Free travel within Catalonia restored as part of broader reopening

Free travel has been restored within Catalonia as the county-level lockdown ended on Monday, as part of a broader reopening scheme brought about by the stabilization of coronavirus infections.

Other de-escalation measures include the restoration of in-person classes for pre-university exam-year school students ('Batxillerat' courses) and vocational training courses ('Cicles Formatius'). 

While the 6-people limit for social gatherings remains in place, the restriction of two social bubbles has been lifted.

Bars and restaurants in shopping malls can reopen to the public while complying with the 7:30 am to 5 pm timetable as is currently the case for everyone in the sector. 

The capacity limit for sports and religious events rises from 30% to 50%, large stores no longer have to restrict their area open to the public to a maximum of 800 m², and children's play areas can resume their activities.

Other restrictions remain in place, such as the curfew from 10 pm to 6 am, the use of face masks, and the closure of Catalan borders to other Spanish regions. (Check out here the full list of Covid-19 restrictions currently in place.)

The end of the curfew

In place since Spain triggered the second state of alarm of the Covid-19 pandemic last fall, it is expected that the night curfew will be automatically lifted on May 9. But Catalan authorities are considering relaxing it earlier than that.

Interior minister Miquel Sàmper said the government could allow restaurants to extend their opening hours and open for dinner, first in outdoor seating areas and later indoors, as well as pushing the curfew back beyond 10 pm.