The Barcelona Metro ( Catalan and

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

: ) is an extensive network of

rapid transit Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT), also known as heavy rail or metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport generally found in urban areas. A rapid transit system that primarily or traditionally runs below the surface may be ...

electrified railway A railway electrification system supplies electric power to railway trains and trams without an on-board prime mover or local fuel supply. Electric railways use either electric locomotives (hauling passengers or freight in separate cars), ele ...

lines that run mostly underground in central

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...

and into the city's suburbs. It is part of the larger public transport system of Barcelona, the capital of

Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the nort ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

, with unified fares under the (ATM) scheme. As of 2014, the network is operated by two separate companies: (TMB) and (FGC). It is made up of 12 lines, combining the lines owned by the two companies. Two lines, L9 and L10, are being built at present, with both lines having different sections of each opened between 2009 and 2018. They are due to be fully completed in 2026. Three lines on the network have opened as automatic train operation/

driverless vehicle Vehicular automation involves the use of mechatronics, artificial intelligence, and multi-agent systems to assist the operator of a vehicle (car, aircraft, watercraft, or otherwise).Hu, J.; Bhowmick, P.; Lanzon, A.,Group Coordinated Control o ...

systems since 2009: Line 11, Line 9 and Line 10, in chronological order. The network length is , with 183 stations, as of November 2021.

History

The first rapid transit railway service in Barcelona was founded in 1863 by the private company ''Ferrocarril de Sarrià a Barcelona'' ("Railway from Sarrià to Barcelona", after 1916 Sarrià joined the municipality of

). Later this line evolved in what now is basically the current L6 metro service. This railway system, now part of the

Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (, "Catalan Government Railways"), or FGC, is a railway company which operates several unconnected lines in Catalonia, Spain. The lines operated include metro and commuter lines in and around the city o ...

company, was later inspired by the

London Underground The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground or by its nickname the Tube) is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire in England. The ...

naming style having long names for the lines ("Sarrià line", "Balmes line"...). Much later, in the 1920s, a second and a third rapid transit railway systems were founded with the construction of the ''Gran Metro'' between Lesseps and the Plaça de Catalunya (part of the modern L3) and, two years later, the ''Metro Transversal'' (now part of L1). This third one was built between the Plaça de Catalunya and la Bordeta to link the city centre with the Plaça d'Espanya and

Montjuïc Montjuïc () is a hill in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Etymology Montjuïc translates to "Jewish Mountain" from medieval Latin and Catalan, and remains of a medieval Jewish cemetery have been found there. Some sources suggest that Montjuïc ...

, the site of the

1929 Barcelona International Exposition The 1929 Barcelona International Exposition (also 1929 Barcelona Universal Exposition, or Expo 1929, officially in Spanish: ''Exposición Internacional de Barcelona 1929'' was the second World Fair to be held in Barcelona, the first one being i ...

. These two later rapid transit companies contrasted with the first one in being inspired by the '' Métropolitain de Paris'' (from where the word "metro" comes). As of 2022, the network consists of 12 lines managed by 2 different operators:

Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) is the main public transit operator in Barcelona. A combination of two formerly-separate companies, ''Ferrocarril Metropolità de Barcelona, SA.'' and ''Transports de Barcelona, SA.'', it runs most of th ...

(TMB) and

(FGC, or Catalan Government Railways). Fares and nomenclature are controlled by the

Autoritat del Transport Metropolità The Metropolitan Transport Authority ( ca, Autoritat del Transport Metropolità, ATM) is a public consortium intended to coordinate the operation and project the expansion of the public transport system in the Barcelona metropolitan area. It is m ...

, a citywide system that also includes local and regional buses, tramways and some commuter and regional train services.

Network

Since early 2020, the total length of the network is 166 km and 189 stations, including the TMB+FGC+Montjuïc funicular. The major network, operated by TMB, consists of eight lines, numbered L1 to L5 and L9 to L11 (which are distinguished on network maps by different colours), covering of route and 141 stations. – ''length of TMB lines''. FGC lines are numbered L6, L7, L8 and L12. These lines, except all of L12 and part of L7, share tracks with commuter rail lines. The Barcelona Metro lines do not have a name of their own but are generally referred to by their colour or by the number and the names of their termini.

Lines

The lines run as follows: , 6 ''(3 shared with L9)'' , rowspan="2" , 33 , 2010 , rowspan="2" , 1,200 V DC rigid overhead line , - style="text-align:center;" , Collblanc- ZAL-Riu Vell , , 11 ''(3 shared with L9)'' , 2018 , - style="text-align:center;" , Image:L11 barcelona.svg, 25x25px rect 0 0 500 500

Barcelona Metro line 11 Barcelona Metro line 11 is a light metro line with short trains in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Line 11, coloured light green and currently known as Trinitat Nova – Can Cuiàs, is a recently built line in the Barcelona Metro network, operated ...

desc none , Trinitat Nova–

Can Cuiàs Can may refer to: Containers * Aluminum can * Drink can * Oil can * Steel and tin cans * Trash can * Petrol can * Metal can (disambiguation) Music * Can (band), West Germany, 1968 ** ''Can'' (album), 1979 * Can (South Korean band) Other ...

, colspan="2" , , colspan="2" , 5 , 2003 , 1,500 V DC rigid overhead line , - style="text-align:center;" , Image:L12 barcelona.svg, 25x25px rect 0 0 500 500 Barcelona Metro line 12 desc none , Sarrià– Reina Elisenda , FGC , , , 2 , 5 , 2016 ''(1976)'' , 1,500 V DC overhead line In addition to those, Renfe and FGC trains and the increasingly important tr am routes and stations are displayed on most recent maps, including the info maps in the metro stations, all in a single variety of dark green.

