Barcelona is set for major mobility changes from 9 to 11 June, as Pope Leo XIV’s visit overlaps with the PAU university entrance exams across Catalonia. The timing means thousands of students will need to plan extra time for journeys to exam centres in and around the city.
The visit will bring traffic restrictions, street closures and public transport changes in several parts of Barcelona. Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona has already set out service changes, while Rodalies de Catalunya is also preparing extra measures for the busy days ahead.
In central Barcelona, the biggest impact will be in Ciutat Vella and the Eixample. Around Barcelona Cathedral, restrictions on traffic and parking will run from 8 to 11 June, affecting Avenida de la Catedral, Plaça Nova and Plaça Antoni Maura. In the Raval, access controls and closures will affect the area around Sant Agustí church and Plaça de la Gardunya on 9 and 10 June, with streets including Hospital, Jerusalem, Arc de Sant Agustí, Plaça de Sant Agustí and Plaça de la Gardunya closed to traffic from 07:00 on 9 June until 23:59 on 10 June.
The Universitat de Barcelona site at Plaça de la Universitat is not listed for direct closures, but nearby restrictions could still slow arrivals. Students using central bus routes or travelling from the old town should leave plenty of time, and the metro may be the simplest option where services are running normally.
Wednesday 10 June is expected to be the hardest day, with a large security perimeter around the Sagrada Família. Streets in the Eixample, including parts of Avenida Diagonal, Rosselló, Pau Claris, Roger de Llúria, Bruc, Girona, Bailèn, Passeig de Sant Joan, Roger de Flor, Nàpols, Sicília, Sardenya, Marina, Lepant, Provença, Mallorca and València, will close to traffic from 07:00 on 10 June until 02:00 on 11 June. TMB says 15 bus lines, including the H8, H10, D50, 19, 33, 34, 39 and 47, will be diverted or altered, and some streets such as Provença, Marina, Sicília and Nàpols will have no bus service.
TMB says metro services will be reinforced by 30% to 65%, but the Sagrada Família station will close for the whole of 10 June. Trains on lines L2 and L5 will pass through without stopping, and Verdaguer on line L4 will be inaccessible during the afternoon. Rodalies and FGC will also add staff, signage and extra services, with special trains planned from stations including Aeroport, Barcelona Sants, Plaça Catalunya, Arc de Triomf and Passeig de Gràcia. For local updates, readers can also follow our Community and Sport coverage for city-wide event disruption and mobility news.
The disruption is not limited to Barcelona city centre. On 10 June, the Pope will also visit Brians I prison in Sant Esteve Sesrovires, while roads BP-1121 and BP-1103, plus access points to Montserrat, will face restrictions that morning. Students travelling from surrounding towns to exam boards such as the UPC Baix Llobregat campus may need to allow extra time.
The PAU exams are the key route into university in Catalonia, with all students taking the same tests at the same time. The first exam, Spanish Language, starts at 09:00 on Monday 9 June. History or History of Philosophy follows at 09:00 on Wednesday 10 June, and Catalan Language is set for 09:00 on Thursday 11 June. PAU rules only allow date changes in serious, justified cases, such as a traffic accident with police proof or a public transport problem backed by the operator.
