Many things about moving abroad intimidated me: the language barrier, cultural norms, homesickness and even the metro. Before moving to Barcelona, I knew the main modes of transportation were public and generally consisted of trains, trams and busses. Coming from Kansas City, I’ve only ever used a tram once — at the zoo. That being considered, I was pretty nervous. However, after being here for four months and traveling to multiple European countries, the metro, and all other forms of public transportation, are nothing to worry about. Maybe I am biased, but out of everywhere I’ve been, Barcelona transportation is the easiest to manage. In Barcelona, and most other countries, there are cards you can purchase that grant you access to its public transportation. You can purchase these cards at any and every metro station. There are options for those only visiting that allow you ten uses, cards for families or large groups traveling together, and cards for those living there or spending an extended period of time there.

When I first arrived to Barcelona, I purchased a card with only ten uses as I got used to the system. Originally I thought I would be on my own finding my way around, however, much to my surprise, Apple and Google maps know pretty much every route ever. These apps provide you with directions to either the metro, tram or bus stop, tell you which line to board, what direction to go in as well as all the stop you must exit at. Then, once you’ve reached your desired stop, it tells you how to exit the station in an easy and convenient way. If you need to transfer from one train to another, or from tram to bus, it also guides you on how to properly do it. Most times, it also includes a schedule of your mode of transportation. After I got comfortable with Barcelona’s public transportation and used all of my ten passes, I purchased a 30 day card. This allowed me unlimited access to all forms of public transportation for 30 days. Once those 30 days were up, I finally purchased a 90 day pass. This process was a little different as it required I set up an appointment and provided my passport, but it was still easy and took under 30 minutes.

Getting around Barcelona is fairly easy as the signs are straightforward and easy to comprehend. In other cities, such as Paris, it is easy to get lost in the station as the signs aren’t always the easiest to understand. However, in Paris, unlike Barcelona, you can purchased one-way, single-use tickets, or use your card to pay rather than purchasing a metro pass. Since being here, I can’t imagine not utilizing public transportation and I am hopeful more cities back home normalize it.

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: IES Abroad: Liberal Arts and Business in Barcelona