Barcelona Pass – Which One is the Best and Which One is NOT Worth the Money?

38 Comments

1. 

   Marco 27.01.2020 at 13:04

   A super complete and accurate post! I have been to Barcelona a few times and i love it!

   Reply
   • 

     Yulia 27.01.2020 at 20:58

     Thank you, I love it too!

     Reply
2. 

   Sara 10.01.2020 at 19:40

   Hello,
   Thank you for the great break down of the city passes! Still not sure which one to purchase if we are staying for a full week in February. We are staying a bit out of the city center and will be using transportation heavily. It is our fist time and want to see as much as possible. Thanks again.

   Reply
   • 

     Romina Banu 03.02.2020 at 14:29

     Hi, Sara,

     Thank you for your nice comment, I’m glad you enjoyed the article! 🙂
     Unfortunately, I cannot provide a customized recommendation, as I don’t know your itinerary and plans for the things that you’d like to visit. So I’d say that you can narrow down your selection to the passes that have public transportation included – Turbo Pass Barcelona or Barcelona Card, for example, and then you can decide based on the attractions that are included in each of them.
     But if I were to recommend a pass to you, considering that you’re visiting for a full week and it’s your first time there, I’d say to go for Barcelona City Pass, as it’s not limited by time and you also get 20% off public transportation. Plus, the main attractions such as Sagrada Familia and Park Guell are included in the pass, which is not the case for most of the other passes in the article.

     But please calculate and check for your particular case before deciding on which pass to buy!

     I wish you a great time in Barcelona!

     Reply
3. 

   Chris Socha 06.01.2020 at 17:03

   Hey,

   We are traveling to Barcelona in March. Is it worth it to get the Tower pass and the skip the line pass for Sagrada Familia? How long does this tour normally take? Do you know of any promo codes for a discount.

   Reply
   • 

     Romina 06.01.2020 at 17:04

     Hello,

     I would say it’s definitely worth visiting and the skip-the-line option is wonderful, because it saves you so much time that you would otherwise waste waiting in line!

     The tour usually takes around 1h – 1h and a half. Unfortunately, I don’t know any promo codes, but you might be eligible for a discount (under 30, seniors etc.). Check out the discount options on their website!

     Have a wonderful holiday!

     Reply
4. 

   Nadine 30.12.2019 at 00:57

   Hi! Thank you for taking the time to write this. Super informative and makes it much easier to understand it all! I was hoping you could help me with a couple questions as I am a bit nervous traveling far abroad on a tight budget for the first time!

   I will be heading to Barcelona February 13 and will be there for 8 full days. It is just me and my boyfriend and we are hoping to see lots of the main attractions without breaking the bank so thought a city pass of some kind would be the right way to go. We like to keep busy so will be out and about exploring lots each day. We anticipate that based on our hotel’s location, we will be using the transit system more than once a day. After reading through all your information it looks like the iventure card would be a good option for us. However, I worry about it not including transit and am unsure what to get for transit. whether multiple hola passes or a T pass is best. I do also like the discounts for multiple attractions and restaurants that are included with the Barcelona card. I also worry with us going in the off season, that some of the attractions may be closed.

   If you have time, I would love it if you could give us a bit of extra incite on what would be our best option! Thank you!

   Reply
   • 

     Romina Banu 03.02.2020 at 14:38

     Hi Nadine,

     Thank you for your nice words, I’m so happy that you think the article is useful! 🙂

     I appreciate sharing your plans and itinerary with me and I’ll try to give a helpful answer. This is a bit challenging, as it truly depends on what attractions you want to visit. I suggest making a list of the most important/unmissable sights and landmarks that you want to go to during these 8 days and just calculate the total amount of money that you’ll have to pay for the entrance without any discounts and passes, then see which pass would be best for you. Again, this can only be done by calculating and finding out what’s best for you.
     In terms of public transportation, I think the combo with iVenture and a transport pass is good. Between Hola BCN and a T-pass, I’d choose the Hola one if you are sure that you are going to use public transport every day, as much as you can. This way you won’t be stressed about changing the means of transport from the bus to, let’s say, the metro.

