Before you go · Barcelona
Barcelona essentials
The practical things worth knowing before you arrive, checked against official sources on 22 October 2026. Entry rules change: always check the official sources before you travel.
Updated October 2026
Entry to the EU (checked 22 October 2026)
The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) has been in full operation since 10 April 2026: it registers travellers from outside the EU electronically at the border.
ETIAS, the travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, is due to start in the last quarter of 2026; the date is still to be announced. Check the EU’s official ETIAS website, and never pay a third-party site.
Tourist tax and holiday flats
Catalonia’s tourist tax rose on 1 April 2026; your hotel adds it to your bill per person per night.
The City Council says it will not renew Barcelona’s tourist-flat licences when they expire in November 2028. Hotels are not affected. We list hotels only.
Book the big sights direct
Buy tickets for the Sagrada Família (sagradafamilia.org), Park Güell (parkguell.barcelona), Casa Batlló and La Pedrera on their own websites. Time slots sell out, especially in summer and at weekends.
From the airport
Barcelona-El Prat has two terminals, T1 and T2. Metro L9 Sud serves both, but needs the special Airport ticket: the T-casual card is not valid at the two airport stations (tmb.cat). The Aerobús runs to Plaça de Catalunya; taxis wait outside both terminals.
In October 2026, storms disrupted several Rodalies lines, including the R2 Nord to the airport. Check rodalies.gencat.cat on the day you travel.
Metro, trains and taxis
TMB runs the metro and buses; the T-casual ten-journey card works across both. Rodalies commuter trains and FGC run to the coast, the airport and Montserrat, and high-speed trains leave from Sants. Official taxis are black and yellow; the AMB publishes the fares (taxi.amb.cat).
Customs and etiquette
Catalan and Spanish are both official; a few words of Catalan are always appreciated. Barcelona eats late, so book dinner later than you might at home. At the Sagrada Família, the cathedral and Santa Maria del Mar, cover your shoulders and knees. Swimwear is for the beach.
Pickpockets and emergencies
Barcelona is a relaxed city, but pickpockets work in crowded places such as La Rambla, the metro and the beaches. Keep your phone off café tables and your bag closed and in front of you.
Call 112 for an ambulance, the fire service or the police. See our health page for the main hospitals. Carry your EHIC or GHIC, or travel insurance that covers medical costs.
Questions and answers
Do I need to register to enter Spain?
Travellers from outside the EU are registered by the EU’s Entry/Exit System at the border. ETIAS is due in the last quarter of 2026; check the EU’s official site.
How do I get from the airport to the city?
Metro L9 Sud with the Airport ticket, the Aerobús to Plaça de Catalunya, or a taxi. Check Rodalies on the day if you plan to take the train.
What is the emergency number?
112, for ambulance, fire and police.
Entry rules and transport change, sometimes at short notice. Check the EU’s official sites, tmb.cat, rodalies.gencat.cat and your government’s advice before you travel.