MWC 2022 Travel Guide: A New Train for Barcelona

The train has finally arrived. The most radical change since 2022 for Mobile Globe Congress, the world'southward largest mobile industry trade evidence, will see the airport and the Fira Gran Via convention middle exterior Barcelona finally continued to the metropolis'southward metro network.

A few years ago we did an official MWC Travel Guide that's still quite useful, although transportation and SIM carte options have definitely changed. Nosotros followed that upwardly with a 2022 update, which has some bang-up tips most restaurants and outcome spaces in town. Now, we're giving you the freshest information virtually how to make the most of the mobile industry's biggest annual upshot.

We've worked with Barcelona Turisme and local experts to find out what's new in boondocks.

Barcelona is a dandy family destination, by the way. I bring my family unit to the evidence every twelvemonth. This year, the kid-intendance options are expanding fifty-fifty farther. Along with the amazing Mobile Explorers Guild day army camp for ages viii-15, where kids become to programme robots, make movies, and visit the show floor, there are now options for ages 3-7 and a late-night option for parents with dinner commitments.

Make sure to start with the official MWC website.

• Getting There and Effectually
• Apps to Download
• SIM Cards and Hotspots
• Hot New Restaurants

Getting There and Effectually

The new Metro Line 9 (orange, on the map at right) is scheduled to open on Feb. 12, well-nigh a week before most people get in for the show. It's a driverless, automated Metro line.

Metro L9 connects the two airport terminals, the S Entrance of the Fira, and Metro lines i, iii, and v. That makes it a frequent, efficient way to get into the city from the airdrome, likewise every bit to go to the Fira.

From the aerodrome, you take to transfer to get to the middle of the city, and then you may still want to take the direct Aerobus if you're headed to Placa Catalunya, Placa Espanya, or along the Gran Via between them. The Aerobus says it takes 35 minutes to become to Placa Catalunya, while the subway volition take about 40 minutes with a modify of trains, but no potential to get stuck in traffic. That'due south a wash.

The new Fira station on the L9 line is straight under convention Hall i, and then that's the best manner to access MWC. Look trains towards the urban center to make full at the Fira station at peak times, although another train will come up forth every three minutes.

From the Placa Espanya area and the Fira Montjuic, you can still apply the suburban L8 train to reach the Fira, besides. But the metro will exist the all-time bet from the heart of the city.

The metro stop is nevertheless a long manner from the North Entrance and Hall 8. If that'southward where y'all're going, your all-time bet is still to accept a taxi, or to take the frequent H16 public bus from Placa Espanya or Placa Catalunya to the corner of Passeig de Zona Franca and Foneria, which is close to the North Archway. MWC will besides run a shuttle between the North Entrance and Hall M8 in Montjuic.

As you wander the city, go along an eye out for the "smartquesina" smart motorbus shelters along Placa de Palau, Avenida Diagonal, and Passeig de Gracia. They feature touch screens, local-information apps, and USB ports to recharge your phone. Passeig de Gracia and Avenida Diagonal have been rebuilt, besides, with much wider sidewalks along Diagonal (shown to a higher place; photograph credit Miquel Vidal.)

Taxis tin be a quick fashion to get effectually, but they too tend to meet the perpetual political demonstrations that happen around MWC time. Spanish politics are heavily in flux right now, so wait some traffic disruptions. According to locals, Hailo is nevertheless the best taxi app for Barcelona. Uber was banned in Spain in December 2022.

MWC and Barcelona Apps to Download

The Mobile Earth Capital has become a European hotspot for app development, with rising stars similar Craigslist competitor Wallapop popping up all over boondocks. I consulted with Barcelona first-up veterans Raquel Priego of Drivy and Miquel Vidal of Blackpool Digital on some must-take apps for the show.

The Official My MWC  app is your i must-have, of class. It has a full convention schedule, exhibitor list, a built-in badge, and interactive maps.

ByHours.com, developed by local Barcelona entrepreneurs, lets you grab a hotel room for iii or six hours at a time. This is perfect for a place to hang out or run across before you've checked in or after yous've checked out of your official convention hotel, particularly if yous're arriving on a transatlantic flight in the early morning.

With the traditional Spanish economic system nonetheless struggling, the "sharing economic system" has come to Barcelona in a big manner. A agglomeration of new apps allow individual Barcelonans help you while you lot help them.

Drivy (shown above) is a peer-to-peer car rental app. Rather than renting from Hertz, you rent from locals who aren't using their cars. And yes, information technology'south insured. While yous probably don't desire to hire a auto during MWC itself (there'due south no parking), it's a neat thought for a weekend trip into the countryside before or afterwards the bear witness.

Glovo, a local Barcelona-based app, is like Postmates. It uses a network of local, part-time couriers to run errands for you or bring yous things. For instance, they'll buy you a new shirt or half-dozen cups of coffee. Commitment costs 4.90 euros, plus the cost of the item. This could be a real life saver. Glovo didn't work with my U.S. phone number, though, so y'all may need a local SIM menu for this one.

Washrocks, another Barcelona local, volition option up your clothes, clean, and return them, all for 10 euros per 5kg. It'll do ironing and hang shirts, too.

Eatwith isn't a local Barcelona app, simply it does a lot of business in Barcelona. It's like Airbnb for dinner, where you can have classy dinners at locals' homes. This isn't the kind of stuff yous'd brand for yourself, necessarily; i of the EatWith providers claims he'south a Michelin-starred chef. Dinners aren't cheap during the MWC week, running from $33 to $81 per person. Just an EatWith repast would be a terrific, unique experience for a small-scale team.

