Barcelona’s metro system recorded 40.506 million passenger journeys in September 2026, according to data published this Thursday by Spain’s National Institute of Statistics (INE), as reported by Naciodigital (https://naciodigital.cat/societat/el-metro-de-barcelona-continua-en-xifres-record-supera-els-40-milions-dusuaris-durant-el-setembre.html). This marks a 3.7% increase compared to September 2025 and is the highest figure ever recorded for that month.
The city’s urban bus network also saw a surge, with 19.799 million users, a 6.1% annual rise, while across Catalonia, urban buses carried 30.395 million passengers, a 6.2% increase. Nationwide, public transport systems carried over 508.4 million passengers in September, with urban transport accounting for 316.7 million journeys.
As demand continues to grow, commuters should expect sustained pressure on peak-hour services, particularly on the busiest metro lines such as L1, L2, and L3. The figures underscore the ongoing strain on Barcelona’s public infrastructure amid rising population and tourism levels.
Passengers can check real-time service updates via the Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) app or website to plan journeys around potential congestion.
Sources: Nació Digital.
