Barcelona rolls out rechargeable transport cards

Starting today, Barcelona's Metropolitan Transport Authority (ATM) began to phase out disposable paper transport cards in exchange for its new T-Mobilitat rechargeable cards.

Some ticket machines at metro stations have started issuing T-Mobilitat rechargeable cardboard cards this Tuesday, although many users are still sticking with the traditional discardable ones before the definitive change takes place on January 15. That's the expected date for the disposable magnetic strip cards to no longer be valid, with only T-Mobility cards working.

There are two types of T-Mobilitat cards available, a plastic one that requires registration that can be recharged, and a reusable paper one that requires no registration. 

Some passengers at the Sants station on Tuesday morning preferred to "hurry up" their journeys and avoid paying the 50 cents that the new cardboard card costs.

Andreu, one commuter in Sants station, tried to use the app but didn't mind paying the 50 cent levy for a paper one that didn't require registration, as he preferred to move faster. 

Others, meanwhile, took the opportunity to make the change towards this new technology.