those coming from the airport. I assume making all the reservations online (attractions and bus) grants the same benefits: skip lines, electronic tickets and guides. Another question, how is the Art Gallery if you compare it to London or Paris? Vlad.
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October 31, 2019 at 10:25 am Team MemberAshHi Vlad, Yes indeed... with booking in advance online you get skip the line all the same. The Barcelona City Pass is just a way to do this all in one shot, save quite a bit of time, and likely money if done correctly. As for the art gallery... are you referring to MACBA? Honestly I found it quite similar, if smaller, to a place like the Tate Modern in London. Though it won't compare at all to a place like the Louvre. My two cents :) Cheers, Ash
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November 3, 2019 at 1:11 pmActually, I meant the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC). Is it similar to London National Gallery or to Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam? If we anyway are going to see the Fountain, so it might be a good idea to visit the MNAC as well?
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November 4, 2019 at 11:53 am Team MemberAshHi Vlad, Unfortunately I haven't been to the National Gallery nor the Rijksmuseum so can't make that comparison. I would simply take a look at their official site: https://www.museunacional.cat/en/at-a-glance And if you feel it's something you'd like to check out then schedule it to visit before the fountain show :) It would be easy to do. Cheers, Ash
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October 16, 2019 at 6:42 pmI bought the city pass and it was great for La Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, and the Aerobus. But now I'm trying to use the 20% off code to purchase some additional tickets and it won't validate. I arrived Monday and tried yesterday and today to use it but it just won't work. I tried emailing someone yesterday but haven't heard back and I'm afraid I may have already waited too long to get my preferred times. Any ideas on who I can contact for assistance?
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October 17, 2019 at 9:33 am Team MemberAshHi Cat, Thanks for writing in and apologies for the troubles :) You will have 5 days from your stated arrival date to use the 20% discounts... so it should still be valid today. Please get in touch with [email protected] for any clarification. Please let me know how you get on :) Ash
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October 18, 2019 at 9:16 pmThank you Ash. I did get a quick response from the email you provided. I did miss out on the Picasso Museum due to the delay in booking but was able to use the new discount code to book everything else. Thanks for your help!
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October 19, 2019 at 12:48 pm Team MemberAshGreat to hear Cat! Please let me know if you need any more help :) Hope you'll get to Picasso somehow.
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October 15, 2019 at 6:54 amHi Ash, I learned that my brother will be in Barcelona the same time we are, in November, and we'd like to buy the City Pass but wondering about meeting up with him if we have the Familia Sagrada tickets with guided tour. Would it be possible for him, purchasing tickets separately without the City Pass, to get on the same tour with us? Also, we will be in Barcelona for about 7 days - would you say the City Pass is the best buy for us?
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October 15, 2019 at 9:08 am Team MemberAshHi Pat, First off, for any serious sightseer that's going to be there for 7 days the City Pass will be the perfect thing to do. The problem is though that without buying the City Pass himself he can't guarantee being on the same tour as you. Once you buy it takes Ticketbar some time to put the package together and you may only get the tickets emailed within 48 hours of the tour date itself, so your brother may not have the time to book the same slot as you since it could be sold out by that time. I would definitely get in touch with Ticketbar though to see if there's any way they can do this for you ([email protected]) as since it won't be high season they can probably assure you the same tour. Please let me know how you get on! Ash
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October 25, 2019 at 6:10 pmThanks, Ash. If we are there Oct 29 and the City Pass is only good for 5 days after our arrival, then we can use it the 6th and 7th day then?
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October 26, 2019 at 12:54 pm Team MemberAshHi Pat, If you've indicated your arrival date as October 29th you'll have until (29, 30, 31, 1, 2) November 2nd to take advantage of the discounts. I'm not sure what you mean by 6th and 7th days? It's only valid for 5 so you won't be able to. Am I misunderstanding something? Cheers, Ash
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