Barcelona metro opens driving simulators to public in last weekend of July

The Barcelona metro is opening its driving simulators to the public on July 26 and 27. Located at Plaça Catalunya, in the city center, the simulator helps professional drivers train and pass their re-training courses.

Eight simulators replicate the L1, L3, and L5 lines in large rooms similar to the train cabin. 

People will be able to visit the newly installed simulators – which date back to September 2024 – as the metro celebrates its centenary, which started last December. During this year, there will also be a night race in the metro tunnels. However, details have not yet been made public.

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Metro drivers use these facilities to practice before entering the real world. Since the site opened its doors to the first drivers, 441 trainees have been trained, totaling 2,800 hours. The simulators replicate, to the millimeter, the metro network and all the incidents a driver can face during their working day.

This has helped reduce incidents by 10%.

"It could feel like less valuable work, but it has allowed drivers to gain a lot of experience in identifying incidents," said Laia Bonet, president of the Barcelona public transport authority (TMB).

Authorities will open the facilities for the public to drive around the underground network, coinciding with the metro's centenary. Those interested will need to register in advance and will also be able to visit the control center in La Sagrera metro station.

Bonet pointed out that the simulators will open again to the public during the fall, with a date to be confirmed.