A Metro in Paradise? | Barcelona Metro Explained

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Barcelona has one of the world's oldest, most interesting, and potentially the most confusing metro systems, and in today's video we give it a much needed explainer! Enjoy.

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Ever wondered why your city's transit just doesn't seem quite up to snuff? RMTransit is here to answer that, and help you open your eyes to all of the different public transportation systems around the world!

Reece (the RM in RMTransit) is an urbanist and public transport critic residing in Toronto, Canada, with the goal of helping the world become more connected through metros, trams, buses, high-speed trains, and all other transport modes.
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Barcelona: when you play Mini Metro and you like the final result.

InterRegios
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Barcelona's urban planning is definitely unique! Heck, they PIONEERED it! Barcelona's Ildefons Cerdà was the guy who coined the term urbanization and changed the way we think about cities! Constricted by its medieval walls, Barcelona was suffocating as its population overflowed and couldn't handle the density with high mortality rates, until the then unknown Ildefons came up with a radical expansion plan. His plan consisted of a grid of streets that would unite the old city with seven peripheral villages (which later became integral Barcelona neighborhoods such as Gràcia and Sarrià). The united area was almost four times the size of the old city (which was around 2 sq km) and would come to be known as Eixample.

Cerdà decided to avoid repeating past errors by undertaking a comprehensive study of how the working classes lived in the old city. He concluded that, among other things, the narrower the city’s streets, the more deaths occurred. He added gardens in each block, made sure access to services for the rich and poor were equal, and made room for smooth-flowing traffic. The octagonal blocks, chamfered in the corners, were his unique idea to deal with traffic, allowing drivers to see more easily what was happening to the left and right. Cars of course didn't exist then, but when he learned about trains, he figured there would be some sort of thing powered by steam that would use the streets. His gravestone, fittingly, is a model of the Eixample.

AverytheCubanAmerican
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I'm from Barcelona and I never thought that it was that confusing for tourist, but at least you can get arround all this lines and services with only one card and not one for every system.
At this moment ther are a lot of work beig done and the services are getting better and better, i've traveled a lot in Europe and for me at least Barcelona's metro network is the best one, nice carts, high frequency, nice to ride, easy to read the signals and get arround, the majority of the system is adapted for handicap people.
You should try it.

bernatrubiolbrusau
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I use FGC's Metro del Vallès on a daily basis and to say it's fantastic would be an understatement. From Sant Cugat Centre to Plaça Catalunya, a train arrives at each station every 2 and a half minutes during rush hour (which is the absolute limit, they literally wouldn't be able to fit any more trains even if they wanted to) and every 5 minutes at the branches. In the last year, I've only seen 2 delays: one because of someone who jumped into the tracks and one because of a mechanical fault. The Metro del Vallès line is able to run metro frequencies whilst being a suburban rail network, which I find neat!

skyepoelsma
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I really don't get why so many public transit systems are considered "confusing". I genuinely think that many people weren't taught to read maps or charts.... I've never gotten lost on a subway anywhere in the world.
the exception is having to get off a train and walk in NY because I didn't check the schedule and missed the last train I had to switch to.

I was in Barcelona and walked a lot but the metro was very useful for quick transit like to park Güell

Juststudiothings
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Confusing?? Imo its one of the best. Incredible frequency, super high coverage, and the regional rail is equally fantastic. Big metro envy fr

liamtahaney
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Civil engineering student from Barcelona here. L1 uses the OLD Iberian gauge at 1674mm and not 1668mm. And the "Spanish Solution" here called the "Barcelona Solution" is used in L6 at Muntaner and Bonanova stations as well and possibly more that I don't remember.

Ellie-ohrf
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A follow-up looking at the Rodalies network would be good. This is also quite unconventional for a suburban rail network as it has one line (the R3) which is mostly single-track once it leaves the city centre, and which extends (albeit only a handful of trains per day) high into the Pyrenees and over the border into France at Latour-de-Carol.

Eric_Hunt
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11:00 Fun fact; the L12 shuttle line is there mostly because it's mostly a school train; the area between Pedralbes and Sarrià (served by the Reina Elisenda station) is among the top 5 areas in Europe in school density. There are more than 15 schools in a 15 minute walk radius from the station.

Ennio
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Barcelona metro was so nice to navigate through, i cant see why it might be confusing, i stayed there for 6months and i have to say you can go mostly everywhere and anywhere very easily there's signs everywhere amd even in grand stations like urqinaona catalunya and españa, where you kinda take a journey for your preferred stop its always a delight to go through. Very well made and beginner friendly for anybody id say❤

lemoneyes
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I visited Barcelona 6 years ago, and don't remember the details at all. But my wife & I actually found the Barcelona Metro system super easy and convenient. And neither of us speak/read Spanish very well. We were staying in a hotel near the airport and were able to get to the Sagrada Familia in like 20 minutes with two transfers, and it was our first time using it. I find using the D.C. Metro far more confusing, because its signage is terrible. I've been using it regularly for more than a decade, and if I get off at a stop I don't normally use, I'm usually baffled and it takes me a while to figure out where I need to go. The signage in the part of Barcelona's Metro that we used was super clear and easy to follow. Not to mention, the longest we waited for a train was maybe 3 or 4 minutes. You're very lucky in D.C. if you wait for less than 10.
It's the only time I've used it, and maybe we hit on a really good day. But I thought it was fantastic and often mention the Barcelona Metro system when I sing the praises of European public transit.

