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Barcelona, for accessible tourism

You are here: FAQ

Is public transport in Barcelona adapted?

This website features a section entirely devoted to transport accessibility (alt+2), when travelling to Barcelona and getting around while you’re there. The city transport company operates an extensive fleet of low-floor buses with ramps. This means that wheelchair users can access and alight unaided from most of the buses that serve the city. Some Metro stations are fully accessible and the older stations are gradually being adapted. There are PA systems inside the Metro carriages and they are being introduced to buses. There is also signage for deaf and hearing-impaired users.

Will it be difficult for me to get around the city in a wheelchair?

According to data provided by the Barcelona Municipal Institute for People with Disabilities, in January 2007, more than 90% of the 1,287 km of streets in the city were accessible. However, 180 km of streets are too steep and can’t be made accessible enough in order to comply with current guidelines. The city council is gradually making more streets accessible with the introduction of dropped kerbs. Examples of this initiative include areas such as the Eixample which is fully accessible, as well as La Rambla and the Plaça Catalunya. Historic areas, such as the Gothic Quarter, are becoming more and more easy to negotiate in a wheelchair because the streets are being made as accessible as possible.

Do the traffic lights in Barcelona emit acoustic signals?

The city’s busiest streets have acoustic traffic lights but they have to be activated by the remote-control unit that ONCE (Spanish Organisation for the Blind) members can collect from their offices. If you use this kind of remote control in your town, you’ll also be able to use it to activate the traffic lights in Barcelona. All you have to do is press the button with two dots on it to hear the beep of the traffic lights that indicates whether they are adapted or not.

Can I come to Barcelona with my guide dog or assistance dog?

You can visit Barcelona with your guide dog or assistance dog and gain access to a wide range of public amenities, cultural attractions, shops and healthcare facilities, accommodation, restaurants and bars, provided that your dog has all the necessary documentation.

You can access the Law for the access to the environment by people accompanied by assistance dogs (Llei de l’accés a l’entorn de les persones acompanyades de gossos d’assistència) published in the Official Bulletin of the Catalan Government on 26th November 2009, which details your rights and obligations as dog owners.

If you’re travelling from another country you must have a European pet passport which is the document recognised by the member states of the European Union, and includes the dog’s medical history. It allows your animal to travel throughout Europe.

Does this website feature information about wheelchair hire, adapted taxis, and the purchase or repair of technical aids?

The Other Services section features information about adapted taxis and also a list of places where you can hire wheelchairs, and shops that sell and repair technical aids such as walking sticks, hearing aids, etc.

How can I prove my disability?

With the Disability accreditation card (Targeta acreditativa de la discapacitat), issued by the Catalan Government, or the certificate that proves the degree of disability, issued by the appropriate department in each Spanish Autonomous Community. The accreditation card allows people with legally recognised disabilities, who reside in Catalonia, to prove their degree of disability to other individuals. This card doesn’t replace the certificate of the degree of disability which you will have to show when requested to do so by official organisations and government bodies, but the card does provide discounts at some tourist and cultural attractions.

Are discounts on admission prices available for people with disabilities?

The Catalan Government has launched a scheme to introduce discounts on transport and at cultural, sporting and leisure attractions throughout Catalonia for holders of the Disability accreditation card. For further information you can visit the website of the Department of Social and Community Action (Departament d'Acció Social i Ciutadania). People with disabilities can gain free admission to a number of national museums by showing their disability certificate. Companions are also entitled to free admission, provided that their presence is absolutely essential for the visit. Some private museums offer discounts and special deals for people with disabilities. For information contact the ticket offices.

What should I do if I need medical assistance?

If you are a Spanish national or resident, the Spanish healthcare system (Seguridad Social) will cover all your healthcare needs at private and semi-private medical centres, surgeries and hospitals, during your stay in Barcelona. If you are from a member state of the European Union or the European Economic Area, it is important you apply for the European Health Insurance Card, which entitles you to medical assistance during your stay and for a maximum period of three months. If you haven’t applied for the card, you’ll be entitled to urgent medical assistance within the member states, although you’ll have to pay for treatment. You can claim a refund for the cost of healthcare from your medical insurers by presenting them with the bill. The refund will be made according to the rates decided by the country where you received treatment, in this case Spain. If you are from outside the EU, we recommend you take out travel or health insurance prior to your departure. You will always find a duty chemists open. Please remember that some medicines are only available on prescription, so we recommend you bring all the necessary medication with you. Please note: the emergency telephone number is 112.
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