Having just returned I thought I'd jot down some observations about our visit.
These may be useful to anyone going in the future but tbh they're as much a reminder for me next time I go.
The circuit
We booked our tickets via BookMoto.com and thy arrived recorded delivery over a week before the race.
I wanted a covered grandstand & the only available option when I booked was for the main grandstand (Pricipal Tribuna). Our seats were in the upper section (Alta) right at the back & afforded an excellent view of the pits, pit lane & the start finish straight. There are 2 screens near the grandstand which give reasonable views of the race but not brilliant.
If you want covered the only other option is Tribuna (grandstand) I (described as 'Excellence') & I would say this is a much better option as you can see the chicane, the last corner, the finish line & some of the other corners as well. There is a screen here also. These tickets sell out quickly though.
If you're not bothered about being covered then grandstands B, G, C & H offered the best views, IMO. Be aware though that if you go for an uncovered grandstand you will be in the full glare of the (potentially) scorching sun all day long. Cover up well, take a hat, take water & be prepared to still get burnt.
Food & drink is plentiful at the circuit, you'll pay a bit more for these than you would outside but that's what you would expect. Fresh fruit was available as well as the usual hamburgers, hot dogs, pizzas, beer etc. The queues weren't too bad even on race day.
Getting to the circuit.
Hmm. Easy enough, when you know what you're doing which we didn't initially but (sort of) worked it out by Sunday evening.
We asked at 2 different Official Tourist offices how to get to the circuit & were given the same information at both offices. "Get a train from Barcelona Sants, Barcelona Passeig Gracia or El Clot stations. Any R2 train will do. You can only buy return tickets on the day you wish to travel, you cannot buy any sort of 3 or 5 day pass".
Some of this is true, some of it isn't.
The stations mentioned are correct. Any R2 train WON'T do. Don't get on any R2 trains heading to Barcelona Estacio Franca. This is a terminus & you may sit like a clown expecting it to carry on to Montmelo as the locals file past you sniggering before they disembark & burst into raucous laughter at the shared joke of your stupidity. DAMHIK.
If you do make this mistake, whilst it is the end of the line it's not the end of the world. The same train will take you back to the station you started at - you'll just have lost a little bit of time.
The trains to take are heading for either Sant Celoni or Granollers Centre. All 3 trains say R2 on the side but only these 2 will take you to Montmelo. They run every 30 minutes or so, 6 & 36 minutes past the hour respectively when we were there.
We travelled from Barcelona Passeig Gracia tation, platform 2. If you approach this from Place De Catalunya the 1st entrance has automatic ticket machines & not much else. This is the entrance the tourists use so is generally busier. The ticket machines do have an English language option.
If you cross over the road (heading uphill) the entrance opposite takes you to the main entrance which has ticket offices with real people in who speak good English (much better than my Spanish/Catalonian anyway) & are pretty helpful, as well as ticket machines. There is also a small café here doing takeaway or eat in food & drinks. The café also has a toilet though you may be advised to take some toilet paper with you........
Despite what we were told at the tourist offices you can buy T10 or T20 tickets which are valid for 10 or 20 journeys respectively & can be used by more than 1 person. All you do is pass the ticket through the machine as you enter the platform & pass it back for the next person to use. Each journey is stamped on the back of the ticket. You will need t buy a ticket appropriate to the Zone, Montmelo will require a Zone 2 ticket.
These may be useful to anyone going in the future but tbh they're as much a reminder for me next time I go.
The circuit
We booked our tickets via BookMoto.com and thy arrived recorded delivery over a week before the race.
I wanted a covered grandstand & the only available option when I booked was for the main grandstand (Pricipal Tribuna). Our seats were in the upper section (Alta) right at the back & afforded an excellent view of the pits, pit lane & the start finish straight. There are 2 screens near the grandstand which give reasonable views of the race but not brilliant.
If you want covered the only other option is Tribuna (grandstand) I (described as 'Excellence') & I would say this is a much better option as you can see the chicane, the last corner, the finish line & some of the other corners as well. There is a screen here also. These tickets sell out quickly though.
If you're not bothered about being covered then grandstands B, G, C & H offered the best views, IMO. Be aware though that if you go for an uncovered grandstand you will be in the full glare of the (potentially) scorching sun all day long. Cover up well, take a hat, take water & be prepared to still get burnt.
Food & drink is plentiful at the circuit, you'll pay a bit more for these than you would outside but that's what you would expect. Fresh fruit was available as well as the usual hamburgers, hot dogs, pizzas, beer etc. The queues weren't too bad even on race day.
Getting to the circuit.
Hmm. Easy enough, when you know what you're doing which we didn't initially but (sort of) worked it out by Sunday evening.
We asked at 2 different Official Tourist offices how to get to the circuit & were given the same information at both offices. "Get a train from Barcelona Sants, Barcelona Passeig Gracia or El Clot stations. Any R2 train will do. You can only buy return tickets on the day you wish to travel, you cannot buy any sort of 3 or 5 day pass".
Some of this is true, some of it isn't.
The stations mentioned are correct. Any R2 train WON'T do. Don't get on any R2 trains heading to Barcelona Estacio Franca. This is a terminus & you may sit like a clown expecting it to carry on to Montmelo as the locals file past you sniggering before they disembark & burst into raucous laughter at the shared joke of your stupidity. DAMHIK.
If you do make this mistake, whilst it is the end of the line it's not the end of the world. The same train will take you back to the station you started at - you'll just have lost a little bit of time.
The trains to take are heading for either Sant Celoni or Granollers Centre. All 3 trains say R2 on the side but only these 2 will take you to Montmelo. They run every 30 minutes or so, 6 & 36 minutes past the hour respectively when we were there.
We travelled from Barcelona Passeig Gracia tation, platform 2. If you approach this from Place De Catalunya the 1st entrance has automatic ticket machines & not much else. This is the entrance the tourists use so is generally busier. The ticket machines do have an English language option.
If you cross over the road (heading uphill) the entrance opposite takes you to the main entrance which has ticket offices with real people in who speak good English (much better than my Spanish/Catalonian anyway) & are pretty helpful, as well as ticket machines. There is also a small café here doing takeaway or eat in food & drinks. The café also has a toilet though you may be advised to take some toilet paper with you........
Despite what we were told at the tourist offices you can buy T10 or T20 tickets which are valid for 10 or 20 journeys respectively & can be used by more than 1 person. All you do is pass the ticket through the machine as you enter the platform & pass it back for the next person to use. Each journey is stamped on the back of the ticket. You will need t buy a ticket appropriate to the Zone, Montmelo will require a Zone 2 ticket.
