Urquinaona metro station
Line 1 and Line 4 · Zone 1 · Ciutat Vella
Urquinaona station
Urquinaona is really two stations from different eras. TMB dates the platforms of today’s Line 4 to 30 December 1924 (historical accounts of the network place the opening of that branch of the Gran Metro de Barcelona on 19 December 1926), and those of Line 1 on 30 June 1933, with the first extension of the Metro Transversal. It takes its name from the square, which honours José María Urquinaona y Bidot, a former bishop of Barcelona.
In 1972 the Gran Metro branch, then Line III, was closed and the Urquinaona platforms with it; they reopened a year later on what was then Line IV, called Line 4 since 1982. The station lies beneath the Via Laietana, with entrances on Bruc, Trafalgar, Jonqueres and Plaça d’Urquinaona. A curiosity: the singer Joaquín Sabina mentions it in “Ay Calixto”, from his album Diario de un peatón.
First and last train at Urquinaona
| Line and direction | Mon–Thu first – last | Fri & eve of holidays first – last | Saturday first – last | Sunday first – last |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L1 towards Fondo | 05:02 – 00:24 | 05:02 – 02:24 | 05:02 – all night | all night – 00:22 |
| L1 towards Hospital de Bellvitge | 05:02 – 00:21 | 05:02 – 02:21 | 05:02 – all night | all night – 00:22 |
| L4 towards Trinitat Nova | 05:01 – 00:17 | 05:01 – 02:17 | 05:01 – all night | all night – 00:17 |
| L4 towards La Pau | 05:00 – 00:19 | 05:00 – 02:18 | 05:00 – all night | all night – 00:18 |
Scheduled departure times at this station, from the TMB GTFS timetables for a week without public holidays (TMB runs its Monday-to-Thursday timetable on weekday public holidays). “All night” means there is no night-time break: L1 and L4 run without interruption from Saturday night to Sunday morning.
How often the trains run
Average interval between trains on the line, worked out from the trains per hour and direction that the operator schedules at the station shown; towards the ends of the line it can be longer.
Stations next to Urquinaona
Scheduled travel time between Urquinaona and the stations on either side.
| Line | Next station | Time |
|---|---|---|
| L1 | Arc de Triomf | 1.1 min |
| L1 | Catalunya | 1 min |
| L4 | Jaume I | 1.1 min |
| L4 | Passeig de Gràcia | 1.3 min |
Interchanges and connections
- Metro: change here between Line 1 and Line 4. Minimum change time that TMB allows in its timetable (not counting the wait for the train): L1–L4, 1.5 min.
- Bus: lines 19, 22, 39, 47, 52, 55, 67, D50, H16, V15, V17.
What is near Urquinaona
The station drops you right at the door of the Palau de la Música Catalana, about 190 m away. This is an area full of venues: the Teatre Borràs is practically on top of one entrance, the Sala Ars about 50 m away, the Teatre Tívoli about 280 m and L’Antic Teatre about 270 m. There are also newer museums such as the Paradox Museum, about 100 m away, and the Museu Banksy, about 210 m. The monument to Rafael Casanova is about 390 m away.
| Place | Straight-line distance | On foot (estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Teatre Borràs | 10 m | 1 min |
| Palau de la Música Catalana | 190 m | 3 min |
| L'Antic Teatre | 270 m | 4 min |
| Teatre Tívoli | 280 m | 5 min |
| Palace Hotel Barcelona | 320 m | 5 min |
| Casa Cordelles | 330 m | 5 min |
| Biblioteca Balmes | 360 m | 6 min |
| Parròquia Major de Santa Anna | 380 m | 6 min |
Places from OpenStreetMap within 400 m, under their local (Catalan) names. The walking time is an estimate (straight-line distance × 1.3 at 80 m a minute).
Frequently asked questions
José María Urquinaona y Bidot, a former bishop of Barcelona, who gives his name to the square beneath which the station’s entrances open.
Because that year the Gran Metro branch they belonged to, then Line III, was closed. They reopened a year later as part of Line IV, which became Line 4 in 1982.