     I hope I could help you just a little bit and I wish you a great time in Barcelona, it’s my favorite city in Europe!
     Romina

     Reply
5. 

   Michelle 10.12.2019 at 06:37

   Hi! Thank you for the wonderful contents on this website, it’s truly helpful for my travels!

   I’m planning to be in Barcelona for 4.5 days (21-25 Dec), and was set on the Barcelona Card as I want to use public transportation and want to go to as many sites as possible (I’ve actually already purchased the card though it’s cancellable). Only after purchasing it, I realized that I couldn’t book in advance any activities using the card and enjoy the discount, such as the 8:30am tours at Casa Mila and Casa Batllo, or a performance at the Palau de la Musica Catalana. Is it true that for the Barcelona Card, I won’t be able to pre-book anything at all, except for Sagrada Familia and Park Guell which enjoy no discounts from the Barcelona Card anyway?

   And if I do use the Barcelona Card to travel, does it guarantee me access even if the attraction is fully booked, as again I can’t pre-book anything? Does the Barcelona Card give me fast-track access at all or I have to line up with the others? Reason I ask is that as I have limited time in Barcelona and there’s sooooo much to see (and eat!), I’d like to really save time queuing and just get whichever pass that offers me fast-track access (not sure how busy it gets around Xmas…).

   Lastly (sorry!), would you recommend me a different pass given my goals and style of travel here please?

   I’ve recommended your site to friends that are on their way through. Thank you for the useful info and kind help in advance!

   Reply
   • 

     Romina Banu 18.12.2019 at 21:03

     Hi Michelle,

     First of all, thank you for your comment! I’ll try to reply to your questions as clearly as I can.
     Barcelona Card offers free entry to the attractions, but not fast pass entry, so you’ll have to queue in line with everybody else. And it’s true – you can only use your card advantages only AFTER you exchange it for the real NFC chip card. You’ll be able to enter, but you’ll have to waste some time waiting in queues.

     I’d recommend the Barcelona City Pass if you want skip-the-line to Sagrada Familia and Park Guell (and you also get 20% off public transportation), and you can pre-book these right when you buy your card online which is active right away; I assume you’ll want to visit these two landmarks. Buuuuut I think the best fit for you would be the Turbo Pass actually, as it offers skip-the-line access to more attractions and museums, including Sagrada Familia, National Art Museum (MNAC), Joan Miro Foundation and more. Turbo Pass also has free public transportation included, so I think it’s the perfect match for your travel style! 🙂
     But please make sure to check all the things that are included to see if it sounds good to you as well and if it’s worth the money compared to your itinerary.

     I hope I answered all your questions and concerns and I wish you a great vacation in Barcelona, it’s an amazing city and a perfect destination for Christmas (although I’m pretty sure it’s going to be crowded)!

     Reply
6. 

   Valerie 27.11.2019 at 03:09

   Hi, I’m thinking of buying the Barcelona City Pass. What happens if the available dates and times for Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell don’t work with my schedule? Can I still cancel my ticket and get a refund?

   Thanks,
   Valerie

   Reply
   • 

     Romina 27.11.2019 at 03:10

     Hello Valerie,

     Unfortunately, the Barcelona City Pass cannot be cancelled once you make your reservation. The Barcelona pass from GetYourGuide offers ”Free cancellation up to 24 hours before activity starts”, as stated in their description, though!

     Reply
7. 

   Nancy 11.11.2019 at 14:37

   Hi,
   I am planning my upcoming trip to Barcelona and I am still confused on which card should I select or
   even if I need one at all.

   We are a group of three, and we are planning to stay 3 full days in Barcelona.
   We definitely want to visit Sagrada Familia (skip the lines and visit the towers too).
   We also want to visit Picasso Museum, park Guell and skip-the-line Joan Miro Foundation.
   We are also considering visit Casa Mila and Casa Batllo so if these are included in the card will be useful.
   So, my question is should we need a card at all, and if so, which one should we buy in order to visit the above?
   In addition, I am not sure if we should select an option that covers also transport in the city and to-from the airport travel (so a more expensive discount card),
   or maybe select a card with no transportation (a cheaper discount card) and instead use a 3-day public transport ticket (22 euros) that includes all transportation?

