T-casual, the most advantageous ticket for public transport in Barcelona

Options how travel around barcelona, there is a whole series. If you prefer public transport, there's nothing better than a T-casual ticket. It comes in handy especially if you are in the city for several days, e.g prolonged weekend or a trip of several days.

The most attractive thing about the entire ticket is the price, which you pay for one ride: just over 1 euro. 

The T-casual ticket was preceded by the hugely popular T-10, which was canceled in January 2020. If you have been to Barcelona in the past and used the T-10, the T-casual is the best replacement as it is very similar...

What are the main benefits of the T-casual ticket?

T-casual is a convenient type of ticket which offers 10 public transport rides for €13. This price is valid for zone 1, which covers the entire center and even way from the airport. Of course, you can also buy tickets to other zones, but if you don't plan to go somewhere on the outskirts or completely outside the city more often, it's not worth it.

T-casual ticket is integrated: applies to all species public transport in Barcelona. You can use it on the metro, trains, trams, buses or even the cable car. However, there is one exception: T-casual does not apply to subway L9 Sud leading from the airport and likewise not on airport airbuses, which is run by a private company. However, if you would like to use this ticket to travel from the airport to the center of Barcelona, ​​it can be used with it train or bus numberssystem. (List of all carriers involved in the ATM system).

T-casual ticket is transitive: within one trip, you can start your journey by metro and then continue by tram. Or change from the metro to the train. Or anything else you can think of - but it will always count as one run if you fit the time limit. 

From passing through the turnstile and starting the ride you have 75 minutes to get to the desired location. That's more than enough time, because everything within the center can easily be reached by public transport within 10-40 minutes. (If you would like to go somewhere further and therefore need more time, the T-casual can be purchased for multiple zones. You can find more about the zone system in a separate article.)

What else is good to know about the T-casual ticket?

• From the beginning of 2024, you need a card connected to to use the ticket of the T-mobility system, where you can load your T-casual. How to get it? There are several options, but the easiest and most convenient for tourists is to buy an anonymous T-mobilitat card at a TMB ticket machine, the price of the card is €1 (see video).
• Ticket it needs to be attached to the marker in absolutely every means of transport, which you board. If you are within the 75 minute limit, it will still count as one ride. If you forgot to mark it somewhere and the inspector caught you, it's like driving without a ticket!
• The number of different means of transport (metro, bus, tram,...) within the given time window is limited to 3, then it would count as another trip.
• If you transfer within of a closed transport system (e.g. in the metro), it will be counted as one journey. Conversely, if you leave the station completely and then return to it, it will cost you two rides.
• The system prefers high-capacity traffic: within one trip, you can, for example, change from a bus to the subway and then back to a bus. Or from the metro to a bus and then to another bus of another line. However, if you were to take the subway, change to a bus and then to the subway again, you would already have two rides deducted from your ticket instead of one. 
• Even if you just started the last, tenth run, do not throw away the ticket, before you reach the end of the road. There are 2 reasons: sometimes they can check you and sometimes the ticket is needed to get off the means of transport - i.e. you have to pass it through a turnstile (e.g. in the subway). 
• Although the T-casual ticket offers a generous 10 rides, it is not possible to share it with other people. The ticket is personal, so if you are traveling in a group, everyone must have their own. (For example, this did not apply to the earlier T-10, which could be "borrowed" between people).

Would you like to share one ticket between several people? Buy T-familiar

In addition to the T-casual, the Barcelona transport company also offers a name ticket T-familiar. She offers 8 rides for €11,50 and her the main difference is the possibility of sharing it between several people (otherwise all parameters described above are sterile).

In the end, the price for 1 ride is slightly higher than for T-casual, but some of you - for example if you are traveling as a couple - will appreciate the benefit of one joint ticket for several people...

The T-familiar also makes sense if there are more of you and you know you won't be traveling much: 10 T-casual rides for each of the group would be too much, and the T-familiar might be more advantageous for you.

The price of the T-casual ticket and its time validity

The price of the ticket depends on the number of zones in which you will use the ticket. As I wrote above – if you live in the city center, 1 zone will be enough for you.

As the number of zones increases, so does the validity period of your ticket. The table below will tell you more about it. 

How do you know how many rides are left?

It is enough if the T-mobilitat card, on which you have a T-casual ticket loaded, attach to any ticket vending machine or terminaly. You will then see how many trips you still have on the card on the display. 

My experience: When is it worth buying a T-casual ticket?

Whenever I go to Barcelona, ​​I prefer to stay somewhere in the center and its surroundings. And this is what I advise everyone. And since the center is relatively small, most sights and attractions (with a few more distant exceptions) are within walking distance. And because I really like walking, I don't really need to use public transport that often. In a week in the city, when I'm flying around the sights, I don't go through more than one or two T-casual tickets. And if you plan a little and don't use public transport head-on, you'll be just the same.

If you are debating whether to buy a T-casual or one of the tourist cards, take a map, paper and pencil and try to quickly estimate how much you will travel around the city, taking into account the place of accommodation and the plan of your trip... 

How and where to buy a T-casual ticket?

• There is a machine directly at the airport just before the entrance to the platform train heading to the center (map). 
• In the city, T-casual is available in all machines at metro and bus stations
• At the Punt TMB customer and information center at Diagonal, La Sagrera or Universitat metro stations.
• You can also use online shopping through the website for a relatively short period of time TMB website or mobile application of the same name. 

On the contrary, the T-casual ticket not possible to buy with the driver in the given means of transport – e.g. buses only sell one-time tickets.