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Hop on Hop Off Barcelona Bus Tour: 2023 Tourist Bus Guide

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The hop on hop off Barcelona bus tour, aka the Bus Turistic, brings you to the city’s main attractions using just one ticket.

These bus tours make planning a thorough, quick sightseeing tour of Barcelona a breeze – so it’s no wonder 2,000,000+ passengers board every year.

Let’s take a deeper look at this Barcelona bus tour.

How to Buy Tickets for the Barcelona Bus Tour

Where to buy Barcelona bus tour tickets? If you’re looking to skip right ahead and get to it: tickets are bought via the Tiqets website – the world’s largest tourism ticket seller.

Buying tickets in advance saves you €2.00 per adult ticket compared to buying on site – and allows you to walk right on.

With summer lines (especially at major stops) being a burden this can save a lot of time.

BARCELONA HOP ON HOP OFF BUS
Save €2.00 per ticket

Every tourist bus booking helps us get closer to doing this blog for a living, so thank you 🙏

The Hop on Hop Off Barcelona Bus – Discover Barcelona with One Ticket

For those who have never been on a hop on hop off tour I’ll break it down for you quickly.

Essentially, these are city sightseeing tours that run on predefined routes via a double decker bus.

In the Bus Turistic’s case, each of its 45 stops along three lines correspond with one or more of Barcelona’s top attractions.

In general, you’ll choose the hop on hop off bus tour to:

  • Visit Barcelona at your own pace
  • Discover Barcelona by maximizing the attractions seen
  • Minimize travel/direction-related stress
  • Get your Barcelona bearings on day one of a trip
  • Save time and money

Even better, there’s an official tour guide on board with full commentary on the city’s past, present, and future.

Barcelona City Tour Video

🧐  |  Curious yet? Read hundreds of 1600+ Barcelona tourist bus reviews from all around the world.

Hop on Hop Off Barcelona Route

There are two routes on the Barcelona bus tour, and it breaks down like this:

  • Red Line (romance, views, and city rhythm): The legendary Passeig de Gracia with Casa Batllo and La Pedrera, the city’s highest panoramic viewpoint at Montjuic Museum, Plaça Espanya, a romantic pass through Ciutadella Park and more.
  • Blue Line (main attractions): Plaça Catalunya, Spain’s most famous tourist attraction at Sagrada Familia, Casa Batllo, La Pedrera, Park Guell, the MACBA Museum of Contemporary Art, Camp Nou Stadium, and Mount Tibidabo.

With air conditioned buses running every five minutes you won’t be waiting long.

If you’re asking how long the hop on hop off Barcelona tour takes, expect both the red and blue lines to last 2 hours.

Barcelona Hop on Hop Off Bus Map

barcelona hop on hop off bus map

How Much is the Hop on Hop off Bus in Barcelona?

Bus Turistic tickets come in both one day and two day forms – if you’re buying a two day ticket the days need to be consecutive.

Here’s a look at the Barcelona hop on hop off price list including the €2.00 discount for booking online at Tiqets (button below):

1 Day Hop on Hop Off Bus Ticket:

  • Adults: €31.00
  • Kids (4-12): €18.00
  • 65+/Disabled (33%+): €28.00.
  • Kids under 4: €0.00

2 Day Hop on Hop Off Bus Ticket:

  • Adults: €42.00
  • Kids (4-12): €23.00
  • 65+: €39.00.
  • Kids under 4: €0.00.

Tickets are valid for calendar days and not 24 hour periods.

Also, with your hop on hop off tickets you also get a discount voucher booklet with over €250.00 in discounts for:

Each bus tour tickets also comes with an audio guide in 17 languages, and your own set of headphones to listen.

They’ve even got free wifi, for those who are asking.

Where to Buy Barcelona Hop on Hop Off Bus Tour Tickets

It is strongly recommended to purchase your Barcelona tourist bus tickets in advance online.

With no need to queue up to buy tickets you’ll be able to board directly showing the tickets on your smartphone. There are massive lines especially on weekends and summer.

You can grab your €2.00 hop on hop off Barcelona tickets using the button below.

