Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a cheap Barcelona travel pass that gave you unlimited transport?
That way we’d avoid the single ticket pitfalls of fumbling for change, worrying about time validity, and mumbling through some basic 9th grade Spanish.
It’d also be nice if this tourist travel pass had the potential to save us money.
That brings us to the Hola Barcelona Card (formerly the Hola BCN).
Why Get an Hola Barcelona Travel Card
Having an all-inclusive transport card with unlimited rides makes your holiday run like a clock.
Tourists have been buying Hola Barcelona Card (previously the Hola BCN Travel Card) for years because:
- You get unlimited public transport on the metro, bus, tram, and funicular.
- There’s return Barcelona airport transport via airport train, metro, or bus 46.
- There’s easy pickup at Barcelona Turisme kiosks.
- It eliminates stress of constantly buying tickets.
- It’s cheap.
Remember: if you have any questions about Barcelona transport options like how to get to any of the city’s top attractions from your holiday apartment just write me in the comments below.
What Does this Barcelona Tourist Travel Pass Include?
Your super-handy Barcelona travel card will include unlimited journeys in zone one on:
- Overland trains (including the R2 from El Prat Airport to central Barcelona).
- The metro (all lines including the L9 from Barcelona airport, a €9.00 value).
- All TMB buses.
- Tram.
- The Montjuic Funicular (careful! This is not the Montjuic Teleferic).
Some of you might be asking what exactly is zone one?
The simple answer is it’s the entire city centre and all suburban areas. Unlike bigger cities like New York and London the area of zone one is the entire reach of the metro system.
This encompasses basically all main tourist attractions in Barcelona.
Hola Barcelona Travel Pass Prices 2023
Strike through prices are offline prices so it’s best to book online with the 5% discount.
The price of a single ticket in Barcelona has increased to €2.40 in 2023 so your break even point on the 48 hour pass is 3 uses a day – a virtual guarantee when visiting the city.
Here are the multi day ticket prices:
- 48 hours:
€16.40€15.58 (online). - 72 hours:
€23.80€22.61 (online). - 96 hours:
€31.00€29.45 (online). - 120 hours:
€38.20€36.29 (online).
These prices apply to everybody (including students, 65+ etc.) – only children under 4 ride free.
As you can see, buying this Barcelona transport pass online means you’ll spend just around €7.00 a day for unlimited travel on public transport plus your connection from the airport to Barcelona city centre.
Keep in mind that return metro service from Barcelona airport alone costs €10.30!
Tack on the Aerobus for the Ultimate Tourist Transport Pass
Looking to throw in the best airport transport on top?
Thanks to Tiqets you now have the option to package a one way or return ticket on the Aerobus (up to a €13.20 value) with the Hola Barcelona Card – you can book the Barcelona Transport Pass clicking the button below:
Where Can I Buy an Hola BCN Travel Pass?
The Hola Barcelona Travel Card is available via Barcelona Turisme, the official tourism board of the city.
Here you’ll earn me a small commission (at no extra cost to you) to cover server costs and the effort/time I put in… if you want to help please click the button below:
It is very much appreciated! 🙂
Where to Pick up Your Hola Barcelona Travel Card
Once you’ve got your voucher code sent to your email you can pick up your Barcelona city travel pass at any of the following Tourist Information points:
- Airport: Terminals T1 + T2: Daily from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm. January 6th and December 26th from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. Closed: New Year’s Day and Christmas Day.
- Plaça de Catalunya: Plaça de Catalunya 17. Daily from 8:30 am to 9:00 pm. January 1st from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm. January 6th and December 26th from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. Closed: Christmas Day.
- City Hall: Carrer de la Ciutat 2. Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm. Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Closed: New Year’s Day and Christmas Day.
- Sants Station: Plaça Països Catalans. Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm. Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm (high season till 8:00 pm). Closed: New Year’s Day and Christmas Day.
- Mirador de Colom (Columbus Monument): Plaça Portal de la Pau. Daily from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm. January 6th and December 26th from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. Closed: New Year’s Day and Christmas Day.
- Plaça Espanya: Daily from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm (high season from 8:30 am to 8:00 pm). January 6th and December 26th from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm. Closed: New Year’s Day and Christmas Day.
- Sagrada Familia: Daily from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm (high season till 8:00 pm). January 6th and December 26th from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. Closed: New Year’s Day and Christmas Day.
Travel Pass Validity & Restrictions
Your Hola Barcelona Travel Card becomes live the first time you use it.
This means if you have a 72 hour tourist travel card and take your first public transport trip at noon on January 1st, you’ll have until noon on January 4th to ride as many journeys as you want.