   Any help would be appreciated.

   Thank you in advance!

   Reply
   • 

     Romina Banu 18.12.2019 at 21:18

     Hi Nancy,

     Thank you for your comment! I’ll try to reply as clearly as possible.

     After reading your concerns, I think that the answer really depends on your travel style and what you want to do, but I believe the Barcelona City Pass would be the best fit for you. It includes the skip-the-line entrance to Sagrada Familia and Park Guell in its price (without the towers, unfortunately), and you’ll get 20% off Picasso Museum, 20% off Casa Mila, 20% off Casa Batllo and 20% off public transportation, so you can get your 3-day public transport for a cheaper price -> 17,6€ instead of 22€. Or you can take the 2-days travel card and use the Hop On Hop Off for 24 hours, it’s already included and I think it’s really cool, it takes you to the main sights! I also recommend it because you get transportation to and from the airport and the card is available after you purchase it, so you can use it right after you arrive at the airport (less worries, if you ask me).
     Of course, please double check if it’s worth it for your specific itinerary before buying it, but I think it will be better than buying everything without any discount! 😉

     I hope things are a bit clearer now.
     Have a great time in Barcelona!

     Reply
8. 

   Rea 06.10.2019 at 03:03

   great article and follow-up comments. Thanks!

   Will be getting the Barcelona City Pass based on this article

   Reply
   • 

     Romina 10.10.2019 at 14:51

     Thank you, I’m so glad you found it useful! 🙂
     Enjoy Barcelona!

     Reply
9. 

   kim 09.09.2019 at 20:42

   Thanks for all your hard work! I’m wondering if I buy a City Pass if I can still somehow get a guided tour at Sagrada Familia. I don’t want to be missing out on that. Would I pay someone separately?

   Reply
   • 

     Romina 11.09.2019 at 15:35

     Hi Kim!
     Thank you for your nice comment, I’m glad you liked the article! For now, the only city pass that offers guided tours at Sagrada Familia is the iVenture Pass (Flexi or Unlimited).
     For the other passes, I don’t think you can add the guided tour separately on the spot after you get there 🙁

     Have a great time in Barcelona!

     Reply
10. 

    Da'Lynn 26.08.2019 at 19:35

    Hi! I’m actually on my second trip to Barcelona next May, the first being in March 2017. When I went then, I got an Hola BCN card to ride the metro with. My question is what are your thoughts for a 8 day trip where we will probably use metro rather heavily. Is the T- 50/30 card a god option for tourist? it seems like it would be a lot cheaper going that rout than trying to stack Hola BCN cards. I am currently thinking about getting the iventure card because I really want to do the Montserrat tour and the Palacio del Flamenco also, it will be my mom’s first time in the city so we will be doing a lot of the attractions. It seems this is the best option cost wise, but could you share your insight?

    Reply
    • 

      Romina 26.08.2019 at 22:19

      Hello!
      I think the T-50/30 (individual card, 50 rides in 30 days) or even the T-70/30 (multiple people, 370 rides, 30 days) are definitely worth it for an 8-day trip even more than the Hola BCN cards!
      And yes, the iVenture pass sounds like a good choice, especially if you are planning on visiting many things! Just don’t forget to make an approximate list of things you want to do and see and then make some calculations for your own situation!
      Hope this helps, have a great time in Barcelona, it’s such a great city!

      Reply
11. 