BARCELONA HOP ON HOP OFF BUS
Save €2.00 per ticket

Looking to book group tickets for 10+ guests? You’ll need to do so using the Bus Turistic group ticket form.

tourists taking selfies on the barcelona hop on hop off bus

Is the Barcelona Hop on Hop Off Bus Worth it?

Of course, these bus tours aren’t for everyone. If you’ve got tons of time for a Barcelona itinerary, can handle multiple metro trips, and don’t mind walking hours in the sun that’s fine.

That said, I would say that this Barcelona sightseeing bus is perfect for:

  • First time visitors looking to get their bearings
  • People low on time (layovers, cruise ship passengers, day trippers)
  • History and fact buffs looking for a Barcelona guided tour
  • The elderly & limited mobility travelers (buses are wheelchair accessible)
  • People looking for an inexpensive way to discover Barcelona

Hop on Hop off Barcelona Tickets with the Barcelona Pass

Naturally, these city sightseeing tours do not include entrance to the major attractions along the bus routes – that would be a hell of a deal – but there’s another way to save money with this combo discount ticket.

The Barcelona Pass (ex Barcelona City Pass) includes the hop on hop off Barcelona bus tour, Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, a city tour app, and a digital discount code to get 10% off virtually every other Barcelona attraction known to man.

Click on the button below to get more info:

BARCELONA PASS
Save time + 10%

Barcelona Tourist Bus Timetable

The Barcelona Bus Turistic runs year around except Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.

During high season expect to wait only 5 minutes between buses while in Barcelona in winter waits can push 25 minutes.

  • Every day from 9:00* to 19:00
  • Frequency: every 5-25 minutes

*The first tour bus departs from Plaça Catalunya at 9:00 so it’ll arrive and any subsequent stop a few minutes later, for example the first bus at Drassanes leaves at 9:06. Count about 5-6 minutes per stop.

Barcelona Hop on Hop off Plan

Being a Barcelona city tour veteran I’ve got an idea of how to best take advantage of a day pass on the Bus Turisitic.

First of all, you should grab the blue line but don’t get on the first stop in Plaça de Catalunya – it’s the busiest stop and especially in high season you might have to line up.

Furthermore, you’re just going to be coaxed off the bus at the first stop anyway since it’s impossible to resist the beautiful, trancadis-speckled mansion Casa Batllo.

The same goes for stop number two at La Pedrera, another of Gaudi’s amazing modernist mansions. You should get on at the La Pedrera stop – with the plan of riding it 12 minutes eastward to Sagrada Familia.

From here, the way I would plan the Barcelona tourist bus is the following:

  • Get off at Sagrada Familia and do their spectacular English guided tour
  • Get off at Park Guell and visit the Monumental Zone of the park
  • Get off at Camp Nou to discover the stadium, or at least grab a coffee to break it up
  • Get off at the Eixample stop, walk up Carrer d’Enric Granados and explore the area’s tapas bars
  • Head back to Placa de Catalunya and switch to the red line if you intend on carrying on.

This is the perfect five hour Barcelona tour, and should leave you a few hours to explore the panoramic views and seaside discoveries of the red line.

Don’t have enough time for the Barcelona bus Turístic in one day? Just book a second day, it’s only €10.00 more.

Related: Get a two hour walking tour of the Gothic Quarter for just 18 euro.

barcelona hop on hop off bus passing by la pedrera on passeig de gracia

Barcelona Sightseeing Bus for Cruise Ship Passengers

For cruise ship passengers the Barcelona bus tour is a perfect way to see the city.

First things first, the shuttle from the dock will leave you at the Columbus Statue at Drassanes metro station. Here you’ll find a ticket window and a red line Bus Turístic stop.

Keep in mind your fellow cruise ship passengers will be doing the same thing so it’s always best to buy your hop on hop off bus tour tickets online to avoid lengthy lines. All you have to do then is board the bus!

On nice days make sure you grab a spot on the top deck of the bus – if there’s no room just get on and wait by the stairs for a couple minutes for someone to get off.

