What Happens If Your Car Gets Towed in Barcelona? Our Experience and What To Do
Coming back to where you parked your car and finding an empty space is enough to make anyone panic.
That was exactly what happened to us during our trip to Barcelona. At first, our minds immediately jumped to the worst possible conclusion – had our car been stolen? We walked up and down the street and even questioned whether we’d somehow forgotten where we’d parked.
Thankfully, the truth was much less dramatic. Our car had been towed in Barcelona because of where we parked.
Although it was still a stressful experience, we quickly realised there wasn’t much helpful advice online from people who had actually been through it themselves. Most articles simply explained that cars can be towed, but very few talked about what actually happens next.
If you’ve found this article because you’re standing in Barcelona, wondering where your car has gone, don’t panic. I’ll explain exactly what happened to us when our car got towed in Barcelona, how we found our car, what paperwork we needed, how much it cost, how long it took and what I’d do differently if it ever happened again.
Car Towed in Barcelona? Read This First
If you’re panicking, here’s the quick version.
- Don’t immediately assume your car has been stolen. In Barcelona, illegally parked vehicles are often removed very quickly.
- Look carefully around where you parked for signs explaining parking restrictions or tow-away zones.
- Check the curb next to where you parked for a sticker saying your car has been towed. The one we had is pictured below.
- If you don’t have a sticker, then contact the local authorities or Barcelona’s towing service to check whether your vehicle has been removed and where it has been taken.
- If it’s a hire car, contact the rental company too. They may already know the process.
- Take your passport or photo ID and your driving licence.
- Take your vehicle documents or hire agreement.
- Be prepared to pay towing and any storage fees before your vehicle is released.
- Allow plenty of time for paperwork and travelling to the vehicle depot.
- Don’t worry too much if you don’t speak Spanish. We managed perfectly well using simple English, a few Spanish words, helpful people collecting their cars and Google Translate.
Once we knew where our car was, everything became much less stressful.
Quick Tip: If your car has disappeared in Barcelona, check whether it has been towed before reporting it as stolen. Vehicles parked in tow-away zones are often removed quickly, and finding the correct depot can save you a lot of unnecessary worry. If you are worried about reclaiming a vehicle towed in Barcelona, you can get it back following these steps.
Our Experience of Getting Our Car Towed in Barcelona
We genuinely thought someone had stolen our car. It was a few hours before our ferry to Palma, Mallorca, so we parked near the beach and went for a little walk and a soft drink. Then I got a notification on my phone that the car alarm had been activated. I went to check where the car was parked and it was gone!
Instead, there was an empty parking space where we’d left the car.
I spent a couple of minutes convinced I’d simply forgotten exactly where we’d parked. When I couldn’t find it anywhere, panic really started to set in. Luckily, a local man came to my aid and showed me the sticker left on the curb where we had been parked. He explained the car wasn’t stolen, and it is quite common for a car to be towed in Barcelona, especially in this beach area!
It was a horrible feeling. Being in another country makes everything seem more complicated, especially when you’re not completely confident with the language and have no idea what to do next. The staff in the cafe we had been in were extremely helpful. They showed us where the car was towed to from the sticker and ordered us an Uber to go and sort it out.
Looking back now, the whole process was much easier than it felt at the time.
Finding Out Where the Car Had Gone
Once we’d accepted the car had been towed rather than stolen, the next job was finding out where it had gone.
We scanned the QR code on the sticker to find where the car had been towed and the fees involved. As soon as we knew where the car was, and what it would cost, we felt much calmer.
The Parking Sign We Missed
Looking back, the warning signs were there. We didn’t get the car towed in Barcelona for no reason at all, we just failed to see the restrictions!
The problem wasn’t that Barcelona didn’t tell us the parking restrictions—it was that we misunderstood them. There were no signs we could see, but there were markings on the road! We had the vehicle towed away because we parked in a blue parking zone without paying (because we didn’t realise we had to!).
Looking at it now, it seems obvious, but when you’re concentrating on traffic, unfamiliar roads and finding somewhere to park, it’s surprisingly easy to overlook something important.
If you’re visiting Barcelona for the first time, take a couple of extra minutes to read every parking sign carefully and look up the different colour road markings, even if you think you understand them. The municipal towing service is ruthless, and they will take your car if it is parked incorrectly!
