The mobile phone is that object that brings together everything we usually use so that we only need to carry the device with a touch screen. Even This is the key to our mobility: You can open the car and the access barrier to the metro platform. In the metropolitan area of Barcelona they know it well: T-Mobilitat, the integrated transport system, allows you to transport your tickets in the Android application.
Getting around Barcelona, both within the city and within the metropolitan area, usually involves access to different public transport services. Leaving the car and entering Barcelona by train is not always a good idea (Rodalies problems are becoming more and more frequent, I can attest), it is better to trust other, more reliable means; such as the different bus services, the Tram or FGC. And they are all united under the single ring of T-Mobilitat.
T-Mobilitat, two ways to use transport: with a physical ticket or on your mobile
T-Mobility rechargeable physical ticket
The metropolitan area began testing T-Mobilitat as early as 2017, introducing the service in stages. Currently, T-Mobilitat is an integrated system that provides access to the different means of public transport that circulate in the Barcelona region. Allows transfers according to zones (the further the zone is from the city) and consists of rechargeable tickets based on NFC technology.
All T-Mobilitat tickets are digital and, as I said, they are based on NFC technology. These invoices are distributed between the physical of a life and the virtual, those that can be downloaded to mobile phones. The T-Mobilitat app allows you to order either type. And in the case of virtual tickets, the purchase, loading and use remain on the smartphone.
The T-Mobilitat application allows you to purchase a physical ticket, a virtual ticket, can load transport tickets in both formats and provides access to transport
Android allows you to add T-Mobilitat tickets to take them on your mobile, always with one key requirement: that the phone has NFC, wireless contact communication also used in mobile payments. iPhone is not compatible with T-Mobilitat virtual tickets (due to compatibility issues with third-party NFC services).
When entering transport, virtual and physical tickets work in the same way: they must be brought closer to the turnstile or validator so that a journey is subtracted from the ticket. In the case of access with the Android mobile, You must have the application open and the screen on so that T-Mobilitat serves as access to the bus or train.
How to load new tickets on your mobile
If you have an Android phone and it has NFC (important), you can easily use the service by simply downloading the app to your phone. Its download and use is free, you need an account and a valid means of payment to load the transport tickets. For these payments you need the T-Mobilitat electronic walleta separate application.
Once you have the applications on your mobile and they are configured with your account (you can create them from the T-Mobilitat application itself), follow the following process:
- Open T-Mobilitat and click on the bottom option, “Mobile”. The personalized card consists of ordering a reusable ticket in bank card format (plastic).
- Follow the guided steps in the process. The first time you load a T-Mobilitat ticket on your mobile You will have an additional cost of 1 euro on the ticket itself.
- You will need to access the e-wallet to make the payment. You accept.
- The available titles will be loaded based on the account you created. These are generally T-casual (10 individual trips), T-usual (unlimited individual trips for one month), T-family (card of 8 shareable trips, like the old T-10). and the T-grup (card of 70 shareable journeys).
- Choose the ticket you want and select the areas where you are going to use it. If it is only the city of Barcelona (and neighboring municipalities), zone 1 is suitable. Consult the zone map.
- Confirm everything is correct and click “Pay”.
- Fill in your card details and, once payment is made, the T-Mobilitat ticket will be loaded into your mobile app.
- Once you have purchased the virtual ticket, you can recharge it with any title available on your account and without paying that initial extra euro.
You cannot carry more than one card on your mobile, although you can top up more trips than the one you have already downloaded (provided the title is compatible). In case you want to have several different titles you will need to combine the virtual mobile ticket with physical tickets.
How to use the T-Mobilitat mobile ticket
You already have the T-Mobilitat ticket loaded on your mobile, so everything is ready to board the metro, bus, train… without needing a physical ticket. The process is very simple, let’s look at the steps.
- Open the T-Mobility app on your Android.
- Make sure you are on the “Mobile” tab and your ticket appears at the top of the screen.
- Bring your cell phone closer to the bill reader.
- Once the NFC is detected, the journey will be deducted from your transport ticket while the means of transport reader will light up green.
- If there is a reading error, try passing the mobile phone through the reader again: the screen must be on and the application open in the “Mobile” tab.
In general, there should be no problems, at least I haven’t had any every time I use the service. I find it very practical, we save money on tickets and we don’t have to go to an ATM to buy new titles: the whole process is compatible with smartphones. Currently, there are T-Mobilitat readers on all means of transportation associated with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Cover image | Ivan Linares
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