The red line bus will take you along the port with the beach and the famous two towers before looping back and taking you by Ciutadella Park and El Born. Get off at the Barri Gotic stop where you’ll be able to take some great shots of the Barcelona Cathedral.

Total time to here is about 90 minutes.

sagrada familia passion façade under construction sagrada familia passion façade under construction
Save up to €30 on your Barcelona holiday right from the couch.

Get back on the bus tour until the Casa Batllo stop – here you can get off and wander the world-famous Passeig de Gracia shopping area all the way up to dream house La Pedrera. Allow about an hour for this.

The Pedrera stop connects with the blue line which you’ll take to the Sagrada Familia: if you’ve bought your Sagrada Familia tour tickets online you’ll skip the annoying lines and be in and out in about 90 minutes.

Get back on the blue line for 10-15 minutes more and you’ll be at Park Guell.

Taking in the magnificent views of the city from here should take about an hour or so. Get back on the bus for a trip to some amazing Barcelona FC football matches at Barcelona’s famous stadium Camp Nou.

From here you’ll take Diagonal down into the Raval neighbourhood and eventually end up back at Plaça Catalunya.

From Plaça Catalunya walk down La Rambla to your point of origin: the Columbus Statue. From here you can get your shuttle back to the cruise ship. This last part of the trip can be done in two hours or less.

Again, with the Sagrada Familia tour and a little lunch break you’re looking at about seven hours but if you’re not it can be done comfortably in five.

🚌 Planning on visiting Barcelona? Make sure you know how to get around Barcelona on public transport first.

a spread of modern tapas at season restaurant in barcelona spain a spread of modern tapas at season restaurant in barcelona spain
Get €8.00 off a gourmet tasting menu at Barcelona’s best tapas bar.

Barcelona Tourist Bus Tips

As a veteran of the hop on hop off Barcelona bus tour, having gone on it with various visitors over the last 10 years, I can share the following pearls of wisdom.

  • Buy your bus tour tickets online in advance to make sure you can walk right now
  • If you got them bring your own headphones for better audio guide sound.
  • Take your bus tour on the first day there because it helps plan the rest of your trip.
  • Bring a light jacket if you’re not fond of wind.
  • Start your Barcelona city tour early to avoid crowds and get the full value of the tickets.
  • Don’t start at major stops like Sagrada Familia and Plaça Catalunya because there are big lines. Always look to board one stop before or after (buses never depart full as per company policy so the following stops can pick up new riders).
  • If you can’t get a seat on the top deck sit as close as possible to the stairway downstairs to queue for the next seat
  • If you only have a one day ticket try and avoid Friday (it’s cruise ship day).
  • Sun cream and water are an absolute necessity in summer.
barcelona bus tour the bus turistic red line on passeig de gracia

Barcelona Bus Turistic FAQ

  • Is there a tourist bus in Barcelona?

    Yes, the Barcelona Bus Turistic serves virtually the entire city: it is split up across two different lines (red and blue) and more than 30 stops including all major attractions like Sagrada Familia, Camp Nou, Park Guell, the Gothic Quarter, Montjuic, and much more.

  • How long does the Barcelona city bus tour take?

    A complete tour of both the red and blue lines should take around 2 hours. That said, time should be factored in for whatever stops you make. A typical bus tour of Barcelona to see the sites can easily take up a full day.

  • How much is the hop on hop off bus in Barcelona?

    Single day tickets cost €31.00 for adults, €28.00 for seniors and students, and €18.00 for children. Two day Barcelona bus tour tickets cost €42.00 (adults), €39.00 (seniors and students), and €23.00 (children).

  • Is the Barcelona Hop on Hop Off Bus Tour Worth It?

    There is a lot of value associated with being able to see virtually all of Barcelona’s top attractions for around €30.00 – in just a couple of hours. For people who want to see it all, are short on time, or don’t feel like walking around this is a very good tour to do.

  • Do you get a discount on the hop on hop off bus in Barcelona?

    If you buy your Barcelona tourist bus tickets on site, there are no bus tour discounts. However, in booking your bus tickets online you can save €2.00 per adult ticket.

  • What time is the Barcelona sightseeing bus?

    The Bus Turistic runs every day except Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.