Night Buses and the Hola Barcelona Card
Unfortunately the Hola Barcelona Card is not valid for night buses since they are operated by a private company.
To use night buses you can pay the bus driver €2.40 for a single ticket using cash.
Keep in mind that from Sunday to Thursday the metro closes between 00:00 and 05:00 and between 02:00 and 05:00 on Friday.
On Saturday night (to be clear, the night between Saturday and Sunday) the metro is open all night!
If you’re looking for a big club night make it Saturday unless you’re rich enough for a Barcelona taxi.
Why Not Another Discount Card?
The Barcelona Card
The good thing about this discount Barcelona travel pass is that it costs much less than its sister the Barcelona Card, which is more aimed at people looking to get lots of Barcelona attraction tickets in addition to getting unlimited transport.
If I’ve confused you a little make sure to check out my page comparing the two tourist travel cards.
The Barcelona Pass
The popular Barcelona Pass is a great option because it gets you into mega-attractions La Sagrada Familia and Park Guell, and a one or two day pass on the Bus Turistic.
You’ll also get 10% off your Hola Barcelona Card plus 10% discounts on virtually anything you can do in Barcelona from flamenco to Camp Nou.
Deciding Which Barcelona Travel Pass to Get
If you’re sure you want to see a lot of attractions you may be better off going for the Barcelona Card or the Barcelona Pass – but as far as a straight up travel card goes the Hola Barcelona Travel Card is the cheapest and most efficient.
Still a bit confused about which discount pass to get? Make sure you write me in the comments below with a list of things you’d like to see and a budget and I’ll do my best to help out 🙂
Hola Barcelona Travel Card Zones
If you’re staying a bit outside the city centre here’s a list of nearby municipalities included in zone one:
Sant Adriá del Besos, Badalona, Montgat, Montcada i Reixac, Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Sant Joan Despì, l’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Cornellá de Llobregat, Sant Boi de Llobregat, El Prat de Llobregat e Castelldefels.
All of these communities can be reached by train using the Hola Barcelona Card.
Related: How Many Days Should I Stay in Barcelona?
Hola Barcelona Travel Pass FAQ
Is the validity of the card for days or hours?
Again, the validity is for hours. If you activate a 72 hour card at 6 pm on Friday you’ll have until 6 pm on Monday to take advantage of your unlimited tourist travel card.
Why do some websites say that it’s days and not hours?
Because the change from days to hours was very recent and they probably haven’t updated the information 😉
Can I get a refund on my Hola Barcelona Card?
Yes. To cancel your travel card get in touch with [email protected].
I lost my Hola Barcelona Card, can I get a replacement?
Unfortunately this is not possible so be careful!
Is the Hola Barcelona Card interpersonal?
No, trips are only permitted to the holder of the card.
Can I use my Hola Barcelona Card to get to Girona/Montserrat/Sitges?
No, this Barcelona travel pass is only valid for zone one of the Barcelona transport network.
Is the Hola Barcelona Travel Card really worth it?
If you’re planning on visiting the main tourist attractions and don’t have the money to get around by taxi, then yes!
I’m a student/retiree, can I get any transport discounts in Barcelona?
No, only children under 4 travel free on public transport in Barcelona.
Does the validity kick in from the time I pick it up or the time I first use it on transport?
The clock starts ticking on this Barcelona travel pass from the time you first use it.
I’ll be in Barcelona for six days, are there Hola Barcelona Card cards for more than 120 hours?
No, in these cases you’ll need to combine cards (e.g. 48h + 96h)
Do I have to book my Hola Barcelona Travel Card way in advance?
In general there are no rules for booking your Barcelona travel card but obviously the sooner the better in case you incur any unexpected issues along the way.
Is the Hola Barcelona Card valid for the Aerobus?
No, though bus 46 departs from the same area at both the airport and Plaça Catalunya. You’ll also be able to grab the airport train or metro.
Ready to Get Your Hola Barcelona Travel Card?
If the Hola Barcelona Card isn’t the best Barcelona travel pass then what is?
Remember, you can drop me a line below about anything regarding visiting Barcelona and I’ll respond ASAP with something so good you won’t even know what to do 😉
Also don’t be afraid to join the Hola Barcelona Travel Card discussion by liking the Barcelona Hacks Facebook page then joining my group I’m Off to Barcelona – here you can ask any questions and chat with 10,000+ Barcelona travelers.
Enjoy your Barcelona tourist travel pass 🙂
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May 23, 2023 at 5:17 pmHi Ash so I'm gping to Barcelona from a Tuesday to the following Monday, what do you suggest would be the best option for the Barcelona card? Also, could I travel to Monserrat woth the card?