L9 and L10

Construction work is taking place currently on L9/ L10, which will run from Badalona and

Santa Coloma de Gramenet Santa Coloma de Gramenet () informally simply known as Santa Coloma (in Spanish: Santa Coloma de Gramanet, historically also known as ''Gramenet de Besòs'') is a municipality in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the south-east side of the L ...

to the Zona Franca district and El Prat International Airport. The lines, which share a central section between Bon Pastor and Can Tries , Gornal, will be the longest automated metro line in Europe, at , and will have 52 stations. The project was approved in 2000 but has been challenged by some technical difficulties and some of their sections are pending further geological analysis. The first section of Line 9 that runs between La Sagrera and Can Zam opened in 2009, and by June 2010 eleven new stations on the new Lines L9 and L10 had opened. As of February 2016, the 15-station, south section of Line L9 between Zona Universitària and the airport ( Aeroport T1 station) opened.

Rolling stock

File:Metro Barcelona train type 500.jpg, Series 500 File:Metro de Barcelona - Canyelles.jpg, Series 2000 File:Metro Barcelona train type 2000.jpg, Series 2100 File:Metro Barcelona train type 3000.jpg, Series 3000 File:Metro Barcelona train type 4000.jpg, Series 4000 File:Metro Barcelona train type 5000.jpg, Series 5000 File:L1 6000.PNG, Series 6000 File:L2 9000.PNG, Series 9000 File:Sant Quirze estacio ffcc.jpg, Series 112 File:Fgc serie 113.jpg, Series 113 (4 cars) and 114 (3 cars) File:Tren_213_de_los_ferrocarriles_de_la_generalitat_de_catalunya.jpg, Series 213

Tickets and pricing

In addition to the one-way ticket there are a number of other tickets and cards. All of the

(ATM) transport cards are valid and can be used in the Barcelona Metro. These are: * Airport Ticket, is a one-way ticket for the

airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surfa ...

stations, only required if travelling with a special airport ticket * T casual, which includes ten rides at a discounted price * T usual, unlimited journeys made in 30 consecutive days from the first use All of the metro stations are within fare zone 1.

Stations

At the end of 2018, there are 187 operational stations in the Barcelona Metro, served by the 12 lines in current use. The average distance between 2 stations is 807.50 metres. An overwhelming majority of stations in the network lack related buildings or structures aboveground, mostly consisting of an access with stairs, escalators or elevators. The official TMB metro indicator, a red rhombus with a M inside, remains unused by FGC lines, which use their company logo and a different rhombus-shaped logo (actually rather similar to the one used inside the Madrid Metro) inside stations. Below ground their decoration is remarkably sober, with the exception of all the new stations.

Disused stations

A number of stations in the network have been closed, were never inaugurated, or have been moved to a nearby location. See the main article for more details.

Accessibility

Accessibility for passengers with reduced mobility is nearing completion with (as of April 2022) 8 stations, out of a total of 192 stations, are not accessible.
The non accessible stations are: * Ciutadella , Vila Olímpica (L4) * Clot (L1) * Espanya (L1/L3) - The FGC Plaça Espanya station (L8 and suburban lines) is accessible. * Maragall (L4/L5) * Plaça de Sants (L1/L5) * Urquinaona (L1/L4) * Verdaguer (L4/L5) * Virrei Amat (L5) Lines L2, L6, L7, L8, L9 Nord, L9 Sud, L10 Nord, L10 Sud, L11 and L12 are fully accessible.

Non accessible connections (in both directions): * Catalunya L1/Rodalies (commuter/regional) to/from L3/FGC (metro L6/L7 and commuter) * Passeig de Gràcia L2/L4 to/from L3/Rodalies (commuter/regional) * Clot L1 to L2 in both directions (the Clot L2 station is accessible). * Ciutadella , Vila Olímpica L4 to/from Trambesòs For up to date info check the official sites o
TMB
an
FGC

Transportation in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona

The Barcelona Metro is part of a larger transportation network, regulated and fare-integrated by

. Among these services, there are two large systems which operate both inside and outside the city limits of

: the

commuter train Commuter rail, or suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting commuters to a central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Generally commuter rail systems are cons ...

lines operated by Renfe, amalgamated in the

Rodalies Barcelona Rodalies de Catalunya (, ; "Commuter Rail of Catalonia") is the main commuter and regional rail system in the Spanish autonomous community of Catalonia. It is administered by the Government of Catalonia and operated by the national rail operat ...

, or

lines which start in the metro lines the company operates ( L6, L7 and L8) and which become a fully-fledged railway system which serves most of the metropolitan area:

list of FGC lines This is a comprehensive list of all the lines operated by the Catalan government-owned Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya rail company, ordered by type. Suburban lines The FGC suburban lines is the collective name given to the suburban ...

. FGC is developing metros for Sabadell and

Terrassa Terrassa (, es, Tarrasa) is a city in the east central region of Catalonia, Spain, in the province of Barcelona, '' comarca'' of Vallès Occidental, of which it is the co-capital along with Sabadell. The name ''Terrassa'' derives from Latin ...

- see

Barcelona–Vallès Line The Barcelona–Vallès Line ( ca, Línia Barcelona-Vallès) is an unconnected standard gauge rapid transit and commuter railway line linking Barcelona with Sabadell and Terrassa via the Collserola mountain range, in Catalonia, Spain. Its name ...

Network map

Notes

References

External links

Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona

Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya

Unofficial Barcelona Metro Map

Wefer.com

Barcelona metro map for wheelchair users
{{International Metro Organizations Rail transport in Barcelona Underground rapid transit in Spain Rapid transit in Spain Busking venues 1445 mm gauge railways Standard gauge railways in Spain