With the exception of one metro line, transport in the city is operated by TMB (tel: (93) 298 7000; website: www.tmb.net). There are TMB information offices in the foyer of the Universitat metro station, open Monday to Friday 0800-2000. There are also offices at Diagonal, Sants Estacio and Sagrada Familia metro stations.

Regional rail services and the purple metro line are operated by Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya - FGC (tel: (93) 205 1515; website: www.fgc.es). The information office, located in the Catalunya metro station, is open Monday to Friday 0900-2100.

Apart from during the rush hour (0730-0930 and 1800-2030), when it becomes very crowded, the metro (M) is the most efficient means of transport in the city. Metro lines are all identified by a number and a colour - the direction is shown by the name of the line terminus. Tickets must be validated in a machine on the platform before boarding and carried at all times to avoid the penalty fare. Tickets are available at TMB customer service centres, ticket offices and the automatic vending machines at the metro stations. The metro runs daily early morning until midnight, with extended hours on Friday and Saturday nights. The FGC line is fully integrated with the rest of the TMB-operated metro system and also runs daily early morning until midnight, with extended hours on Friday and Saturday.

Buses in the city run daily from approximately 0630 until around 2200. The network is extensive and almost all services run through Plaça de Catalunya, Plaça Urquinaona or Plaça de la Universitat. Single tickets are available from the driver. Travel cards must be validated in machines upon boarding. There are night-bus routes to some destinations, running daily every 30 to 45 minutes from approximately 2220 until around 0500, which require separate tickets. The TombBús is a shopping service that runs Monday to Saturday every few minutes during summer between Plaça de Catalunya and Plaça Pius XII.

There are a number of multi-ride tickets available (including the T-10 for 10 journeys and T-50/30 for 50 journeys within 30 days), depending on number of zones, validity period, modes of transport and changes permitted. There are also a variety of passes available, including one-day and monthly passes. In addition, for tourists, there are two-day, three-day, four-day and five-day passes, which cover all transport in the city, including the journey to and from the airport. These are available for purchase at TMB customer service centres, metro ticket offices, automatic vending machines and at FGC railway stations.

For the suburbs and surrounding areas there are regional rail lines run by the FGC and RENFE (see Getting There By Rail). The RENFE local network is known as Rodalies or Cercanías and the central station in the city is Plaça de Catalunya.

A funicular railway trundles up Montjuïc from the corner of Carrer Nou de la Rambla and Avinguda Parallel to Avinguda Miramar. From the amusement park, there is a cable car (telefèric) to Montjuïc Castle. A further cable car operates every 15 minutes from the San Sebastian Tower in the Barceloneta district to Montjuïc, stopping en route at the Jaume I tower, near the World Trade Centre.

There are 11,000 yellow-and-black registered cabs operating in the city. These are either available on the street or can be booked in advance. Reliable companies include Radio Taxi (tel: (93) 303 3033; website: www.radiotaxi033.com) and Servitaxi (tel: (93) 330 0300; website: www.servitaxi.com). Taxi drivers should be tipped 5 to 10% of the meter fare.

The proximity of the main attractions and the excellent public transport system in Barcelona makes driving unnecessary in the city. Driving in Barcelona can be quite daunting, especially at rush hour (early morning, lunchtime and early evening) or on the fast multilane avenues in the city centre. A detailed map is a necessity for managing the complicated one-way system and it is advisable for visitors to plan their route in advance.

Parking is tricky in some areas. Cars require a paid ticket to park in the 'blue' zones, daily 0800-1400 and 1600-2000. Illegal parking results in the offending vehicle being towed away. Parking costs from around €1-3 per hour to €20 per day. There are numerous car parks in the city centre.

Drivers must be 21 years or older to hire a car in Barcelona. A passport and a valid driving licence are required. A valid international insurance policy is also necessary, although this can be purchased at the time of hire.

In addition to companies at the airport, car hire in Barcelona is provided by Avis, Sants Railway Station, Plaça Paisos Catalans s/n (tel: (93) 330 4193; website: www.avis.com), and Hertz, Carrer Viriat 45 (tel: (93) 419 6156; website: www.hertz.com).

Barcelona has a limited network of bicycle lanes and bicycle racks. Bicycles can be carried on the public transport system, although there are some peak hour restrictions. Bicycles are available for hire from Al Punt de Trobada, Carrer Badajoz 24 (tel: (93) 225 0585), Un Coxte Menys, Esparteria 3 (tel: (93) 268 2105; website: www.bicicletabarcelona.com), and Biciclot, Passeig Marítim 33 (tel: (93) 221 9778; website: www.biciclot.net). ID is required.