Riding the Bus in Barcelona

Bus maps

Metro maps, which also mark bus and Nitbus routes, are available at Metro stations and tobacco shops ("los estancos").

Stops and lines

You can easily find stops by locating red signs with brown benches under a small roof.

Transit hub Plaça Catalunya offers access to a number of buses, many of which run up and down Las Ramblas. Other busy thoroughfares where it’s easy to catch various buses are Diagonal, Via Laietana or Pssg de Gracia.

Lines 59 and 17 are especially useful for visiting the beach or Gaudí buildings.

For more information on riding the bus, including where to sit and when the ring the bell, read this previous blog post with helpful tips.

Tickets

Try to get a ticket before you get on the bus, avoiding confusion with bus drivers or the possibility that they cannot make change. Passes for the Metro and the FGC also work for buses.

Upon entering the bus, you will see two machines. If you have a Metro pass, insert your ticket into it, printed side up, with the arrow pointing down. The machine will stamp your ticket.

Wheelchair access

Most major lines are wheelchair accessible. At least some, though not all, buses on the line have wheelchair lifts.

Nitbus

Bus service varies by line, but most operate between 4:25 a.m. and 11 p.m.

When main bus lines stop running, the Nitbus takes over. Service on the 17 night lines, most of which stop at Plaça Catalunya, begins between 10:40 p.m. and 11:40 p.m. and ends between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. They run about every 20-30 minutes.

Nitbuses stop in front of many popular nightclubs, and most work their way through the Ciutat Vella and Zona Alta. Some go to the airport.

Metro passes are valid on all Nitbuses. You can also buy a single ride or 10 rides right on the bus.

More information

• Getting Around Barcelona - main article
• Barcelona Metro information
• Barcelona taxi information
• See the sights on public buses