Hola BCN: Barcelona Tourist Travel Card from €17.20 (+Airport)

Wouldn’t it be dreamy – a cheap Barcelona pass for unlimited metro, bus, and tram rides, skipping the single-ticket chaos?

Even better if it saved you cash and covered airport hops.

Enter the Hola Barcelona Card (yep, formerly Hola BCN).

But does it deliver, or is it hype? Let’s dig in.

First Things First: My Story

Update (04/15/2026): Finally! HolaBCN Voucher codes bought online can now be redeemed at any Barcelona metro ticket machine – airport included – eliminating previous friction.

It’s no secret: I’m a local so I don’t need this unlimited transport pass – I’ve got a motorbike and love walking – I might take the metro once a day if I’m lucky.

In this HolaBCN review I can only really go on what blog readers and tourists have told me about this pass.

Here’s what 14,000+ reviews look like on the pass:

Looking even deeper, here are some specific Hola Barcelona card reviews I’ve found:

It’s no secret it has helped tons of tourists save money and hassle, but is it worth it for you?

Let’s break down the pass even further:

Is the Hola BCN Worth It?

As an example, let’s look at the Hola BCN via the 72 hour pass (there are also 48, 96, and 120 hour passes) – a typical purchase for a tourist on a Barcelona city break.

Keep in mind that similar savings apply across the board, no matter the time limit.

The Hola Barcelona 72-hour pass costs €25.94 and delivers unlimited metro, bus, and tram rides – airport transfers included – for about €8.65 daily.

It appears to beat single tickets (€2.90 city rides, €5.90 airport one-ways) quicker than you’d guess, especially with that €11.80 roundtrip airport savings.

To really understand if it’s worth it though, let’s crunch some numbers.

A Question: How Much Transport Do Visitors Really Need?

Most visitors include 4-6 core sights over 3 days (Sagrada Família, Park Güell, Casa Batlló, beach, Gothic Quarter, maybe Montjuïc), often with beach downtime or extra hops.

So – visitors will use at least 8-12 one-ways (2-4 daily) for a “decent” three day itinerary – no rushing, just normal pacing with walks/transfers.

Your Breakeven for the 72 Hour Hola Barcelona

Here’s why the Hola 72h (€25.94) crushes singles:

• Pure city (no airport): 9 trips (€26.10) to break even. A minimal Day 1 (airport bus to Sagrada + beach) + Day 2 (Park Güell + Casa Batlló) + Day 3 (Gothic wander) hits 9 easily.
• With airport roundtrip: Just 5 city trips (€14.50 + €11.80 = €26.30). Most travelers fly in/out, so you’re ahead after Sagrada + beach + one more hop.
• Realistic 3-day flow (12 trips): Sagrada (in), Park Güell (out+back), Casa Batlló (nearby), beach stroll (bus), Gothic (walk/metro) – €34.80 singles vs. €25.94 pass = €8.86 saved.

3-Day Cost Breakdown

Let’s look at how daily one-ways (city only), plus optional airport roundtrip, can add up to real-talk savings with our €25.94 pass.

Trips/Day (€2.90)	No Airport	+Airport
1	-€17.00	-€5.00
2	-€9.00	+€3.00
3	Even	+€12.00
4	+€9.00	+€21.00
5	+€18.00	+€29.00
6	+€26.00	+€38.00

There it is: if you take two transport trips a day + use it for the airport, you’re already in savings.

Using our realistic three day flow: the average visitor can save €21.00 by buying this pass.

The same % savings applies to all of the other time denominations: 48, 96, and 120 hours.

How to Lock in the Savings

Snag it online for 5% off with free cancellation up to 24 hours prior.

Ideal for 2+ daily rides or airport hops – these savings can stack fast on your Barcelona adventures.

What is the Hola Barcelona Card?

An all-inclusive transport card with unlimited rides makes your holiday run like a clock.

Previously the Hola BCN Travel Card), it’s been a go-to 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 or any Barcelona metro station ticket machine.
• It eliminates the 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 write me in the comments below.

What Does the Hola Barcelona Card Include?

Your super-handy Barcelona travel card will include unlimited journeys on the entire Barcelona transport network:

• Overland trains (including the R2 from El Prat Airport to central Barcelona).
• The Barelona metro (all lines including the L9 from Barcelona airport, a €9.00 value).
• All buses on the Barcelona public bus network.
• The Barcelona tram.
• The Montjuic Funicular (careful! This is not the Montjuic Teleferic).

This includes all suburban areas as well – encompassing all of the main tourist attractions in Barcelona.

Hola Barcelona Travel Pass Prices 2026

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 €2.65 in 2026, so your break-even point on the 48-hour pass is three uses a day – a virtual guarantee when visiting the city.

Here are the multi-day ticket prices:

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 €8.00 a day for unlimited travel on public transport plus your connection from the airport to Barcelona city centre.

Keep in mind that the return metro service from Barcelona airport alone costs €11.40!

In booking with the button above, you’ll also get a free Barcelona city map to help you navigate the attractions better.

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 by clicking the button below:

Where Can I Buy a 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

There are two ways to redeem your Hola Barcelona Card once bought online.

I strongly suggest you opt for the ticket machine option – they’re not subject to strict opening hours – and can be redeemed right at the airport before you get on the train into town.

Recommended: At TMB Ticket Machines

Here’s how to redeem your HolaBCN transit pass voucher and turn it into a physical ticket using TMB machines.

• Head to any Barcelona metro station (airport ones work too) and locate a red TMB ticket machine.
• Pick your language from the screen options like English or Spanish.
• Tap “voucher” or “online ticket pickup” button.
• Input the 13-digit code from your voucher email (check near the barcode or QR).
• Review the info on screen, then collect your printed Hola Barcelona card from the machine.
• Tap the card on validators to activate – it offers unlimited rides for your chosen duration (48-120 hours) starting from first use.

Also Possible: Tourist Info Points

That said, you can also redeem your code 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.

This is often better for people arriving at the cruise port, or other points of entry not directly tied to the metro system.

Travel Pass Validity & Restrictions

Your Hola Barcelona Travel Card is activated 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 a private company operates them.

To use night buses, you can pay the bus driver €2.65 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.

Flamenco

See a tear-jerking Barcelona flamenco show from €16.00.

Find my show

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?

Discount cards

Get a Barcelona tourist discount pass and save money + time.

See the cards

Hola Barcelona Travel Pass FAQs

• 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 four 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, unfortunately the Aerobus is privately operated, thus it is not included in the Hola Barcelona Card. However, metro travel from the airport to the city centre is included.

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 and then joining my group; I’m Off to Barcelona. Here, you can ask any questions and chat with 10,000+ Barcelona travellers.

Enjoy your Barcelona tourist travel pass 🙂