    Dalena 14.07.2019 at 09:26

    Hi Romina
    Thanks for the info about the various Barcelona cards. Unfortunately, it still feels as if I have to navigate an optical course. I will appricaite any custom made advice for our tour. We are a family of four (parents + University student and teenager) visiting Madrid and Barcelona in Dec 19. We arrive in Barcelona by train from Madrid late on the 26 December – fly out 31 Dec late that evening. On our wishlists are: Gothic Court, Sagrada Familia (when the sun sets), Casa Milan, Park Guell, Picasso museum, Hop on hop off and Montserrat (Black Madonna and the boys Choir (not liquor tasting). Any other attraction will be an bonus We have to make the best of our time. 21 hour flight (no direct flights from SA, a weak currency (€1 ≠ R16, and it is winter in Spain), to broaden the kids frame of reference. Every minute counts. Normally I will ask the travel agent to book us excursions, but it seems that using one of the cards might be a good deal for us, specially because we will be entirely dependent on public transport. Our hotel is centrally located. The question is: which card(s)?

    Reply
    • 

      Romina 15.07.2019 at 23:17

      Hi, Dalena!
      Thank you for your comment and nice words! 🙂
      Don’t worry, I completely understand your concerns about choosing the best Barcelona card and I’ll try to suggest a useful solution.
      I have analyzed your itinerary and I think that Barcelona City Pass could be the best solution for you (#2 in the list). This way, you will get to Sagrada Familia, Park Guell and have the Hop on Hop off bus (for 1 day or 2 days, depending on what option you choose). Plus, you’ll have the airport transfer included for free and 20% off public transportation, 20% discount to Casa Milla (audioguide included) + 20% off Montserrat & Gaudi’s Crypt + 20% off Picasso Museum (guided tour included) + 20% off Barrio Gótico guided walking tour with your city pass.
      Bonus – the pass is not time-dependent, so you can visit these attractions during your desired timeframe. With these discounts, you’ll save quite some money and, as far as I see, everything you want to see in the city is already included in the discount list!
      Another solution would be to take the iVenture pass with 5 attractions, but because you said you do not want the liquor tasting for Montserrat, I still believe that Barcelona City Pass is still the best option.
      I hope this helps, have a great time in Barcelona! 🙂

      Reply
12. 

    Jennifer 03.07.2019 at 16:11

    Hello. I love your blog on Barcelona and all the tips and descriptions of the options. I could use your recommendation though. My group of 5 adults, we want to do Sagrada Familia guided tour and I have a page where I can book that tour with additional Tower access, as I don’t see that included in any of the passes you covered in your breakouts and analysis of the different City Passes. We have 2.5 days in Barcelona. We arrive Nov. 30, 2019 around 2 pm, so that day is out for Sagrada. We plan to do it Monday, December 1st. We definitely think we want the hop on/off bus. With that in mind, what Pass would you recommend? Thank you for your consideration and assistance 🙂

    Reply
    • 

      Romina 03.07.2019 at 16:21

      Hi, Jennifer!

      First of all, thank you so much for your message and appreciation, I’m glad you liked the post about Barcelona Passes! 🙂
      Luckily, I have a solution for you! The iVenture pass sounds exactly like what your group needs for your Barcelona vacation.
      You can find more details about it in the article (you have to scroll a bit, it’s no. 5 in the list), but I would recommend the Flexi pass with 3 or 5 activities, depending on how much and what exactly you want to see in the city.
      For example, the Flexi pass with 3 activities is available for 7 days and you can customize it with your favorite activities in the list. In your case, you can include Sagrada Familia guided tour and the Hop On Hop Off bus and then something else, maybe Port Aventura or Montserrat or Park Guell guided tour? That’s your choice! 🙂
      Btw, make sure to also check my calculations in the article and make some calculations for your trip as well, to see if it’s worth the price!

      I wish you a great time in Barcelona, it’s such a wonderful city!

      Reply
13. 

    Jon 28.06.2019 at 20:22

    I tried to order the Barcelona Card. I never received the discount code for the activities I also wanted to book to avoid the lines. I was told by Ticketbar that code for discount was only valid to purchase tickets at the venue. The purpose I thought was to be able to skip the lines. I even tried to book Card and other Gaudi tickets at same time to see if cart would discount price. It didn’t. I thought someone asked same question and you had to get card first for discount. But, ticket people said no. Any ideas?

