Barcelona students sitting Catalonia’s university entrance exams, the PAU, are being told to plan ahead as Pope Leo XIV’s visit from 9 to 11 June will bring traffic restrictions, road closures and public transport changes across the city.
The main pressure points are in central Barcelona, especially Ciutat Vella and Eixample. From 8 to 11 June, traffic and parking restrictions will be in place around Barcelona Cathedral, between Avinguda de la Catedral, Plaça Nova and Plaça Antoni Maura. On 9 and 10 June, access controls will also affect Sant Agustí church and Plaça de la Gardunya in El Raval, with streets including Hospital, Jerusalem, Arc de Sant Agustí, Plaça de Sant Agustí and Plaça de la Gardunya closed to traffic from 7am on 9 June until 11:59pm on 10 June, according to officials.
That will matter for students travelling by bus or private vehicle through the city centre, or crossing Ciutat Vella to reach exam venues. The University of Barcelona building in Plaça de la Universitat is in a sensitive area, although no closures have been announced for the square itself. Students using central bus routes should still expect delays.
Wednesday 10 June is expected to be the most difficult day, with a large security perimeter around the Sagrada Família. From 7am on 10 June until 2am on 11 June, streets including parts of Avinguda Diagonal, Rosselló, Pau Claris, Roger de Llúria, Bruc, Girona, Bailèn, Passeig de Sant Joan, Roger de Flor, Nàpols, Sicília, Sardenya, Marina, Lepant, Provença, Mallorca and València will be closed to traffic.
Fifteen bus lines, including the H8, H10, D50, 19, 33, 34, 39 and 47, will be diverted. Some streets, including Provença, Marina, Sicília and Nàpols, will have no bus service. Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona says metro services will increase by 30% to 65%, but the Sagrada Família station will be closed all day on 10 June, with L2 and L5 trains passing through without stopping. Verdaguer station on L4 will also be inaccessible that afternoon. For official transport updates, see TMB and Barcelona City Council.
Students with exams in central Barcelona are being advised to check routes in advance and leave extra time. The Zona Universitària area, near the north-west end of Avinguda Diagonal, is expected to face fewer direct impacts, and no access restrictions have been announced for the UB campuses there. Even so, journeys from other parts of the city could still be slowed by Eixample closures, bus changes and heavier traffic. The L3 metro line is expected to be the most reliable option for that area.
The disruption will not be limited to Barcelona. On 10 June, the Pope will visit Brians I prison in Sant Esteve Sesrovires, and circulation on the BP-1121 and BP-1103 roads, plus access to Montserrat, will be restricted. Students travelling from those areas to exam centres, including the UPC’s Baix Llobregat Campus, may face delays. Crowds are also expected at Sants, Plaça de Catalunya and Passeig de Gràcia, while the Rodalies R2 line, which connects to the airport, is likely to be busy. For more local coverage, see our news page.
