The H12 bus changes route in Barcelona and adds new stops because of works in Glòries

The H12 is changing its route from this Wednesday because of works on Gran Via. Two new stops are being added to the route. The changes affect thousands of users in Sant Martí and Eixample. The alteration will be temporary, but with no exact return date.

People who rely on the H12 to get around Barcelona will notice a significant change from this Wednesday: the line is leaving its usual route along Gran Via between Plaça de les Glòries and Bilbao Street. Urbanisation works and tramway progress are forcing the route to be diverted, changing the routine of thousands of travellers in Sant Martí and the Eixample.

The new route takes the H12 up Badajoz Street on reaching Glòries, then along Independència to reach Meridiana. From there, the bus turns right along Aragón — which in that section is called Rambla Guipúscoa — and goes down Bilbao Street before rejoining Gran Via in the direction of Besòs. Two new stops have been enabled on this alternative route: one at the junction of Avinguda Meridiana and Clot Street, and another at the junction of Bilbao Street and Marruecos.

The past week has been a back-and-forth for H12 users. On Monday 2 March, the line unexpectedly changed route, diverting via Meridiana and moving away from the usual stops beside the les Glòries shopping centre. However, the change lasted only a few hours before the bus resumed its traditional route, creating confusion among passengers. Days later, uncertainty continued: Google Maps showed the new diversion, but at the physical stops a red sign reported the cancellation of H12 service, without clarifying the route in force. Many users moved from one stop to another, not knowing with certainty where to wait for the bus.

Given the lack of clarity, some chose the tram, which for now continues to run along Gran Via. However, this service is also expected to be interrupted between Glòries and Bilbao during the summer, which will increase pressure on transport alternatives in the area.

The H12 route alteration will remain in place while the urbanisation and improvement works on Gran Via continue, scheduled until March 2027. However, the operator expects the bus to be able to regain its usual route earlier, albeit with a new feature: it will share the carriageway with the tram, something unprecedented in Barcelona until now.

The H12 is one of Barcelona’s most-used bus lines, connecting key points in the Eixample and Sant Martí quickly and frequently. Its route crosses commercial, residential and office areas, making it an essential option for people seeking to avoid the metro or car. Changes to its route tend to have an immediate impact on the daily mobility of thousands of people, especially during works or events affecting Gran Via.