    I high season there is just a five minute wait between buses, while low season can take up to 20 minutes between buses.

    The Barcelona bus tour hours are as follows:

    • Every day from 9:00am (*first bus departs from Plaza Catalunya) to 7:00 pm
    • Frequency: every 5-25 minutes
  • If I buy a 2 day hop on hop off ticket can I spread out the days in any way I wish?

    No, the days must be used up on consecutive days.

  • If I buy a 1 Day Ticket and get the bus at 3 pm is it valid till 3 pm the next day?

    No, ticket validity expires at the end of the day’s service.

  • Can Bus Turistic tickets be refunded?

    No, unfortunately refunds cannot be made once tickets are purchased.

  • Is the Barcelona sightseeing bus wheelchair accessible?

    Yes. Keep in mind though that wheelchair customers will not be able to access the upper deck.

  • How can I use the Barcelona tourist bus to reach Mount Tibidabo?

    Yes, but now the whole way. Take the blue line to the Tramvia Blau-Tibidabo stop and change for the Tramvia Blau or Bus 196 to get to the Funicular de Tibidabo.

Let’s Continue the Hop on Hop off Bus Barcelona Discussion

Prospective Barcelona travelers, let us continue our journey of knowledge!

If you’ve got any questions about these Barcelona sightseeing bus tours or anything else please don’t hesitate to ask me any questions in the comments below.

Also don’t be afraid to join the Hop on Hop off bus 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.

