Transportation in Barcelona

[gbcruise]

First timers in Barcelona in November. Which is the best purchase, the Bus Turistic or the Barcelona Card? Basically we want to tour the city for 4 days but not sure where on what days. We also want to go to Montserrat for 3/4 day. Will hiring a car to take us from the airport to our hotel be wise since we will have 4 pieces of luggage or taking the Aerobus?

[ab0si]

The HoHo bus is a good way to get an overview of the city. However, there are a few limitations:

a) It is certainly not the fastest way to get from point A to point B

b) limited hours of operation

c) in high season at the busiest times, you might need to wait for several

buses before there is room for you to be allowed on.

 

The public transportation system is excellent and easy to use. Note that the Barcelona card is good for rail from the airport however, I do not htnk it covers the express bus.

 

The bus from the airport is easy, but I can't recommend it over a car without knowing which hotel you are using. Also note, that pickpockets (and Barcelona has the best in the world) target people getting off the bus.

 

Montserrat is wonderful. I suggest using the combination ticket for public transportation. Both the funicular and the aerial cable are better ways of reaching the monastery than a bus

[sanjim]

Think about the t 10 ticket or something like that gives you 5 rides x 2 or 10 rides on the metro. Not good for the aero bus. If you are staying close to the main square the Aero bus is great we used it going and comeing sure beats the taxi fare. Monserat is quite a great place to go while we were there the boys choir sang, and afterwards the crowd dispenses and its a snap to go the Black Modona. We also took part in a Mass at one of the side alters in Monserat really nice. All you have to do is catch a train nice ride about an hour to get there. We took the rack railway because it was raining and cloudy instead of the cable car,

[sddsddean]

For more info on getting to and from Monserrat (which is dead easy by train) read through the posts at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=815205

 

Simon

[NikkiOh]

If you take the port bus from the ship, are there taxis available where the bus lets you off? Would it be difficult to walk with luggage (and safe-pickpockets) to Plaza Catalunya? :rolleyes:

[samavarcruiser]

See Barcelona - HOHO bus

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=752264

[sddsddean]

If you take the port bus from the ship, are there taxis available where the bus lets you off? Would it be difficult to walk with luggage (and safe-pickpockets) to Plaza Catalunya? :rolleyes:

 

 

Yes there is a taxi rank round the edge of the roundabout at the Colom Monument where the port bus drops you. When we were there last year, over the 4 days of our pre cruise we saw loads of people walking up Las Ramblas with their bags in tow. Although Barcelona has the 'bad' reputation for pick pockets, as long as you are aware and don't do anything stupid, you should be OK.

 

Simon

[Grandpaul]

We also saw people with luggage walking up Las Ramblas. I thought at first they were part of the show. And as mentioned the public transit system is very good. Read those CC posts and you'll get a lot of good info. We enjoyed our stay there.

[CathyCruises]

If you take the port bus from the ship, are there taxis available where the bus lets you off? Would it be difficult to walk with luggage (and safe-pickpockets) to Plaza Catalunya? :rolleyes:

 

Really, that is a lot of extra work. Just grab a taxi at the ship and have a quick ride to Placa Catalunya or wherever you are heading. You CAN schlep your luggage onto the port bus, then walk all the way up Las Ramblas, but why? I am as frugal as they come but I wouldn't do it--our taxi ride to the ship, with luggage, from our hotel close to PC was 13 euros and worth every sou. (This is not one of those ports where you HAVE to take the bus--the taxis come right to the building where the ships disembark.) And Las Ramblas is cobblestones, so when wheeling your luggage you are making a big clackety-clack the whole way--my own luggage drive me crazy and we only went a few blocks from where the Aerobus dropped us--I was SO glad not to have to listen to that any more!

 

Cathy

[Onessa]

Really, that is a lot of extra work. Just grab a taxi at the ship and have a quick ride to Placa Catalunya or wherever you are heading. You CAN schlep your luggage onto the port bus, then walk all the way up Las Ramblas, but why? I am as frugal as they come but I wouldn't do it--our taxi ride to the ship, with luggage, from our hotel close to PC was 13 euros and worth every sou. (This is not one of those ports where you HAVE to take the bus--the taxis come right to the building where the ships disembark.) And Las Ramblas is cobblestones, so when wheeling your luggage you are making a big clackety-clack the whole way--my own luggage drive me crazy and we only went a few blocks from where the Aerobus dropped us--I was SO glad not to have to listen to that any more!

 

Cathy

 

 

Agreed! We were amazed as we watched people schep their luggage across the square and then up and over the bridge. Not worth the "savings"

[DWPC]

The absolute last thing you want to do after a long tedious flight is to hump your own luggage through downtown pedestrian traffic in a strange city. Barcelona is a very busy city with lots of traffic. Taxis from the airport to downtown Barcelona are pretty reasonable (for Europe). Same thing when you go the ship, the taxi from the main hotel district to the cruise terminal was under 10 Euro when we were last there.

 

For touring the city, get the day pass for the tourist bus line that originates at the Playa De Cataluna; double deckers. They go to all the major tourist areas and you can get off and on as often as you like. IIRC, they have multiday passes too. What ever you do in Barcelona, don't miss the Cathedral! Look out for Gypsy women pickpockets; they work in pairs. One gets you to reach for your wallet; the other snatches it while the first keeps you preoccupied.

[avacruiser]

The absolute last thing you want to do after a long tedious flight is to hump your own luggage through downtown pedestrian traffic in a strange city. Barcelona is a very busy city with lots of traffic. Taxis from the airport to downtown Barcelona are pretty reasonable (for Europe). Same thing when you go the ship, the taxi from the main hotel district to the cruise terminal was under 10 Euro when we were last there.

 

For touring the city, get the day pass for the tourist bus line that originates at the Playa De Cataluna; double deckers. They go to all the major tourist areas and you can get off and on as often as you like. IIRC, they have multiday passes too. What ever you do in Barcelona, don't miss the Cathedral! Look out for Gypsy women pickpockets; they work in pairs. One gets you to reach for your wallet; the other snatches it while the first keeps you preoccupied.

 

I agree

[SteveS]

The Aerobus is cheap and easy if your hotel is close to one of the stops. A cab is faster but about 30 euros more.Our hotel ,the Continental Barcelona, was a very short walk from the Placa Catalunya stop. Getting around on the Metro and busses is also quick and easy, buy a 10 trip card. Barcelona is a fun city and the nude beach an interesting sight.