Handicap Accessible Transportation in Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona, Spain is one of Europe's most handicap accessible cities. Extensive renovations and improvements to access were required in 1992, when Barcelona hosted the Summer Olympic Games. All of the city's buses are fully handicap accessible and about half of the regional trains have been equipped with adaptation for disabled passengers. Here are some tips on finding handicap accessible public transportation in Barcelona, Spain.

Handicap accessible transportation in Barcelona: To and from the airport

From the Barcelona airport, handicapped travelers can ride the Aerobus shuttle to the city center, where other transportation options are available. The handicap accessible Aerobus shuttle leaves from the Barcelona airport every 15 minutes and will take you to the city center in approximately a half-hour.

Handicap accessible transportation in Barcelona: Metro trains

Public transportation in Barcelona, Spain is easy to use and handicap accessible in most locations. The metro system works in conjunction with the FGC city train system and busses to cover the entire city of Barcelona. Transportation Schedules and network maps can be downloaded from the official website of the Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona. The metro system map will show you which stations have wheelchair lifts and other handicap accessible accommodations. Other metro stations in Barcelona may have raised sections of the boarding platform to make the trains more accessible to disabled passengers. Many Barcelona transportation stops have implemented other handicap accessible technological adaptations like automated ticket machines and public address announcements to assist hearing or visually-impaired visitors.

Handicap accessible transportation in Barcelona: City buses

All city buses in Barcelona, Spain have been made handicap accessible, including the nighttime buses. There is a specific area on each bus designated for wheelchairs only and all buses are equipped with automatic wheelchair ramps. When disembarking the bus, there is a special blue button for wheelchair-using passengers. This button notifies the driver that a disabled passenger is getting off and may need assistance with the ramp or any of the other handicap accessible features of the bus.

Handicap accessible transportation in Barcelona: Regional trains (cercanias)

Unfortunately, Barcelona's train system is not as handicap accessible as the bus system. At this time, only half of the city's regional cercania trains have been equipped with full access for disabled passengers. Call ahead or check the train company's website to find out if your destination station is handicap accessible. This also gives the station employees adequate advance notice to prepare any lifts or ramps for your arrival. The good news is, the city of Barcelona, Spain is trying to improve the handicap accessibility of its train transportation system, with a goal of 90% disabled access by the end of 2010.