Barcelona taxi drivers report massive congestion at cruise terminals

Taxi drivers in Barcelona are reporting massive traffic congestion at the access points to the city's cruise terminals. Oliver Contel, president of Elite Taxi Barcelona, described the traffic jams as ‘absolutely descomunal’ (unprecedented), noting that the congestion is particularly severe during the summer high season and on Sundays, which are peak days for ship departures.

The gridlock affects both vehicles entering and exiting the port, specifically concentrating around the Drassanes square and the Litoral ring road exit 20. Drivers have reported wait times exceeding three hours, leading to instances where passengers have missed their flights or even their cruises despite leaving with ample time.

The congestion is attributed to a mix of taxis, private vehicles, and tour buses all competing for limited space at the Adossat pier and other terminals. The taxi association has called on the Port Authority of Barcelona to implement preferential access or specific loading windows to alleviate the bottleneck.