Collecting Our Car
Once we arrived at the vehicle depot or car pound in Barcelona, we needed to use machines to upload documents and speak on a Zoom-type call with someone to pay and release the car. The system was good in some respects, but we found that if the operator answering your call didn’t speak English, they just ended the call, and you had to keep trying again until someone answered who could speak English. I guess this is the thing, I am not fluent in any other languages, but when you travel abroad, you hope someone speaks enough English!
Unfortunately, we had left the car documents in the car, so we had to be given permission to go and collect them. This is the thing, you think it is the best place for them, you don’t expect your car to be towed in Barcelona when you only park for an hour! There was a little confusion due to the language barrier, as I was sent through a one-way door to go and retrieve them, but no one had told me where to find the car, and it turned out to be a huge pound with various levels, etc.
I was very fortunate in that someone Spanish who was also fluent in English helped me, as I was on my own at this point. Ben and Stuart were not allowed in with me to get the documents!
Make sure you take:
- Passport or photo ID
- Driving licence
- Vehicle documents or hire agreement
- Any paperwork you’ve been given
Once you have the documents, you are allowed back to the reception area to show your documents again through the screens on a Zoom-type call. The staff checked everything before arranging payment and releasing the vehicle. When the payment had been made, all three of us were allowed back down to the car and to drive out of the underground car park/pound.
What the Vehicle Pound Was Like
I’ll be honest, I expected complete chaos. Instead, I found the process surprisingly organised. If you spoke Spanish, it would be very straightforward if you got your car, scooter or bike towed in Barcelona. There were a lot of people there collecting vehicles, so it was clearly a busy place. For tourists, though, getting your car towed in Barcelona is of course much more confusing!
If you have ever driven in an underground car park in Barcelona, it is very similar; however, with locked doors and security guards who won’t let you get to your car without paying and showing documents on a screen to someone in an office somewhere else in the city.
How Much Did It Cost Us?
One of the first questions I searched online was how much it would actually cost to get our car back. I looked up many different searches, such as what to do if your car is towed in Barcelona, but many were in Spanish!
Here’s exactly what we paid.
| Charge | Cost |
|---|---|
| Towing fee | €173 |
| Parking fine | €50 |
| Storage fee | €0 (this would change if not collected so quickly) |
| Total | €223 |
We paid by card at the machines in the pound, but you could also pay online. We were a bit hesitant to do that, so I am not sure how that would have worked.
Although it wasn’t a cheap mistake, I was relieved there weren’t any hidden charges.
Costs can change over time, so always check the latest fees.
How Long Did It Take?
It felt like forever while it was happening, but this is roughly how our day went.
| Time | What happened |
|---|---|
| Returned to car | Found the parking space empty |
| + 5 minutes | Realised the car had been towed |
| + 2 minutes | Found out where it had been taken |
| + 15 minutes | Travelled to the vehicle depot |
| + 15 minutes | Completed paperwork |
| + 2 minutes | Paid the fees |
| + 3 minutes | Collected the car |
Overall, the whole process took approximately 45 minutes. Then another 20-minute drive through rush hour in Barcelona to the port!
Knowing this in advance would have made the situation feel much less stressful.
Did We Need to Speak Spanish?
Before arriving, this was one of my biggest worries. Thankfully, it wasn’t nearly as difficult as I’d imagined, largely thanks to strangers who spoke English and the system. If your car is towed in Barcelona, I highly recommend trying to find a friendly local who speaks English to help you.
Between simple English, a few Spanish phrases, Google Translate and plenty of pointing at paperwork, we managed, but knowing Spanish would make it much easier!
Why Was Our Car Towed in Barcelona?
Looking back, we realised we’d simply misunderstood the parking restrictions. We genuinely believed we’d parked legally.
Barcelona is much stricter than many UK towns when it comes to removing vehicles parked where they shouldn’t be. If a space needs to remain clear for residents, deliveries, emergency access or street cleaning, cars can be removed very quickly. In our case, it was simply a paid, short stay, on street parking; we didn’t know there was an app we should have logged in and paid on and did not see any signs to say this. They may have been there, but we didn’t see them!
