Getting Around Mataró
Mataró is a compact coastal city and the capital of the Maresme county, and most of what a visitor wants to see sits within a walkable centre. For longer hops, or for reaching the beaches and the station, the city has a local bus network, plentiful taxis, and a rail line that ties it directly to Barcelona and the rest of the coast. This guide covers the practical options, how they connect, and how to reach Mataró from the airports.
Rail: Rodalies de Catalunya
Mataró is served by Rodalies-RENFE trains and sits on the R1 line, which runs from Molins de Rei through Barcelona to Maçanet-Massanes. This is the backbone of travel between Mataró and Barcelona, and it also links the town with the coastal villages to the north and south. A ticket to or from Barcelona costs around €5.50.
The line has a notable history: the Barcelona–Mataró railway was the first train line in the Iberian peninsula, and it now forms part of the R1 suburban service. For a visitor, the practical point is that the train is the simplest and most reliable way to move between Mataró and Barcelona, and the station is the main transport hub in town.
- Mataró Railway Station — Av. del Maresme, 166. Taxis from the station to hotels in the centre cost approximately €6.
Metro and Tram
Mataró does not have its own metro or tram network. The metro and tram systems that visitors may associate with the region belong to Barcelona, and the way to reach them from Mataró is by taking the R1 train into the city and connecting there. Within Mataró itself, plan on trains, buses, taxis, and walking rather than metro or tram.
Buses and Other Public Transport
The local network, Mataró Bus, has several lines and a clearly laid out map posted at every bus stop. A single journey costs €1.7. The lines connect the railway station with residential districts, the hospital, and other parts of the city, so they are useful for reaching areas beyond the historic centre.
- Line 1: Railway station – Cerdanyola – Mataró Hospital
- Line 2: Mataró Hospital – Cerdanyola – Railway station
- Line 3: Camí de la Serra – Vista Alegre – Rocafonda
- Line 4: Cirera – Molins
- Line 5: Railway station – Via Europa – Hospital de Mataró
- Line 6: Institut Català Salut – Ctra. de Mata
- Line 7: Pl. Tereses – Cerdanyola
- Line 8: Rodalies – Galícia
For travel beyond the city, Moventis – Casas operates regional buses. Telephone service runs Monday to Friday, 09:00–13:00 and 15:00–19:00. Useful routes for visitors include:
- C-10, E11-1, E11-2: Mataró – Barcelona
- C-20: north to Llavaneres and Sant Vicenç de Montalt
- C-30: south to Vilassar de Dalt, with stops in Cabrera, Vilassar de Mar and Premià de Mar
- 865: Mataró to Bellaterra (UAB university)
- N-80: night bus between Barcelona and Mataró, running hourly from midnight until 05:00, with stops in almost all villages along the route
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are easy to find, with taxi stations distributed around the city, and several companies can be called directly. Fares are metered, with a higher rate at night, on weekends, and on public holidays.
- Radio Taxi Mataró: +34 93 798 60 60, info@radiotaximataro.com
- Mataro Taxi: +34 635 433 352
- Eco taxi mataró: +34 934 08 08 39
- Servi taxi mataro: +34 633 578 988, gruptaximataro@gmail.com
Indicative metered rates: on working days between 08:00 and 20:00, the first stretch costs €4.75 and each additional kilometre €1.37. At night, on weekends, and on festivities, the first stretch costs €5.75 and each additional kilometre €1.43. An official price list is published by the local taxi trade.
Walking and Cycling
The centre of Mataró is compact and pleasant on foot, and many of the main sights — the town hall and other Puig i Cadafalch buildings, the old city wall, and the shopping streets — are close together. Walking is often the fastest way to get around the middle of town.
Cycling is an option, with a growing network of bike lanes, but be aware that the lanes sometimes end abruptly and leave you in the middle of a street. The city is not flat: the further you get from the beaches, the steeper the streets become. Cycling south of Camí del Mig and Camí de la Geganta is generally fine. A bike lane map is available on the Mataró city hall website.
Parking
If you arrive by car, there are several car parks in the city centre, most with EV charging. Street parking in blue zones is paid at the parkimeter, with a maximum stay of 1 hour 30 minutes; evenings and weekends are usually free.
- Parking Plaça de les Tereses (access via carrer Santa Teresa) — Sun–Thu 06:00–23:00, Fri–Sat 03:00–00:00; 330 places, EV charging; €3/hr, €36/day.
- Parking Saba Plaça Santa Anna — Camí Ral – Pl. de Santa Anna; open 24 hr; 304 places, EV charging; €3.25/hr.
- Parking Saba Casc Antic — Camí Ral de la Mercè, 254–260; open 24 hr; €3/hr.
- Parking Saba La Riera — La Riera, 69–77; open 24 hr; 153 places; €3.9/hr.
- Parking Miquel Biada — carrer Miquel Biada / carrer Tetuan; free, maximum 1 hr 30 min with a time disk.
Getting There from the Airport
Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN) is about an hour away by car, but because Barcelona lies between the airport and Mataró, driving can take well over two hours in rush hour. By train, the journey takes around 1 hour 30 minutes and requires a change at Sants station: take the R2NORD to Sants, then change to the R1 in the direction of Mataró–Maçanet/Massanes. One-way tickets are around €5.50.
Girona/Gerona/Costa Brava Airport (GRO) is also about an hour away by car. Going by bus and train is possible, but it is generally easier to travel into Barcelona first and then take the train from Barcelona to Mataró.
By Car and By Boat
By road, Mataró is reached via the C-32 free motorway from Barcelona to the south and from Blanes and the Costa Brava to the north, or via the C-60 from Granollers, which connects with the AP-7 motorway toward France. The N-2 runs parallel to the C-32 along the coast, passing through all the villages.
Mataró also has a sports port with a marina offering docking for boats, fuel service open 24 hours, a large boat area, and a sailing school. Boats can reach the port on VHF channel 9.
- Port de Mataró — +34 937550961, info.portmataro@gencat.cat; services from €15/day depending on the boat.