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May 26, 2023 at 3:42 pm
Team MemberAshHi Cristina, Unfortunately, the Barcelona Card does not include Monserrat tours, nor will the transit pass be valid for that trip. You can only use it in Zone 1 of the TMB network - which is actually massive and covers the whole city and post suburbs... but won't extend as far as Montserrat. I would get the pass for 3-4 days for the heavy sightseeing/travel then do the rest on my own. Of course, the answer really depends on your exacxt itinerary. Cheers,
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May 21, 2023 at 1:03 pmHello, Is the fgc included in the ticket?
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May 26, 2023 at 3:27 pm Team MemberAshHello, yes it is as long as it's in Zone One :)
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February 21, 2023 at 4:43 pmHi, I bought a BCN but my flight arrives at 10pm, can I pick up at the airport that time??
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February 27, 2023 at 5:42 pm Team MemberAshHi Monika, The Tourist Information point will be closed at that point, but you can take the barcode you've been given at purchase and use it to redeem the cards at the ticket machines at the airport metro station. Cheers,
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November 17, 2022 at 11:20 pmHi Ash, I booked 4 Hola Barcelona cards and received just one voucher. Is it possible to pickup 3cards at the same time and the other one later in about 6hours time using the same voucher? We are a group of 4 travelling to Barcelona from different countries and at different times on the same day.
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November 18, 2022 at 10:41 pm Team MemberAshHi Sravanti, Wow, this is one of those rare cases where I'm stumped! I want to say that they all have to be redeemed at the same time, but I am not sure... for the answer to this I would write to the customer service of the vendor for certainty :) Cheers,
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November 7, 2022 at 4:35 pmHi Ash, Thank you for all the information. I look forward to using your links so that you get the credit. We are coming this week and arriving on the 10th. I think we are likely to buy both the Hola BCN and the Tourist Pass. We are staying at this address Carrer Entença 84, Barcelona, Catalonia 08015, near Parc Joan Miro. I understand that there is a metro stop nearby. Can you confirm that this is in Zone 1 and therefore included in the BCH Travel Pass? Thank you.
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November 8, 2022 at 5:19 pm Team MemberAshHI Ila, Thanks for writing in and I appreciate you so much booking with our links... post COVID every bit definitely helps us get back on our feet :) As for your question, of course, that address is very much in Zone One! You're good to go :) Cheers,
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October 2, 2022 at 10:53 amHi Ash, we will be arriving by plane on Christmas Day and wanted to buy this card but looks like the pickup points will be close in the airport. What alternative do I have? Do you know if they can mail it to me in the US? We will be staying for 5 nights at Easy Hotel Barcelona Fira L'Hospitalet de Llobregat. Thanks in advance!
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October 3, 2022 at 12:46 am Team MemberAshHi Danny, Unfortunately they cannot mail them to you, and you've found yourself in the rare "Hola BCN Christmas tax" vacuum... which means your only option, provided you want to pick them up the next day, is to simply buy them at the ticket machines at the airport metro station. These will be 10% more expensive, which is a pain, but at least it locks in the value of the airport transport which is a big part of the appeal here. Cheers,
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September 10, 2022 at 1:53 amI have tried multiple times to purchase Hola BCN but it keeps giving me an error message. Is the link still to puchase the passes still valid?
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September 10, 2022 at 8:06 pm Team MemberAshHi Krystal, I am not sure where you are getting the error message. I have just clicked through using our Hola BCN link and I am getting through just fine. Maybe try again? Apologies if there is any confusion.
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June 19, 2022 at 8:41 pmCan it be used for sagales bus?
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June 20, 2022 at 1:25 pm Team MemberAshHello, unfortunately Sagales is a private company so it cannot be used there. It is only valid for public transport.
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May 28, 2022 at 10:35 pmHi 🙋🏽♀️ i just purchased the hola bcn card. Just received the voucher per email. Do I have to print it out or can I use the pdf on my phone to pick my ticket up?
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May 29, 2022 at 10:16 am Team MemberAshHi May, No need to print anything out... just show the receipt/pdf on your phone and they'll do the rest :) Cheers,
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May 21, 2022 at 12:29 amDo you know if the Hola Barcelona ticket with the Aerobus add on is available for Sept/Oct? The calendar seems to stop mid-August. Thanks!
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May 23, 2022 at 1:51 pm Team MemberAshHi Shelley, Most tickets are typically not put on sale until 90 or even 60 days before the actual date - since there's no risk of these selling out, don't worry :) Come back in late July/early August and you'll be all set. Thanks!
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