Just because other cars are parked nearby doesn’t necessarily mean you’re allowed to park there too. They may have paid on an app yoou know nothing about!
Our Biggest Mistake
Looking back now, our biggest mistake wasn’t actually parking in the wrong place. It was assuming the parking rules worked the same way they do at home. Since there was no obvious parking machine or signs, it would be fine. It was not that, which is why we found ourselves with the car towed in Barcelona!
When you’re driving in an unfamiliar city, you’re concentrating on sat nav directions, traffic, pedestrians, cyclists and unfamiliar road layouts. It’s surprisingly easy to miss an important sign or road marking. That’s exactly what happened to us.
What We’d Do Differently Next Time
When we next drive in Barcelona, there are a few things we’ll definitely do differently to avoid getting the car towed in Barcelona and the extra stress and cost that caused!
We would:
- Read every parking sign carefully.
- Understand road markings.
- Take photos of any parking signs before leaving the car.
- Use official car parks if we’re unsure.
- Research Barcelona parking rules before arriving.
- Save the towing contact details on our phones.
- Leave ourselves extra time rather than parking in the first available space.
- Consider parking outside the city and getting a Barcelona city bus tour again!
It was an expensive lesson, but one we won’t forget.
Five Things to Check Before Leaving Your Car
Now we’ve experienced it ourselves, these are the five things I’d always check before walking away from the car.
- Is there a tow-away warning?
- Are there restrictions during certain times of day?
- What do the road markings mean?
- Is it residents’ parking only?
- Are there temporary restrictions for roadworks or events?
Taking two extra minutes could save you a lot of money and stress.
Frequently Asked Questions: If You Get Your Car Towed In Barcelona
What happens if your car gets towed in Barcelona?
If your vehicle is parked illegally or in a tow-away zone, it will usually be taken to an official vehicle depot. You’ll need to locate the depot, provide identification and vehicle documents, pay the required charges and then collect your vehicle.
Where do towed cars go in Barcelona?
Vehicles are normally taken to an official vehicle pound. The local authorities can tell you exactly which depot your vehicle has been taken to.
How much does it cost if your car gets towed in Barcelona?
The total cost depends on the towing fee, any storage charges and the parking offence. The sooner you collect your vehicle, the lower the storage costs are likely to be. In our instance, it cost €223, but it could be different for you.
What documents do I need to collect my car?
Usually, you’ll need photo ID, your driving licence and the vehicle paperwork or hire agreement.
Was your car damaged?
Thankfully, our car was returned in exactly the same condition as when it had been towed in Barcelona beach area an hour before.
Our Thoughts
Getting our car towed in Barcelona definitely wasn’t part of our holiday plans, it was definitely not on the bucket list!
At the time, it felt incredibly stressful; you don’t expect a few hours of free time before the ferry at Barcelona beach to end in the car being towed in Barcelona and having to navigate the system to get it back. Standing in an unfamiliar city, wondering where your car has gone and how you’re going to get it back is enough to make anyone panic. We also had a ferry to catch, so we were anxious about the time it would take to get the car back and if this would affect the ferry.
Looking back, though, once we’d worked out what had happened, the process itself was actually well organised. The staff were helpful, the paperwork wasn’t complicated, and before long, we were back on the road.
I hope sharing our experience helps you if you ever find yourself in the same situation. If nothing else, I hope it reassures you that a missing car in Barcelona doesn’t automatically mean it’s been stolen. Sometimes it’s simply waiting for you at the vehicle pound.
And if reading this encourages you to spend an extra minute checking the parking signs before you leave your car, then our expensive lesson might just save someone else from making the same mistake.
If you know anyone who might be driving in Spain, particularly in Barcelona, do feel free to share this post or my TikTok about the whole escapade with them! It may save them from getting their car towed in Barcelona!
Whilst it was a stressful hour, having our car towed in Barcelona is something we can laugh about now. That said, I am frustrated as the dashcam didn’t activate when the car was moved and towed in Barcelona, yet it seems to activate at the slightest thing the rest of the time! If it had been, I would have loved to see its journey being towed in Barcelona, how it was transported and how quickly they lifted it, etc!
Has our experience of getting the car towed in Barcelona put you off driving abroad? I hope not, as we thoroughly enjoy it and it hasn’t put us off!
