The Rough Guide to Barcelona 8 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)

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tickets online through ServiCaixa or TelEn-
trada (T902 101 212, W www.telentrada
.com). Both websites have English-language
versions. In addition, there’s a concert ticket
desk in the FNAC store, El Triangle, Plaça de
Catalunya, while for advance tickets for all
Ajuntament-sponsored concerts and events
visit the Palau de la Virreina, Ramblas 99.
Time
Barcelona is 1hr ahead of the UK, 6hr ahead
of New York and Toronto, 9hr ahead of Los
Angeles, 9hr behind Sydney and 11hr behind
Auckland. This applies except for brief
periods during the changeovers to and from
daylight saving (in Spain the clocks go
forward in the last week of March, back
again in the last week of Oct).
Tipping
In most restaurants and bars service is
considered to be included in the price of
meals and drinks (hence the premium you
pay for sitting at a terrace). Tipping is more
a recognition that service was good or
exceptional than an expected part of the
server’s wage. Locals actually tip very little,
leaving a few cents or rounding up the
change for a coffee or a drink, and a euro or
two for most meals. However, fancier
restaurants may specifically indicate that
service is not included, in which case you
will be expected to leave ten to fifteen
percent. Taxi drivers usually get around five
percent, more if they have helped you with
bags or been similarly useful, while hotel
porters should be tipped a euro or two for
their assistance.
Toilets
Public toilets are few and far between, and
only averagely clean. Bars and restaurants are
more likely to have proper (and cleaner)
toilets, though you can’t guarantee it – even
in the poshest of places. Ask for toaleta or
serveis (lavabo or servicios in Spanish). Dones
or Damas (Ladies) and Homes/Hombres or
Caballeros (Gentlemen) are the usual signs.
Travellers with disabilities
There’s no better single resource for city
information for disabled travellers than the
AccessibleBarcelona website (W www
. The city informa-
tion line (T010, English spoken) also has
accessibility information for sights and
services, while the Ajuntament information
office in Plaça Sant Miquel (see “Informa-
tion”) can provide a map showing accessible
routes for tourists.
Barcelona’s airport and Aerobús are fully
accessible to travellers in wheelchairs, though
the bus gets very busy and can be difficult if
you have lots of luggage. At Barcelona Sants
there are no access ramps for the trains
themselves, and the steps and escalators are
fairly steep, but there are access ramps at
Estació de França and a lift to the platforms at
Plaça de Catalunya’s FGC station. Using the
metro is more problematic, though improve-
ments are ongoing – at present, only lines 1, 2
and 11 are fully accessible, with elevators at
major stations (including Plaça de Catalunya,
Universitat, Paral.lel, Passeig de Gràcia and
Sagrada Familía) from the street to the
platforms. However, all city buses have been
adapted for wheelchair use, with automatic
ramps/steps and a designated wheelchair
space inside; simply ring the bell on the bus
door. All trams and night buses are also
wheelchair-accessible, as is the sightseeing
Bus Turístic. The Transports Metropolitans de
Barcelona (TMB) website ( W
English version available) lets you view all
adapted metro stations and bus routes (look
under “Transport for everyone”). If you need a
wheelchair-accessible taxi call Taxi Amic
( T934 208 088, W www.taxi-amic-adaptat
.com, English rarely spoken).
Out on the streets, the number of acoustic
traffic-light signals is slowly growing, while
dropped kerbs are being put in place across
the city. However, most old-town attractions,
including the Museu Picasso, have steps,
cobbles or other impediments to access.
Fully accessible sights and attractions
include MNAC, Fundacío Antoni Tàpies,
Fundacío Joan Miró, La Pedrera (though not
the roof terrace), Caixa Forum, CosmoCaixa,
Museu d’Història de Catalunya and the
Palau de la Música.
Useful contacts
AccessibleBarcelona T934 285 227, Wwww
An invaluable website that
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