Private car trips double public transport use in Barcelona area

The number of private car journeys in the Barcelona area is twice that of public transport journeys, according to figures from the Barcelona Metropolitan Transport Authority (ATM) analyzed by the Catalan News Agency (ACN).

In the last two decades, for every trip made by metro, train or bus, two trips were made by car or motorcycle. 

This situation is particularly significant when the trip does not involve the city of Barcelona, but instead links between points in the surrounding metropolitan area.

In fact, there are more than 1.1 million trips by car outside Barcelona, compared to only 456,000 trips by public transport.

However, public transport is the preferred means of transport when Barcelona is the origin or destination. 

Overall, in 2023, 51% of the trips were made walking, by bicycle or electric scooter, 32.5% by private car and only 16.4% by public transport. 

Excluding active mobility, two out of three trips were made by car, a ratio that has remained constant over the past two decades. 

This situation has sparked a debate within the sector between those who advocate the promotion of sustainable mobility and those who defend the "freedom" to travel by car. 

"Private mobility is a social food, a sign of freedom and a necessity," says Jaume Roura, president of the Catalan Federation of Motor Vehicle Sellers (Fecavem).    

Roura argues that private mobility is currently being "unjustly persecuted" on the grounds of pollution, even though there is often no public transport alternative. 

On the other hand, Adrià Ramírez, president of the Public Transport Platform, argues that "there is still a lot to be done" and calls for "bold policies" to promote sustainable transport.