Explore Barcelona from our double-decker bus. You can get on and off as many times as you wish to discover Barcelona’s charms at your own pace
Hop on – Hop off Buses
The diversity of Barcelona leaves you with the challenge of how to get the most out of the city. With the Hop on Hop off Bus, you have the perfect solution, for a day or two of convenient sightseeing.
There are two of these tourist buses in Barcelona: the official Barcelona Bus Turístic and the Gray Line / City Sightseeing affiliated Barcelona City Tour.
In 2022 both operators of the buses changed from a calendar day system (1 day or 2 days) to an hourly system (24h or 48h). So with these new ticket types, you have got the advantage of starting your sightseeing day in the afternoon or even in the evening if you like.
If you are on a very tight budget though, then the Barcelona Card will offer you free transport on the city’s bus and metro network as well as discounted admissions at a lower price.
The advantage of the hop on hop off bus tours is that they are a combination of a guided city tour and independent sightseeing. Whereas going by subway or public bus often is more hassle than enjoyment, on the sightseeing buses travelling from one attraction to the next on the open deck is a great experience itself.
You can either plan your desired journey upfront or hop on the bus, get inspired by the audioguide or the routes and make plans while riding through the city.
By stopping right in front of most major landmarks, the busses will solve all your logistical issues on a great sightseeing day trip.
1. What do both Hop on Hop off Bus Tours have in common?
Both the purple-green painted Bus Turistic and the red Barcelona City Tour cover all the city attractions with their route network. In fact, 26 of their 35-40 stops are the same for both options.The majority of these stops are on two main routes and you can change from one route to the other on several combined stops. All routes are only driven in one direction, so if you miss a stop you either need to walk or you would have to complete the whole round, which takes around 2h30 on the main routes.
With your ticket, you can use the different routes of a bus company without limits, but you cannot use the other company’s buses!
Since both companies are regulated by the Barcelona city council, they offer precisely the same price!
The bus fleets both feature open-top buses with electric retractable roofs so they can be covered in the event of rain.
Both buses offer mobile tickets for travellers’ convenience. No need to worry about printing tickets with these two companies.
A discount booklet, map, audioguide, and headphones are all part of the package when booking with these bus companies. The audioguides feature multiple languages for travellers to learn about this unique city in their native tongue.
Customers can enjoy free Wifi onboard the buses, which is very convenient for those of you who do not have data plans abroad.
Children under four years old travel for free, which makes both of the bus options great for families as well as your wallet.
If you have a disability, require handicap access, or need assistance, both buses are handicap accessible for your comfort.
1.1 Prices
Both tours have the same price. They cost 33€ for a 24h adult ticket and 44€ for a 48h adult ticket.
1.2 Combined map
Here are Barcelona Bus Turistic and Barcelona City Tour routes on a combined map:
Blue Line = Bus Turistic / Red Line = Barcelona City Tour
2. What is unique about Barcelona Bus Turistic?
Bus Turistic offers three routes running in the summer. During winter, Bus Turistic runs on two routes.
The two main routes (blue and red) take about 2h30 to complete, in case you do not get off the bus. In summer, the additional green route takes about 45min.
On peak days they operate more than 60 buses, so on average the waiting times are a bit less than on the Barcelona City Tour bus, but there are more people using this service.
This bus tour covers an extra area in the northwest of Barcelona. What does this entail? In comparison to the Red Bus it has additional stops at Teleferic de Montjuic, Gracia, Sarria and Monestir de Pedralbes. If you have a particular interest in any of these areas within the city, then the Bus Turistic is a better choice.
Bus Turistic has 37 unique stops.
For those of you who speak Norwegian and/or Turkish, this company offers these languages in the audioguides.
2.1 Routes
Download the map here: Barcelona Bus Turistic – Route Map (PDF-Download).
3. What is unique about Barcelona City Tour?
The Red Hop on Hop off bus has two routes operating in the city of Barcelona.
Compared to the Bus Turístic, the average waiting time is slightly longer. This is due to their company offering fewer buses, however, there are typically fewer people on the buses.
This bus has 32 unique stops on its two routes included in the journey.
Speak Hindi? No problem, the audioguide includes it in its language portfolio.
3.1 Routes
4. General Tips, Recommendations & Advice
Bring water. Staying hydrated is vital, especially in the summer months. Even if you choose to be on the bus the entire time, it is long enough that you will get thirsty. If you do hop off and walk, all the more reason to drink plenty of water.
Buying tickets in advance is the best way to avoid waiting in line. Purchasing your tickets in advance is advantageous for both bus companies regardless of the price differences.
Pack your sunscreen. The lovely sea breeze from the top of the bus feels fantastic on your face in the hot summer months, however, this does not offset the strong UV rays. The sun here is intense. Make sure to wear sunscreen and reapply. Nobody wants a sunburn during their Mediterranean adventure!
5. Hop on Hop off bus & harbour cruise
Barcelona City Tour offers an additional boat option for a 45min cruise of the harbour and the Mediterranean beaches. The beautiful city coastline sparkles as you sail away with the sea breeze kissing your face.
The bus stop at the famous Columbus statue at the bottom end of La Rambla is right next to the boat pier in the old port. Take a short break from the city to relax on the water before you continue your sightseeing journey on the next bus.
6. General FAQs
6.1 What if I want to get off the bus?
Feel particularly moved by the audioguide or compelled to stay longer in a particular area? No problem! With these bus tours, travellers can hop off and explore further.
When you feel you are ready to hop back on and enjoy the ride, it is simple and easy to re-join the tour at your convenience. The buses run in 5 – 15 minute intervals (depending on the season).
6.2 What do the buses look like?
This bus is a double-decker; therefore, all travellers can find a comfortable spot for their journey.
Barcelona is known for its sunshine. Soak up plenty of vitamin D on the roof of the bus, which is open-air and features spectacular views of the city. If on the rare occasion it is raining, no worries, there is a roof cover when needed.
If you choose to go with the Red Bus, you are looking for a red-coloured bus; the Bus Turistic comes with a purple-green design.
6.3 How long do the buses run?
Both buses start operating at 9 am and end around 7 pm during winter and 8 pm during summer.
Comprehensive in nature, each route lasts around two – to two and a half hours, thus you walk away feeling like you have not missed anything.
The Hop on Hop off Bus boasts multi-language audioguides which share in-depth knowledge about what you will see and what is right in front of you.
Simply hopping on these bus tours unlocks Barcelona, as you travel through neighbourhoods and take in the various sites.
