Do you know when the first Barcelona metro line was opened? And how many stations there were?

Did you know that during the Republican Government of Catalonia the metro reached as far as Hospitalet de Llobregat?

Or that during the Spanish Civil War, people often used it as a shelter to protect themselves from bombs?

Did you know that it was not until the early sixties that the metro service was municipalized, becoming the public service that guarantees the universal right to mobility that it is today?

Did you know that in 1992, with the Barcelona Olympic Games, the metro was expanded further, opening the way to Santa Coloma de Gramenet and Badalona?

Did you know that today it has 125 kilometres of track and up to 165 stations, facilitating nearly 280 million trips a year? Or that Line 9, which ends at El Prat airport, is automatic and is one of the most modern in Europe?

The Barcelona metro brings together a thousand and one stories from the past, present and future.

Among the buses participating in this year's exhibition, there are some of the most important pieces from the historical heritage of the TMB Foundation, such as the Dodge 265, manufactured in North America in 1936; the Chausson 59 from 1955; the MAN SD 200 bus from the 2000-2012 series, restored last year for the 25th anniversary of Barcelona Bus Turístic; and the MAN NL 202 minibus, an original example of reconversion from a standard vehicle. The display is completed with the Pegaso 6035A, Pegaso 6038, Pegaso 6420, and the 412D minibus (Mercedes Benz - Sprinter). ARCA and Sagalés will also showcase their most emblematic vehicles.

As in previous editions, the classic vehicles will be accompanied by buses with the latest technology — compressed natural gas, hybrids, pure electric, and hydrogen — recently added to TMB's fleet, which stand out for their low emissions or total absence of pollutant emissions: Irízar CN 8400, Irízar CN 4800, Irízar CO 8500, BYD 4600, H2 Solaris 2600, H2 Caetano 2500 and H2 Solaris 3100.

Guided tour passes will be available on Saturday the 21st at 5 pm, 6 pm, 7 pm, and 8 pm. Interested individuals must register in advance at the information point that will be set up at the entrance of the exhibition.

On Sunday the 22nd at 11:00 AM, the classic buses will take a route starting from Avenida de Maria Cristina, going down Avenida Paral·lel to the Columbus Monument, and then returning to Avenida de Maria Cristina via Paral·lel around 12:30 PM.

It will be a great opportunity to enjoy these historic vehicles in motion.

On Saturday, attendees will be able to enjoy the play La petita història del bus (The little story of the bus) a theatrical adaptation of the book written by Daniel Valero and illustrated by Pilarín Bayés, which was published last year to celebrate the centenary of the bus network.

The story tells how Gabi, a 13-year-old boy passionate about public transportation, discovers that this network has been around for 100 years through an exhibition he visits with his school. The narrative follows the evolution of the bus lines and vehicles, as well as mobility in the city, highlighting the major milestones that have accompanied the city's changes and the way people move around.

The theater performances will be at 5:30 PM, 6:30 PM, and 7:30 PM on Saturday, June 21st. Those interested in attending the show will need to register at the information point that will be set up at the entrance of the exhibition.

Taking advantage of both celebrations, the two organizations started the experience of leaving a piano permanently in the lobby of the L5 at Diagonal station.

The piano invites passengers to accept the challenge of stopping, sitting down, and playing its keys. If the initiative is evaluated positively, the plan is for the upright piano to stay permanently in the network so that anyone who wishes can play it.

For now, this is a pilot project aimed at improving the travel experience. We hope the results are positive, and that we can enjoy piano musical performances in the metro for a long time.

The Maria Canals International Piano Competition and TMB celebrate together, after a long collaboration, three anniversaries arriving hand in hand in 2025: the hundredth anniversary of the Barcelona metro, the fifteenth anniversary of Espai Mercè Sala, and the 70th anniversary of the musical contest.

To celebrate, Espai Mercè Sala hosts a commemorative exhibition of the Maria Canals competition, which can be seen until June 21.

This exhibition reviews all the activities and milestones achieved over time as a promoter of professional performers, as well as its educational and social work, with the aim of highlighting the vitality of the project in the present.

Visit this photographic retrospective, which includes quotes and brief audiovisuals that pay tribute to the people who have been part of the competition's history, founded in 1954 by pianist and pedagogue Maria Canals.

Discover more on the exhibition's webpage.

This special evening will be enlivened with the piano music that the Maria Canals association has donated to TMB, and which is located in front of Espai Mercè Sala.

During the event, the piano will feature spontaneous performers and associations of friends and music lovers such as Orpheus (classical music), AMUC (Metro and Street Musicians), and Taller de Músics, creating an open jam session for anyone who wants to join.

We look forward to seeing you there!