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Mobility difficulties in Barcelona: taxi strike (28jul18)

Read here.

Background: The new strike comes after the Spanish government decided to maintain its provisional suspension of a new law limiting the number of VTC licenses to be issued. VTC licenses are those used by drivers for companies like Uber and Cabify. Drivers are striking because they believe that the issue of unlimited such licenses is unfair competition.

So....

Brace for a few more days of taxi strikes -despite taxi drivers are now heated up and announce an "indefinite" strike, they can't hold it, so I wouldn't worry if you're not arriving/departing within the next days. But if you're arriving/departing now, plan in advance your routes and throw in an extra hour or two to get to/from the airport.

Alternatives:

  • Aerobus, but they are only serving the stretch airport to Plaça Espanya as the main avenue -Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes- to Plaça Catalunya is blocked by the taxis. From there you can take the metro, lines L1 and L3, or buses also, check the itineraries of the different lines
  • Bus #46 from the airport to Plaça Espanya, then same than above.
  • Train RENFE from Terminal 2 (T2) at the airport to either Sants, Passeig de Gràcia or Estació de França in the city -depending on where is more convenient to you to get off. It runs every 30' and the journey takes between 35 and 45'. If you are arriving at Terminal 1 (T1) of the airport, there's a free shuttle (green bus) connecting both terminals every 5'.
  • Line 9 of the metro: L9 Sud, runs all the way to Barcelona airport and has stops at both T1 and T2. However, L9 Sud does not directly pass through the major transport hubs such as Plaça de Catalunya, Estació de Sants or Plaça d'Espanya therefore you need to transfer to other metro lines/buses -depending on where you're going in the city. This is L9 Sud, check it against the general metro map (above) and see where it's more convenient for you to transfer.

Follow the latest news here:
Aerobus: https://twitter.com/aerobusbcn
Train Rodalies/RENFE: https://twitter.com/rodalies?lang=en
TMB (rest of the public transportation): https://twitter.com/tmbinfo?lang=en

Unfortunately, all big cities suffer these sort of inconveniences all the time, when it's not a taxi strike is some other protest, or major roadworks everywhere, or traffic lock, or... If you also live in a metropolis you know already what I'm talking about, right? :)... and if not, well, see why you praise living in a sleepy town? LOL!

So brace yourself, be patient and enjoy the time regardless of the nuisance. You're on holiday after all.

Enjoy!

Posted by
2942 posts

... it's quite hot these days so plan to avoid having to walk much, especially pushing luggage :))

Posted by
835 posts

Taxi drivers in Madrid went on strike Saturday in solidarity with Barcelona cabbies protesting against "unfair competition" from Uber and Cabify.
The federation of Madrid taxis claimed all 15,000 drivers in the capital had joined the movement and that it would spread to other cities.
"All taxis have spontaneously and progressively stopped work, paralysing services in the capital, at the airport, around bus and railway stations", federation secretary Santiago Simon Vicente told AFP.

Madrid taxis join Barcelona strike against Uber

Posted by
10 posts

I just want to say thanks for posting this. My trip is not until November but it's good to know there are knowledgeable people out there willing to share information so freely. I appreciate you!
Cathi