matthewconstantine
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I literally am visiting Barcelona right now. I don’t get the confusion with the Metro, especially with the help of a Maps app which typically feature where the lines go and ofc there’s indicators inside the cars so you know what stop you’re at. The spaghetti does look quite daunting I’ll admit.

jktwice
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Finally, my city.
Just a few things (that I've mentioned in other answers).
-The large number of operators in not confusing as there is an integrated fare system, so what's important is not the operator but weather the line takes you where you need to go. Integrated fares includes the metro, tram, Suburban/regional trains, buses and two (of the 3) funiculars. Only if you plan to leave the huge zone one (that includes the entire city and a few nearby cities and towns) you'll need an integrated card for more zones (6 zones in total, divided into sub zones - with the exception of zone one, and a 7th special one that works differently for residents).
-The FGC S1 and S2 stop now at all stations they pass through in the city.
They also serve as a local metro at the edge of each branch with 4 underground stations in Terrassa (S1) and 5 underground stations in Sabadell (S2).
-L4 is about to get a new 66m Euros signaling system, that will support future automation.
-The connection between the two sections of the tram is under construction. phase 1 is under construction and due to open in March 2024 and the tender to build the second phase was awarded and construction should start in January 2024 and will finish the connection.
-For the Rodalies Regional rail, there is a plan to dig a new tunnel under the entire Avinguda Diagonal (11 km) as the current Rodalies track are saturated with no room for expansion.

AL
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I'm a civil engineer from a Barcelona and as far as I know, the Spanish solution is also present in some stations of L5

rogerabadiasarencibia
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I just find amusing how Barcelona's street layout is for the most part straight regular grid, and their Metro lines are the classic example of spaghetti

cardenasr.
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Man... As my home city, I tend to use the metro a lot, not for methods of travelling, but enjoyment. It's just such a large system but yet really compact, that the fact that you can ride around the network for hours without getting bored, as there are so many different lines, trains and operators. It's genuinely a privilege to be able to live in Barcelona, as such well organized system can't be found in not that many places. L9/L10, If you ever ride the Southern Branches, enjoy the terrific english announcements, the voice is quite funny at times (The Tri-Language announcement which play on L9S/L10S do not play on L9N/L10N as it's meant for airport passengers, as the Southern section goes to the Airport). By the way, L1 does not stop at Sants Estació, but at Plaça de Sants, which is a horribly long interchange with a ton of stairs to get to L5. However, that doesn't beat the interchange you have to do at Passeig de Gracia between L3/Rodalies and L2/L4. It takes an average of 5 minutes, if you ever visit, try to avoid it, as it's just long and tedious (because it has to avoid a car park).

Okay now that I've said what I had to say, I'm grateful you did an explainer video on Barcelona, it's been a couple of years of anticipating this video, and honestly, you did a great job describing it, you got the information right. (And I have to agree, FGC logo looks nice and simple, the old orange one is similar just more rough as the curves weren't rounded but the new green one is pretty amazing, however it doesn't match with FGC's Liveries which did match with the old orange logo).

P.S. I'm pretty sure it's North and South, not East and West in terms if you are talking about L9 and L10 (Since technically one is in the North and one in the South)

luckyone
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Both the Sagrada Familia and Park Güel served as inspiration for parts of Mesagoza in Pokémon Scarlet/Violet. Montjuïc was the perfect setting for the 1992 Olympic Park. Not only because the main stadium was already built there in 1927 (when Barcelona made a bid for the 1936 Summer Olympics; losing to Berlin), but also because Montjuïc is the birthplace of the city and its strategic location on the Mediterranean and the Llobregat River has made it significant throughout history. So what better way to show the tourists what Barcelona is all about than to have them all gather at a place of huge significance. Fun fact, Montjuïc means Jewish Mountain in medieval Latin and Catalan, and remains of a medieval Jewish cemetery was discovered there.

Construction of the Sagrada Família began under architect Francisco de Paula del Villar in 1882. In 1883, when Villar resigned, Gaudí took over as chief architect. By the time he passed in 1926, less than a quarter of it was complete. The project has gone through so much from the Spanish Civil War to anarchists partially destroying his original plans. But it has continued, and Barcelona has something to be proud of. The construction of the Sagrada Família shows what it means to never give up!

SupremeLeaderKimJong-un
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As a Barcelonian, thank you for your video. Very well explained 🤗

simfonik
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_Being confusing makes this the most beautiful metro on the planet_

- A guy from madrid

carel_dfx
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I studied abroad to here last semester and the metro itself is INCREDIBLY easy to figure out. Especially considering they include colors and numbers everywhere.

zoegras