    Reply
    • 

      Romina 28.06.2019 at 20:25

      Hi, Jon,
      The thing with Barcelona Card is that you can order it online, but because it is a smart card with an NFC chip, you will have to exchange it with a “real” card once you arrive in Barcelona. It is also mentioned in the article that “Your free admissions and discounts are only valid once the card has been activated.”
      So once you arrive in the city and exchange it for the real card, you can use your discounts. For example: You can go to Picasso Museum on any day, anytime and skip the lines by presenting your card.

      I hope this helps!

      Reply
14. 

    Nicole 18.06.2019 at 03:25

    Hi Romina!
    Even though i have read your article (which is amazing by the way), I am still so confused on what to do!

    I will be in Barcelona for 4.5 days. Primarily i would like unlimited transport, transport from airport and return (aerobus), & access to some tourist attractions – Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, Casa Mila & Casa Batllo, Camp Nou and potentially Montserrat (ignore this one for now as its a maybe)

    Which card would you recommend? which you recommend any of the above OR just buying a travel card and topping it up with a Gaudi Bundle?

    Please let me know what you think 🙂

    Thanks
    Nicole

    Reply
    • 

      Romina 19.06.2019 at 13:52

      Hi, Nicole! Thank you so much, I’m glad you liked the article!
      I know that choosing the best pass for your vacation is hard, but I will suggest 2 possible options for you:

      1. Either take a Barcelona City Pass – includes Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, Aerobus roundtrip, Hop On Hop Off bus, 20% discount for public transportation, 20% off Casa Mila and Casa Batllo. The price is 76.50€, not limited by time.
      2. Your suggested idea – Barcelona Card for 4 days and Gaudi Bundle. This means that, besides access to Sagrada Familia and Park Guell that are provided by the Gaudi Pass, you will get all the benefits of the Barcelona Card (20% discount to Casa Mila and Casa Batllo), airport roundtrip, free public transportation but no Hop On Hop Off bus. The price for the combo is 56€ (Barcelona Card 4 days) + 35€ (Gaudi Bundle) = 91€.
      Now, in my opinion, the Gaudi pass is NOT worth its money, that’s is why I do not recommend it in the article. The price for it is 35€ and it includes skip-the-line to Sagrada Familia (worth 17€) and skip-the-line to Park Guel (worth 10€). So you can save 8€ by not taking it and just buying individual tickets to both of these attractions.

      All in all, I think a Barcelona City Pass would be maybe the best option for you: You will have access to the two main attractions in the city already included in the pass, you will have the hop on hop off bus (great for transportation in the city and from getting from one attraction to the other for a full day) and the discounts.

      So, in the end, do not worry! There is probably no perfect Barcelona pass out there that will fit ALL your needs, you just need to choose the one that offers the best for your itinerary! 🙂 The easiest way to decide would be to take your options and then calculate the exact price you will have to pay for the pass + for the attractions that are not included in the pass/discounted.

      I hope this helps and I wish you the best vacation in Barcelona! 🙂
      Romina

      Reply
15. 

    Maria 20.04.2019 at 16:18

    If I buy a Barcelona City Pass, I see it includes the Sagrada Familia audio tour. Can we upgrade to a guided tour? Also, if we get the city pass can we choose the day we want to use the Hop on Hop off bus? Is it an issue if we only use the airport transfer one way as we are arriving on a cruise ship? Thanks so very much for your help.

    Reply
    • 

      Yulia 20.04.2019 at 16:48

      Unfortunately, Barcelona City Pass cannot be upgraded with a guided tour instead of an audio tour. Yes, you have to choose the day you want to use the hop-on hop-off bus when you buy the pass.
      And lastly no, it is no problem if you only use the airport transfer one-way, but the roundtrip will still be included in your pass! 🙂

      Reply
16. 

    Helaine 08.04.2019 at 07:45

    Hi, I have a question – I’m coming to Barcelona on Friday (April 12) with a group but I have 2 full days on my own. We’re going to Sagrada Familia together so I’m not sure if I should buy any of the passes. They all include that attraction so I’m not sure if it would still be worth it?

