Getting around Barcelona has its own choreography and its own soundtrack: the hurried murmur of the platforms, the subterranean echo of the tunnels, and, all too often, the collective sigh at an incomprehensible information screen. To try to shed light on this daily labyrinth, the citizen-led platform Dignitat a les vies, in collaboration with the PTP, is launching a major update to Transporta’m on August 24 —the app that provides real-time information on public transit.
Launched just over a year ago and with 90,000 active users, the tool is taking a giant leap forward by incorporating real-time information from the Barcelona Metro and the Bicing bike-sharing system. However, its main appeal remains its ability to show travelers all the details about Rodalies and medium-distance services that government agencies and the official Adif or Renfe apps typically omit.
An accurate map of the underground system and bicycles
With this new version, the uncertainty of staring into the depths of the subway tunnel has its days numbered. Transporta’m now includes a real-time map that not only reveals the exact location of each subway train but also indicates its passenger volume.
For those who prefer to get around by bike, the update is just as useful. The section dedicated to the Bicing service breaks down how many bikes are available at each station, specifying their type, as well as the exact number of available parking spots.
Updates on Renfe information
The app, which also collects data from Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat (FGC) and other municipal services, adds very specific new features for Renfe’s medium-distance travelers, indicating the exact train model that will make the trip and how many cars it has.
Anna Gómez, spokesperson for Dignitat a les vies, speaks highly of the scope of a tool that reaches where the government does not. “The data is there and it’s open. We don’t know why they don’t do it themselves,” Gómez notes, referring to official channels. Even so, she admits that there are limitations: for Rodalies, they cannot provide information on train cars simply because Renfe does not publish it, and they also do not have access to data on high-speed trains.
No magic tricks with delays
One of the app’s strengths compared to Adif’s official app is its transparency in tracking delays. While the official tool typically resets the counter to zero and clears accumulated delays once the train arrives at the next station, Transporta’m maintains the actual delay.
In addition, canceled trains are clearly marked as such, avoiding the usual “ghost” effect seen on official platforms, where train schedules simply disappear from the screen without explanation.
“People don’t need more confusion on the platforms; they need an app to help them,” the spokesperson emphasizes. In keeping with this public service mission, the platform’s next major challenge is to integrate information on urban bus routes in Barcelona and other cities—a goal they hope to achieve by the end of 2026.
Interestingly, one of the biggest headaches for the developers hasn’t been the transit network, but rather soccer games. Ever since La Liga obtained a court order a year ago to dynamically block IP addresses and combat audiovisual piracy, the citizen-driven app has suffered collateral damage.
The system protecting television rights ended up inadvertently blocking the firewall used by Transporta’m, rendering the tool completely unusable during games. To circumvent this technological outage and continue providing information to riders, the platform has been forced to dig into its own pocket and hire a paid firewall.
