Barcelona’s metro system has achieved its busiest July on record, surpassing 38.1 million passengers for the first time, according to data from Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE).
The figure marks a 5.7% increase on the previous July, when 36 million journeys were made, setting the last record. It also makes July 2025 the second consecutive month of record-breaking use for the underground network. Despite this milestone, July was still the quietest month of the year in overall terms.
Bus travel also continues to perform strongly. Within Barcelona, 19.6 million journeys were made on buses in July, close to pre-pandemic highs. Across Catalonia as a whole, bus use actually set a new historic record with 28.3 million passengers, up 1.2% from the same month last year.
However, not all transport modes are on the rise. INE figures show that Spain’s commuter rail services have lost nearly three million passengers year-on-year, falling from 47.2 million in July 2024 to 44.4 million in July 2025.
The data highlights both the strength of Barcelona’s public transport network and shifting travel preferences in the region, with urban systems thriving while state railways struggle to hold passengers.
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