Google Interpret, with its new Discussion Lens function, can decode Spanish and Catalan for you lot.

Hailo is the dominant e-hailing taxi app in Barcelona.

Maps.me offers offline maps of Barcelona, reducing roaming data usage.

OandA Currency Converter turns Barcelona's euros into whatever currency you understand.

Opera Max compresses data transfers, further shaving your data upkeep.

The TripAdvisor Barcelona Guide app and Yelp help you lot narrow down restaurant choices on the run.

The Best SIM Cards and Hotspots for MWC 2022
Public Wi-Fi blankets much of the center of the city. It's wearisome, restricted to 256kbps, and it doesn't back up VoIP, only information technology'due south free; the SSID is "Barcelona Wi-Fi." You tin discover a map of locations online, or download the Free Wi-Fi Barcelona app for your smartphone.

If you use a major U.Southward. carrier, your easiest bet is to just sign upwardly for an international data package. AT&T's rates start at $30 for 120MB of data. Verizon starts at $25 for 100MB. Sprint is more expensive; $80 for 85MB. T-Mobile gives y'all unlimited irksome Border data on about plans for free, but high-speed data passes showtime at $15 for 100MB.

Dart has two unlike roaming plans. Its "open globe" plan offers 1GB of high-speed data for $30, but its "global roaming" plan offers free slow Edge data. Call Dart to cull your plan depending on whether you prioritize speed or cost.

Use the Opera Max app to compress data transfers and save money.

There's a new plan in town for people who want to pick up a local SIM card. Vodafone'due south "Vodafone in Spain for Tourists" plan gives you a very decent allotment of threescore minutes of calling plus 1.5GB of LTE data for 15 euros. Additional calls to the U.S. toll 30 cents plus i.2 cents per minute, and incoming calls are gratis. End by either the Vodafone store at thirty, Portal de Angel, near Placa Catalunya, or the Vodafone kiosk at the Granvia two mall across from the convention heart to get prepare; bring your passport for identification.

There are several vendors renting out Wi-Fi hotspots correct now, but the standout is My Webspot, which is the merely rental visitor currently advertising 4G LTE. It costs 10 euros per day, and there's a 10GB limit for the week. If you want truly unlimited data, XCom Global volition deliver an unlimited 3G hotspot to your home or office before you leave, charging $14.95 per 24-hour interval. WiFiVox charges much less, at 6.99 euros/24-hour interval for unlimited employ, but information technology'll have to be delivered to your hotel in Spain or picked up in town.

Hot New Restaurants in Barcelona for 2022

Barcelona cuisine is more global than e'er. While you tin can still relax with the time-honored classics at century-former restaurants like Els Quatre Gats and Botafumeiro, the latest hot spots range from Japanese to pizza. Our restaurant picks from terminal yr, including Dis Fru Tar and El Nacional, are even so going stiff, so cheque that list also. Merely for the hottest, freshest tastes, here are some of the places Turisme Barcelona pointed out as new and buzzy effectually boondocks, at all toll levels.

Caballa Canalla. (Plaça Poeta Bosca, one, 08003; shown above) Upscale tapas in the newly renovated Barceloneta market, by the body of water. Maybe you're paying a few euros for the gorgeous location, marketplace-fresh ingredients, and youthful vibe, just those are things you'd pay for anyway, correct? The eatery also has three event spaces, with the largest one seating 77, and so information technology'll work perfectly for your team dinner. El 300 del Built-in was concluding twelvemonth'south hot market tapas spot; this i is this year's.

La Esquina Barcelona. (Carrer de Bergara, 2, 08002)It's a nouvelle-English bistro with artisanal coffee and a 15-euro lunch set menu most the Placa Catalunya. It's a lot like somewhere yous'd find in a squeamish neighborhood of London or San Francisco, which may offer a refreshing alternative to the amount of jamon you're going to be consuming this calendar week.

Lasarte. (Carrer de Mallorca, 259, 08008)Super high-end, ii Michelin star cuisine from glory chef Martin Berasategui. Lasarte has been around for x years, simply recently had a comprehensive renovation making the space brighter and livelier. You won't go out of here for less than 150 euros per person, but you'll have had an experience to remember.

Parking Pizza. (Carrer de Londres, 98, 08036)Young, hip, and brand new, Parking Pizza offers upscale pizzas and shareable dip appetizers at very reasonable prices of effectually 20 euros per person for a meal. You lot'll notice several traditional preparations with a little extra flavor, similar adding fennel to a pepperoni pizza, or sage and shallots to a four-cheese pizza.

Kak Koy. (Carrer de Ripoll, 16, 08002)Koy Shunka is the best sushi restaurant in Barcelona, and its sibling Shunka may be the all-time overall Japanese. Kak Koy brings the aforementioned attentiveness to other Japanese preparations, most specifically charcoal-grilled sumiyaki meats, served in a small space forth marble bar tables. Information technology's a hidden gem, although y'all should await to pay between 50-100 euros per person.

For drinks, Turisme Barcelona says to hit the new vermouth trail forth the three-block Carrer del Parlament, between the Poble Sec metro station and the Roda de Sant Pau. Vermouth bars there include Lando, El Dinamic, Bodega 1900, and Els Sortidors del Parlament. Yep, they all serve tapas, too. What's all-time: the whole area is easy walking distance from the Fira Montjuic at Placa Espanya.

Have more than Barcelona and MWC travel tips? Tell me on Twitter @saschasegan, and I'll add together them to this guide.

Source: https://sea.pcmag.com/my-webspot-4g-pocket-wifi/9841/mwc-2016-travel-guide-a-new-train-for-barcelona

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