Enjoy your Barcelona hop on hop off bus tickets 😃

131 comments
  • June 14, 2023 at 7:30 pm
    Mila
    How would you plan out a 2 day bus tour?
    • June 16, 2023 at 1:13 pm
      ashley
      Team Member
      Ash
      I'd do the red line one day and the blue line the next day :) I'd do the itinerary I mapped out below on day one (in my opinion, the best sights to see) then take it more easy on day two. Check out Camp Nou and have a long walk around Montjuic. It all sort of depends on your unique tastes, but this is how I'd do it :)
  • August 10, 2022 at 11:04 am
    David ODonnell
    We are on the street Carrer de Girona , where should we g get on the bud first ? We don’t know where the stops are
    • August 10, 2022 at 11:13 am
      ashley
      Team Member
      Ash
      Hello! You'll have to walk to Sagrada Familia (north east) or back to Passeig de Gracia (to the west, the La Pedrera stop) to grab the bus... :) Cheers,
  • June 8, 2022 at 11:40 pm
    Jack Loomis
    Hello! We will be in Barcelona in Jul as part of a Western Med cruise. We've heard many versions of what transportation is or what is not available from the cruise port . The question we have concerns transportation from the cruise ship and how we get from the cruise ship to the nearest Hop on Hop off stop. Any help you can provide will be appreciated!
    • June 9, 2022 at 9:26 am
      ashley
      Team Member
      Ash
      Hi Jack, Cruise ship passengers get the Cruise Bus (also called the T-3 Port Bus) from the docks to the Columbus Statue at the bottom of La Rambla. This is where you can get on the HoHo bus at 'Colom Museu Maritim' and carry on your way. These buses are coordinated with cruise ship arrivals so no need to worry about timetables or anything of the sort. Cheers,
  • February 10, 2020 at 12:03 am
    Tracey MacLeod
    HI On this page you state that you cannot use your smartphone ticket and that you can. 'Make sure you print out the tickets as phone versions aren’t accepted' and then 'Does the online ticket need to be printed? No! You can also show the ticket on your smart phone, easy does it.'
    • February 10, 2020 at 10:43 am
      ashley
      Team Member
      Ash
      Hola Tracey, Wow! I've updated this post a lot over the years but must have forgotten to take a look at the hacks portion... back in 2016 it wasn't possible but now it is! I have deleted the incorrect advice, thanks :) Cheers, Ash
      • February 10, 2020 at 8:47 pm
        Tracey
        All good. Great website! I booked our 3 barcelona city cards thru you
        • February 11, 2020 at 12:25 pm
          ashley
          Team Member
          Ash
          Thanks so much Tracey! :)
  • October 22, 2019 at 3:44 pm
    Susan
    Hi Ash My daughter and I are staying at Carrer d'En Fontrodona. We wish to use the hop on hop off bus. If we get on the bus at the Colom-Museu stop, what time would the first bus leave from there please. I am just trying to work out timings so we can plan our itinerary.We plan on getting the two day pass and getting off to explore at each stop.We will be getting the pass for a Saturday and Sunday in July. I am wondering if we would be better to do the blue line on the Saturday taking in to account things being closed on Sundays, and Montjuic Castle being free on Sundays after 3pm. I'd also like to tie things in with seeing La Sardana in Cathedral Square on Sunday. Then just to work out when to book Sagrada Familia, Casa Batllo etc. Your thoughts would be appreciated thankyou. I am devouring your site and thank you for a previous reply regarding Aerobus. It's very helpful having a local give inside information.
  • October 10, 2019 at 9:27 pm
    Maya
    I am planning on taking the HOHO bus on Saturday Nov 2nd to sight see across the city. I am also visiting Montjuic mountain on Sunday 3rd to enjoy the free entrances. Am I better of getting the 1 day or 2 days HOHO pass?
    • October 11, 2019 at 12:53 pm
      ashley
      Team Member
      Ash
      Hi Maya, While it can be convenient to use the Hoho to get up Montjuic, keep in mind it is also very easy to do via the funicular at Paral-lel metro station. In general I recommend the Hoho for only one day as a way to get acquainted and educated with the city... the two day pass is usually for people with mobility issues or who don't like walking around. I guess you should ask yourself which of these people you are :) If you're full of energy I'd just go for the one day. Ash
  • October 10, 2019 at 6:02 pm
    Ronnit
    Hi there, 1. How long is the BIG BUS trip from Placa de Catalunya to Park Guell? 2. How long is the BIG BUS trip from Park Guell to Camp Nou? 3. How long is the BIG BUS trip from Camp Nou to Placa de Catalunya? Thanks in advance
    • October 10, 2019 at 6:59 pm
      ashley
      Team Member
      Ash
      Hi Ronnit, General rule of thumb is about 8-10 minutes between stops so I'd say it's about 45-50 minutes per question :) They're all about 5-6 stops from each other. Ash
  • September 21, 2019 at 7:35 pm
    Katie
    I’m back!!! I thought of another question. The price of a VIP table at Fiesta Poble Espanyol, will the cost be per person or per table? Thanks again!!! Katie
  • September 21, 2019 at 7:19 pm
    Katie
    Dear Ash, It’s me again. We are the ones coming in on a cruise ship NYE 2019. We were looking at your blog about how to see Barcelona. We are wanting to take the Hop on Hop off bus, but your blog says that they don’t run on NYE. Do you have any suggestions as to how we can see the city without booking a tour through the cruise? I’m still watching for VIP table info for Poble Espanyol. Thank you for your assistance!!! You will probably hear from me again. Sincerely, Katie
    • September 22, 2019 at 10:05 am
      ashley
      Team Member
      Ash
      Hi Katie, Many (perhaps even most) tourists simply use the very efficient and vast public transport system. There's literally nothing that the metro won't bring you to. I would simply get a transport pass and see the city my metro. But yeah, let me know what you had in mind seeing and I can be more specific if needed. About the VIP table at Poble Espanyol I am assuming this is on a per person basis... but I would double check just in case by emailing them here: [email protected]. Cheers, Ash
  • September 5, 2019 at 3:53 pm
    Katrin
    Hi Ash, we bought online 2-day tickets for HOHO and we would like to book a visit of SF and Park Guel. However, we don't have the voucher booklet. Where can we get it and how can we use its discount to make a reservation in advance? Can we make it online? We are arriving to Barcelona at night and would like to start the tour in the morning. Thanks a lot,
    • September 6, 2019 at 10:31 am
      ashley
      Team Member
      Ash
      Hi Katrin, As far as I know you're given the voucher booklet once you've scanned your ticket and board the bus. Unfortunately this means that you cannot use it to book any attractions in advance. Cheers, Ash
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