The city of Barcelona faces a complicated Wednesday in terms of mobility due to the visit of Pope Leo XIV. Traffic restrictions and road closures, which began on Monday, are intensifying today, primarily affecting the districts of Ciutat Vella and Eixample, with special attention to the Sagrada Familia area.
In Ciutat Vella, the areas around the Cathedral and the Episcopal Palace have already faced traffic and parking restrictions since Monday and until Thursday. In El Raval, road closures and pedestrian controls are expected on streets such as Hospital, Gardunya square, Jerusalem street, and Sant Agustí square.
The Eixample district will be the most affected, especially around the Sagrada Familia. Throughout Wednesday and into the early hours of Thursday, a large security perimeter has been established with parking bans and traffic closures on key streets including Avinguda Diagonal, Rosselló, Pau Claris, Roger de Llúria, Bruc, Girona, Bailén, Passeig de Sant Joan, Roger de Flor, Nàpols, Sicília, Sardenya, Marina, Lepant, Provença, Mallorca, and València.
To mitigate the impact, public transport has been reinforced. Metro services will increase by 30% to 65% in the afternoon, with more trains and reduced intervals. The Generalitat has recommended teleworking for those who commute regularly to the Catalan capital.
The Sagrada Familia metro station will be closed all day, and trains on lines 2 and 5 will pass through without stopping. At Verdaguer (L4), passengers will only be allowed to exit during peak hours. The Tram (T4) will also extend its peak hours, and up to fifteen bus lines will experience diversions and route modifications.
