There are five Metro systems in Spain, one in each of the following cities: Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao and Palma de Mallorca and they all follow the same process for purchasing tickets and reading the maps. They are simple and straightforward, but a little guidance will take away any concerns you might have about working out how to use them as a first timer.

Reading the Metro maps

The Metros in the larger cities, Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia are much bigger with many more lines than in Bilbao and Palma, but the maps all use colours to represent each line as well as numbers (L1, L2 etc). In Palma in particular the metro provides fairly limited coverage of the city and buses are often a better way to travel. They are very similar in the way they are represented, to the London Underground. Each station is clearly marked on each line and it is also easy to see which stations are served by more than one line.

Reloadable travel cards

Four out of the five metro systems in Spain require you to purchase a reloadable plastic transport card, rather like an Oyster The cost of this is around 3 Euros, but you can keep it for ever and then just load on the required journeys at the ticket vending machine at the station before travel.
For any journey that includes the Airport, you will need to pay an additional fare specifically for that part of the journey. The card can be used again and again and you can load it with different fares depending on how long you are going to be in the city.

• In Madrid you will need to purchase a Tarjeta Multi. You can buy it at the Metro station and it works for buses and the Metro in Madrid.
• The Barcelona system works in a similar way with a T-Mobilitat card, which you have to purchase first and then load up the journeys you wish to make on to that card.
• In Valencia the card is called the Móbilis card and can be purchased from the automatic ticket vending machines in the metro stations.
• In Bilbao the card is called Barik and can also be used on most modes of public transport in the region, including buses, trains and trams.
• Unlike the other metro systems, in Palma de Mallorca there is no transport card and you can just tap in and out using a debit or credit card as you do on the London Underground.

Different types of tickets vs tourist pass

Each metro has a range of different fare options and which one works for you will depend on how long you intend to stay in the city and what you will be doing.
Fares range from a singe one way fare to 10 prepaid journeys at a reduced rate and of course weekly, monthly and yearly travel passes.

However if you are going to be doing a lot of hopping on and off the buses and trains as a tourist, often the tourist passes are the best option as they will allow you unlimited travel on public transport for a set number of days, as well as discounts on entry tickets to places of interest.

Madrid: Tourist Travel Pass https://www.esmadrid.com/en/madrid-tourist-travel-pass
Barcelona: Hola Barcelona Card https://www.holabarcelona.com/tickets/hola-bcn-barcelona-travel-card
Valencia: Valencia Tourist Card https://www.visitvalencia.com/en/shop/valencia-tourist-card/valencia-tourist-card
Bilbao: Bilbao Bizkaia Card https://www.bilbaobizkaiacard.com/en/home/
Palma de Mallorca:

Opening hours

Madrid : 6:00 AM – 1:30 AM daily
Barcelona : Monday to Thursday: 5:00 AM – Midnight; Friday: 5:00 AM – 2:00 AM; Saturday: 24-hour service; Sunday: 5:00 AM
Valencia: Monday to Thursday: 5:00 AM – Midnight; Friday: 5:00 AM – 2:00 AM; Saturday: 24-hour service; Sunday: 5:00 AM – Midnight
Bilbao: Monday to Friday: 6:00 AM – 11:00 PM; Saturday: 6:00 AM – 2:00 AM; Sunday: 6:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Palma: 6:30 AM – 10:00 PM (weekdays), 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM (Saturdays), closed on Sundays.