How to move around Barcelona without taxis?
Ongoing strike causes disruption with main roads in city centre occupied by drivers
The taxi drivers’ strike in Barcelona and the metropolitan area has entered its sixth day, with two of Barcelona’s main roads in the heart of the city occupied by thousands of cabs. As moments of travel chaos have become familiar over the last few days, while drivers protest against ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Cabify, what are the best ways to move around?
Getting to the airport
For travellers making the journey to and from Barcelona airport, the blocking of Gran Via and Passeig de Gràcia in the centre has presented some obstacles. Despite the disruption, however, it is still possible to catch that flight or reach the city albeit with possible delays.
The Aerobus service is still operable from Plaça Espanya. From there, regular buses every five minutes are running to and from the city and both terminals of Barcelona airport. The usual stops within the capital have been cancelled while the taxi drivers’ blocking of the two major roads continues. More queues than usual can be expected.
Tickets for the journey cost €5.90, and can be bought online or on the bus itself. In order to get to Plaça Espanya, it is still possible to take the metro which is on the L1 and L3 lines. Due to the Barcelona taxi drivers’ strike, the metro may be more crowded than usual at times.
Reinforced train and metro service to and from Barcelona airport
Trains to and from Barcelona airport are also running, with reinforced services. The state-owned railway company Renfe has reinforced its service on the R2 line connecting the city to the travel hub.
The train to the airport can be taken from either Passeig de Gràcia station or Estació Sants. Travellers who need to go to terminal 1 must take the airport shuttle bus, as the facility’s station is located at terminal 2.
In order to compensate for the increase of people seeking alternative means to get to the airport, the number of places available on trains has been increased by 25%. This is 9,000 more available spaces than usual, bringing the total number of seats to 45,000 on a daily basis.
This measure will be maintained for as long as taxi drivers in Barcelona and the metropolitan area continue to strike.
The L9 metro line which also serves Barcelona airport is still operational. On Sunday, its frequency was increased to the weekday standard due to the strike.
Moving around Barcelona
Bus and metro services within the Catalan capital are running. Live updates of any possible travel restrictions can be found on the TMB website in English. Due to the strike, there are traffic restrictions in the city centre, which affects some bus routes. It is possible to plan one’s journey online on the city council’s website.
Traffic has also been affected in some parts of the city. An updated map of congestion in Barcelona can be found here.
Uber and Cabify
In the first days of the strike Uber and Cabify cars became the targets of aggressions. One of the most serious incidents involved more than a dozen strikers kicking and hitting a car carrying a family of French tourists. Last week, both companies temporarily suspended their services , but they are now up and running once more.
The green option for getting about
For residents travelling around in the city, the bike-sharing service Bicing is also an option. With its extensive network of bike lanes, it’s still relatively easy to cycle around Barcelona.
Non-residents, however, are unable to use this service, but there are numerous bike-renting shops throughout the city.