How the integrated tariff system works

How the integrated tariff system (STI) works

What is a journey or trip?

  • This is the trajectory carried out by a user from a place of origin to a destination during which different modes of transport can be used: underground, bus, tram and train (FGC and Rodalies de Catalunya).
  • A return is considered to be two journeys or trips.
  • Similarly, if you interrupt your journey to carry something out and then continue your trip, you are deemed to have made two journeys.
  • Multi-journey integrated tickets are transport tickets allowing a specific number of trips during which, within a certain period of time, transfers to other public transport services are not penalised (in other words, you are not charged for a second journey on your ticket).
  • In the case of tickets with unlimited journeys, the number of zones for which your ticket is valid is always determined by the zone where it is first stamped.

  • Multi-use tickets (T-casual, T-grup, T-familiar and T-70/90 FM/FN)

    The number of zones included in a specific journey depends on the number of tariff zones you go through during your trip.

    A multi-use ticket can be used for any journey throughout the  integrated tariff system area, in accordance with the number of zones required.

    A multi-use ticket for one zone can be used In the case of bus journeys between neighbouring municipalities located in different tariff zones, although no transfers can be made.

    A multi-use ticket for one zone can be used In the case of train journeys between neighbouring municipalities located in different tariff zones unless one of the zones is zone 1, although no transfers can be made. The same rule applies to adjacent stations, unless one of the stations is in zone 1.
     

    Example:

    The journey from Terrassa (zone 3C) to Sabadell (zone 2C) can be made on a single-zone multi-use ticket, if no transfers are made, but not on a monthly or quarterly travel card.

    Tickets with an unlimited number of journeys or season cards (T-usual and T-jove)

    The number of zones you need to acquire depends on the number of tariff sectors you travel through during the journey but you should remember that the ticket's area of validity is defined by the zone where it is first stamped.

    Limitations due to magnetic strip technology mean you cannot use a one-zone season travel card for journeys between adjacent municipalities or stations located in different tariff zones.

    Example:

    The journey from Terrassa (zone 3C) to Sabadell (zone 2C) can be made with a one-zone multi-use ticket, with no transfer between transport services, but not with a monthly or quarterly season card.

    Zone Counter

  • The card must be validated (stamped) each time a transfer is made (continuation of the journey on a different means of transport).

    Unlimited cards (1 day, 30 days, 90 days)

    The number of journeys on a temporary card is unlimited. Therefore, there are no limitations to the number of means of transport used by the passenger (within the term of validity of the card and within the zones established by the first stamp on the card).

    Cards with a limited number of journeys (8, 10, or 70 journeys)

    1. The amount of time allotted to each journey: Each journey can include a maximum of 4 segments (an initial 1st validation + 3 transfer validations), as a long as a certain amount of time has not elapsed between the first and last segments of the journey. That amount of time varies according to the number of zones covered by the card: in the case of a single zone, the time limit is 1 hour and 15 minutes. This time limit increases by 15 minutes with each additional zone.
      1 zona 2 zones 3 zones 4 zones 5 zones 6 zones
    Maximum time between 1st and last validation 1 h 15 min 1 h 30 min 1 h 45 min 2 h 2 h 15 min 2 h 30 min

     

    1. Transfers not admitted

      A single journey cannot include more than one segment on:

      • Metro
      • Rodalies de Catalunya railway
      • The FGC Barcelona-Vallès line.
      • TheFGC Llobregat- Anoia line.
      • A single TRAM line (T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6)
      • A single bus line (urban, metropolitan or intercity)

    If a passenger makes a transfer to the same network or service described above (i.e. using the same transport network more than once within the allotted time frame), the validation system will mark off a new journey on the ticket.

  • Those who have purchased travel passes during the year 2022 and have not begun to use them (regardless of their price) may exchange the unused passes for travel passes of the same type for use during the year 2023. They will have from 1 January to 31 March 2023 to do so. When making such exchanges, any differences in price will have to be paid. If there is no difference between the purchase price of the pass and the new price or if there is a negative difference, the passes can be exchanged at the customer service centres of the main transport operators and will involve no monetary transaction or compensation whatsoever.

    If your integrated ticket isn't working properly, you should notify the staff at the railway station, the bus driver or staff at any of the customer service centres who, after carrying out the necessary checks, will replace your ticket with another, if applicable.

    However, the following situations do not entitle the ticket holder to any exchange or refund:

    • Tickets damaged by passengers.
    • Expired or partially used tickets.
    • Lost or stolen tickets (including personalised travel cards).

  • A single ticket is not integrated and therefore only entitles you to make a single journey with the transport operator that has sold it.

  • Personalised tickets are valid only for the ticket holder and are a personal, non-transferable ticket. Consequently no other person can use them to travel.

    Personalised tickets must be accompanied by valid official means of identification for the ticket holder.
     


  • To buy these tickets you must present your original identification and the original certificate for a single parent or large family, for a family or individual, as issued by the Generalitat de Catalunya, or the original certificate for a large family issued by another autonomous community.

    These tickets are only valid for the person named on the card, who must be a member of a single parent or large family. These transport cards are a personal, non-transferable ticket. Consequently, no other person can use them to travel, except for card T-FM/FN 70/90 which is a multi-person ticket and can be used by the members of the same single parent or large family.

    These tickets must be accompanied by valid official means of identification for the ticket holder and the single-parent or large family card.

    Transport cards with discount for single parent and large families can be bought at the points of sale of collaborating transport operators (for more information, see the leaflet on transport tickets and prices for 2022).

    • At offices in stations for the underground, tram, FGC and Rodalies de Catalunya. At inter-urban bus stations.
    • At the customer service offices of integrated transport companies.
    • At tobacconists and pools and lottery kiosks.
    • At newsagent kiosks and other associated establishments

    Go to Points of sale