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This page will give you a review of the Barcelona Card - the discount tourist card issued by the Barcelona tourism board. The card offers a host of discounts, free unlimited trips on the public transport system and the convenience of not having to queue to buy your transport tickets in a foreign language. Simply whip out your Barcelona Card and you're away! That is the theory anyway but is it worth it? We'll cover the pros and cons to help you decide if this card is right for you.

Four reasons for considering this Barcelona Tourist Card

1. Free unlimited transport on Barcelona transport network. No more problems and wasted time queuing for travel tickets. Saves you time and makes your holiday more enjoyable.

2. Save money on entrance fees for many major attractions - saving you money

3. Improved personal security. If you've read our article on personal safety in Barcelona you would have learned that petty theft and pickpocketing in Barcelona is a problem particularly at stations where tourists have to purchase transport tickets. The reason is that pickpockets can see where tourists keep their money. With the Barcelona Card you do not need to take out your wallets / purses to purchase tickets - your transport has been all paid for in advance and if you keep your Barcelona card in a separate location to your purse or wallet no pickpocket will know where you keep your money.

4. Free Barcelona map and Barcelona guide provided with the Barcelona Card.

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Is the Barcelona Card worth buying?

Reader's Question: Is the Barcelona Card worth buying or should I just pay separately for transport and attraction entrance fees?

Answer: The answer to this question depends on what you intend to do once you are in Barcelona. Here are a few possible scenarios:

1. You intend to visit many of Barcelona's attractions that have an entrance fee and you will use the public transport system to get around e.g. Metro and Bus. If this is the case then the answer is probably yes it is worth the money.

2. If you do not intend to visit many of Barcelona's attractions, but you do intend to use the public transport system then it may be cheaper to opt for the Barcelona Travel Pass instead. The Travel pass does not give you discount or free entry to Barcelona attractions, restaurants or Barcelona original souveners but it does give you unlimited free transport on the public transport system.

3. If you do not intend to visit many attractions or to use the public transport then the answer is it may not be worth it financially to purchase the Barcelona Card.

One other factor to consider when purchasing the Barcelona Card is that it will make your visit to the city considerably more relaxing. You don't have to be concerned about queuing for transport tickets or trying to communicate in Spanish or Catalan. Most people in Barcelona don't speak English so it can be frustrating at times. You also will not be handling cash to pay for your tickets - which gives you a level of extra security. If you're going to Barcelona to relax then anything that can help you do that may be worth the price even if you don't fully use the card to pay for itself.

Here's a little more detail on what the Barcelona Card offers you.

Free Unlimited Public Transport

The card gives you unlimited travel on the Barcelona public transport system including the Metro underground system, the buses around the city centre, the tram system and the train service from the city centre to Barcelona airport.

Discounts on entry to many museums and art galleries.

The Barcelona card will give you good discounts on entry to many popular museums and art galleries e.g. receive 20% off the price for the Picasso Museum and 20% off the price of the Miró museum and many more.

Save Money on Barcelona Original Souvenirs

Buy your Barcelona original souvenirs from the souvenirs shop in Barcelona tourist office in Placa Catalunya and receive a 15% discount with the Barcelona Card.

Tourist Discount on Specific Restaurants

Enjoy 10% discounts on specific Barcelona restaurants that will be listed when you purchase your card.

Savings on Shows And Music

Obtain a 20% saving on Palau de la Musica (A beautiful classical music venue) and Gran Teatre del Liceu (Opera, theatre and musicals venue).

Free Tourist Guide and Maps of Barcelona

When you pick up your Barcelona card you will receive a basic street map of the city, metro map and a simple but comprehensive guide to Barcelona's main attractions along with details on where you will obtain discounts.

How much is the Barcelona Card?

The Barcelona card price varies depending on 2 factors:

1. How many days you choose the card to be valid for.
2. Whether the Barcelona Card is for an adult or for a child.

To find out up to date prices for the Barcelona Card see the link below.

How can I buy the Barcelona Card?

You have 2 options for buying your travel and discount card:

Purchase Online: You can purchase your Barcelona Card online which is the easiest and simplest way.

When you pay for your discount card online you can pick it up from Barcelona airport tourist information and then obtain free travel on the RENFE train to the city centre. You will need both the voucher you purchased online and photographic identification to be able to pick up you card.

Barcelona airport tourist information office is closed on 25 December and 01 January and the operating hours for the airport tourist office is from 09:00 to 21:00 you obviously won't be able to pick your card up outside of these hours.

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Tourist office: Alternatively you can purchase the Barcelona Card from the Tourist information offices in Barcelona city centre when you visit.

Reader's Question: Can I buy the Barcelona Card from Barcelona Airport?

Answer: Yes you can buy the Card but only from Barcelona International Airport (El Prat de LLobregat, Aeroport de Barcelona Airport code BCN) . You cannot purchase the card from Reus Airport or Girona Airport. The place to purchase the Card at Barcelona Airport is one of the Barcelona Airport Tourist information offices. However note that the card can only be purchased during normal opening hours for the airport tourist office. There are several types of tourist information at Barcelona Airport so make sure you go to the correct office. You can buy your card from T1 tourist information office or T2 Tourist information office. Alternatively if you have purchased your Barcelona Card online in advance of your trip you can also pickup the card from the airport tourist information offices during normal working hours. Learn more at Spainbookers.com

How many days is the Barcelona Card valid for?

You can buy a Barcelona cards valid from 2 to 5 days. The price of the card varies depending on the number of days of validity you choose.

Barcelona Card Frequently Asked Questions

We have created a special Barcelona Card frequently asked question FAQ section on our site that will help you answer any further questions you may have about the Card.

The Barcelona Card is a good buy and can save you a good deal of money on entrance fees and souvenir shopping, and attending many key cultural venues. Another important factor is the amount of trouble it can save you from having to queue to purchase transport tickets or to struggle along trying to order a transport ticket in Spanish. You can also forget about your transport budget once you have the Barcelona Card because most of your public transport cost are covered in the city centre. This Tourist Discount Card however does not cover you for train journeys that go outside of Barcelona city centre.

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