Transit, Food, Culture, and Technology in Barcelona

Transit, Food, Culture, and Technology in Barcelona
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In this episode of Transit Unplugged TV, our host Paul Comfort takes you to beautiful and historic Barcelona! This episode was recorded during the UITP Global Transportation Summit bringing the world's transportation leaders together to celebrate and learn about the public transportation industry.

We start with a look at their amazing new Metro system. The newer parts of the system are fully automated, but the system itself has been in operation for over 100 years! Their Metro has been fully automated since 2009 and has surpassed pre-pandemic ridership with 1.5 million riders a day! It’s a safe and reliable way for people to get in and around Barcelona. Plus the system has a growing network of electric buses that are charged on route and expanding bus rapid transit.

From the Metro Paul visits the UNESCO World Heritage site: La Sagrada Familia Cathedral. Towering over the city, La Sagrada Familia is one of the most iconic buildings in Barcelona.

The UITP Global Summit highlights the new technology from buses to trains to the software that keep transit systems around the world running. You can listen to the two CEO Roundtables recorded at UITP here on YouTube on the Transit Unplugged Podcast Channel:

Finally Paul takes you through the streets of Barcelona to give you a taste of the food and culture of the city. From paella to tapas to flamenco, Paul gives you a glimpse of this jewel on the Mediterranean.

Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo https://www.modaxo.com

TV Host/Producer – Paul Comfort

Video Director, Camera, and Sound – Jaime Cuadra

Video Editing – Jaime Cuadra

Music – Jaime Cuadra

Graphic Design – Tina Olagundoye

Executive Producer – Julie Gates

00:20 Introduction

01:17 Barcelona TMB Metro with Jordi Picas

03:27 The history of the Metro with Marta Espinosa

04:16 Touch screen ticket vending machines

04:33 “How do I get there!?” Getting to La Sagrada Familia Cathedral

05:30 Josep Maria Armengol, Technical Director for TMB, on TMB’s electric buses

06:10 Barcelona’s cross-city route with on route overhead charging

06:40 Inside the UITP Global Transportation Summit exhibit hall

07:04 CEO Roundtables at the Trapeze-Modaxo Booth

07:20 Technology disruptors breakfast focus on AI

07:50 How do you describe public transportation post pandemic in one word

08:18 Look at the buses on the show floor

08:36 Modaxo CEO Bill Delaney on what the the conference means to the company

09:25 Diane Shaw, Board of Directors, AC Transit Oakland, CA on the APTA study mission to Madrid and Valencia

10:30 The food and culture of Barcelona

11:30 Walking through Las Ramblas to the Plaza Real

11:45 Michel Rodriguez, what is tapas

12:29 Dmitriy Vanchugov, Uber Transit Spanish red wine from the Basque region

13:07 Flamenco

13:28 Conclusion and credits