    I would like to see the Park Guell and the Picasso museum and I have my two free days allocated for those. (the 16th and 17th). I’m staying in Eixample and I’ll have to travel to both of them via train/bus. I’m not sure what transportation card I should buy? I live in NYC and take public transportation everywhere so I”m not afraid of the train,

    I guess I would like to know 1. Should I even bother to buy a Barcelona pass if I’m not going to use it to go to Sagrada Familia? and 2. If I don’t buy the pass what transportation pass should I get so I can get to El Born on my own and to see the Picasso museum and go to Park Guell? 3. After all of this, what’s the best way to get from the airport to my hotel?

    Thanks for the help!

    Reply
    • 

      Yulia 15.04.2019 at 20:49

      Hi, Helaine,

      There are two passes that don’t include Sagrada Familia – Barcelona Pass and Barcelona Card. Barcelona Card could’ve been a good fit because it includes public transportation, the entrance to Picasso Museum and the airport metro roundtrip, but unfortunately it doesn’t include the entrance to Park Guell. The price is 46€ for 3 days and it will be worth it if you are planning to visit more things than just Park Guell and Picasso Museum in those two days.
      If you decide on not buying a pass, you can get around using Hola BCN transportation pass or just buy individual metro/bus tickets (in case you won’t use the transportation a lot).
      For the airport you can buy the Aerobus ticket (5,9€ one-way).

      Hope this helps!
      Yulia

      Reply
17. 

    Christina 02.04.2019 at 10:11

    Hi! We are taking the train from Madrid to Barcelona and will go directly to Camp Nou.

    The following day, we need to bring our son to the airport and plan to use the Aerobus ticket free with the Barcelona City Pass. What should I indicate as date in the purchasing the pass?

    Will I be able to use the discount for Camp Nou even if we go there the day prior to the indicated date in ticket?

    Looking forward to hearing from you.

    Reply
    • 

      Yulia 15.04.2019 at 21:12

      Hi, Christina!

      When you purchase the pass you will be asked about the date when you will use the Aerobus to and from the airport, so you must insert those dates exactly. The discounts are available for the duration of your pass (not before), so you can choose your favorite attractions and pick a visit date and then just enjoy your 20% discounts!

      Reply
18. 

    Magda 05.02.2019 at 01:48

    Hi Romina!
    Thank you for the article, it is very helpful to see all the cards and examples in one place 🙂 I have a question about discounts mentioned in case of ordering tickets for various attractions online. Booking online usually have a better price anyway (and no lines), is there added advantage in case I have a discount from card?

    For example if I order in advance online ticket for Casa Milá (and skip the line in the same time) the owner will offer a small discount from regular price, for example 10 % (same goes for many others). If I buy a discount card, for example Barcelona Express, where is listed 20% discount, can those two discounts be combined? Like can I have 20% of the discounted price? Or am I missing the discount from card entirely if I order the ticket online beforehand? Is there a way how to have at least 20% discount from the basic price and still order online? And how to do it? 🙂

    Thank you very much!
    P.S.: The web is superb, keep up the good work 🙂

    Reply
    • 

      Romina 05.02.2019 at 16:45

      Hi, Magda!
      Thank you for your comment, I’m glad you like the article!
      Let’s take it step by step, shall we?
      First, you need to have your discount card purchased before you buy all the other tickets. Your card will be proof that you can benefit from those discounts (20%, per example) so yes, you have to buy it before or you’ll miss on the discount entirely.
      Also, you cannot combine the two discounts. If you have the discount card, you will only benefit from the discount that comes with your card. But usually the card itself has a discount if you buy in online, so it’s still a very good deal.
      And about ordering it online: If you order your pass online, you will receive a discount code that you can use to buy your discounted tickets (for Casa Mila, for example). A very good example is Barcelona City Pass (#2 on this list), that you can buy online and you will receive everything on your emai – tickets + discount code so you can order your other individual tickets online.

      I hope this answers your questions. Have a good time in Barcelona! 🙂

      Reply
19. 

    Anastasia 04.12.2018 at 00:01

    You are perfect! Thank you for this useful information!

    Reply
    • 

      Yulia 05.12.2018 at 12:22

      Welcome! It took some time to combine this post 🙂

      Reply

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