
Ultimate Guide to the Airport Transportation in Barcelona
HOW TO GET FROM PRAT AIRPORT TO BARCELONA CITY CENTRE
Are you planning a trip to Barcelona and wondering how to navigate the city seamlessly from the airport? After a long flight, you’re probably tired, jet-lagged, and maybe even a little disoriented as you arrive at Barcelona-El Prat Airport for the first time. So, how do you get to your hotel without any hassle? Look no further! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through all the transportation options available, from public trains and buses to taxis, private transfers, and even unique choices like bike rentals and airport shuttles. Whether you’re looking for affordability or comfort, we’ve got you covered. Say goodbye to stress and get ready to immerse yourself in Barcelona’s vibrant culture.
Officially called the Josep Tarradelles Barcelona – El Prat Airport (BCN) is more commonly referred to as Barcelona Airport or El Prat airport, and it is located some 12 km / 7.5 mi South of Barcelona. A quick 20 minutes drive when traffic is smooth, it can take twice as much or more if you are travelling by public transportation. And the options are so many that it can be a bit confusing when trying to decide which one to use. But with our tips and insights, your journey from the airport to the city will be a breeze!
Barcelona Airport train and subway options
1
L9 Subway Line
L9 FAQ
- What ticket do you need? Unfortunately, the T-Casual card and the regular single tickets can’t be used to get to the airport: you’ll need to get a special airport single ticket or a multi-day pass. You can collect them at the ticket machines of the station.
- When does the subway run? The Barcelona metro runs from early in the morning until late at night every day. You can check the exact metro operating hours here.
- What areas does it service? Unfortunately, the subway does not connect directly with the city center. The L9 South goes through suburbs with logistic, industrial and business areas before reaching Barcelona. It enters the city via the Southern end of Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, which works for those staying in hotels near Fira 2 or attending trade shows over there. Then it continues towards the FC Barcelona Stadium and ends in Zona Universitaria, where there area some more high end business hotels as well as university dorms.
- Does it connect with other subway lines? It connects with the FGC (Llobregat-Anoia lines) taking you to Pl. Espanya. It could be an option if you are staying in the Hill of Montjuic, but the Aerobus is more time-efficient. It also connects with the L1 taking you to Pl. Catalunya – but the Aerobus remains a faster option (even compared to the Rodalies train). It also connects with the L5 – a good option if you are staying around Sagrada Familia. And it connects with L3 but again it’s not very time-efficient compared to other airport transportation options.
Here are some tips for riding the Barcelona metro.
2
R2N suburban trains (Rodalies / Renfe)
TRAIN FAQ
- How much is the ticket? The Rodalies trains accept the T-Casual, that you can get from the ticket machines at the station. It’s a great option, because you’ll be able to continue using it during the rest of your stay in Barcelona. Or you can buy a one-way ticket, for about half the cost of the Aerobus. You can also get a multi-day transportation pass from the ticket machines, or the Barcelona card city pass that is collected at the airport tourist information point.
- What are the operating hours of the trains from the airport? The trains run approximately from 5.45AM until midnight, but only twice an hour.
- What areas do they service? After stopping in a couple of suburbs, the train stops in Barcelona Sants Estació and Passeig de Gràcia before heading towards other city suburbs. Don’t fall asleep or you might end up way further than you were planning to get off!
- Do they connect with other public transportation? Get off in Sants Estació if you are heading to La Rambla (L3), or nee the L5 to get to Camp Nou, Diagonal or Sagrada Familia. Passeig de Gracia also connects with L3. Avoid the connection with L2 because it’s a veeeery long walk.
- Is there a fast speed train from the Barcelona Airport to the city? Not yet. While the question has been on the political table for years, so far the fast speed train does not connect with the airport.
Taking the bus from Barcelona airport to city center
3
Aerobus
This Blue bus is the Barcelona airport shuttle departs from both airport terminals and takes you to Plaça Catalunya in 30 to 45min. For many reasons, it is a popular Barcelona transport from airport.
AEROBUS FAQ
- How much is the ticket? A one-way ticket is slightly less than the special airport subway ticket. Plus there are return ticket available and valid for 15 days that make it even cheaper. You can check the current fares here.
- What is the Aerobus schedule? The Aerobus runs 24/7, very frequently. You can check real-time information about their frequency here.
- What areas does it service? The Aerobus connects the city center (Plaça Catalunya) with the airport via Sepúlveda and Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes avenue. The A1 line takes you to Terminal 1, and the A2 takes you to Terminal 2.
- Does it connect with other Barcelona public transport means? Yes! Plaça Catalunya is pretty much the center of L1 and L3, plus the lines L2 and L4 are just one block away. Plaça Catalunya also has the FGC trains taking you to Sarrià and Av. Tibidabo.
- Any other special features? The Aerobus has free Wi-Fi service and cellphone chargers.
4
TMB Bus #46
The Bus 46 is a local bus connecting the Airport with Plaça Espanya. It departs from Terminal 1, stopping at different airport facilities and T2, before heading to the city. Because of its many stops, it’s a slow transportation system.
46 BUS FAQ
- How much is the ticket? While in theory you can use a 10-trip T-Casual card or an Hola Barcelona multi-day pass that you can continue using during your stay in Barcelona… You’ll have to head to the R2N station to find a ticket machine. Instead, consider a city pass such as Barcelona Card that you can buy online and collect at the Tourist Information Point of the airport, and it gives you additional discounts in the best city attractions. Otherwise, you might be better off getting a 1-zone one-way ticket, for about half the cost of an Aerobus ticket. Just take into account that since 2020 bus drivers do not sell tickets anymore. Buy your one-way ticket online here to spare you to trouble of having to go all the way to the subway station to find a ticket machine.
- What are the operating hours of the Bus 46? This bus runs daily from 5.30AM to 11.50PM.
- What areas does it service? Besides stopping in T1 and T2, this bus also stops in the Freight Terminal of the Barcelona Airport, and then it has over a dozen other stops along Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes. For more information you can check this.
- Does it connect with other public transportation? It connects with L1 and L3 in Plaça Espanya, but if you are planning to make this connection, the Aerobus will be a more time-efficient way to travel for you.
5
Night Buses
The N16 connects Sitges with Barcelona via the Airport at night. It stops only in T2, and its route enters Barcelona via Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes (just like the Aerobus), but with many stops on the way. You can find out the timetables and exact stops here.
The N17 and N18 are pretty similar to the N16, except that they don’t go to Sitges. The N17 only stops in T1, and the N18 stops in both T1 and T2. So basically they connect the Barcelona airport with Plaça Catalunya via Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, just like the A1 Aerobus, but with many more stops.
NIGHT BUS FAQ
- How much is the ticket? The night buses cost the same as the daytime normal buses. So as we mentioned with Bus 46, you could use a 10-trip T-Casual card but… it’ll be too late at night to access a ticket machine or collect a city pass from the Tourist Information Point. So do get your one-way ticket online here.
- When do night buses work? The N17 is the earliest night bus in the airport, with the first departure at 21.55. The first N16 stops at 23.33, and the first N18 doesn’t depart until 00.18. Make sure to check the exact departure times from the websites I gave you above.
- What areas do they service? All three night buses enter Barcelona via Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, just like the Aerobus, but with many more stops – what makes it quite slow. The N16 is the only one that takes you to Sitges, stopping in other suburbs on the way.
- Does it connect with other public transportation? Take into account that even if it connects with the metro L1, L2 and L3, it is likely to be already close by the time you get there. Once in Plaça Catalunya you can take a taxi, or connect with any other of the Barcelona Night Bus lines.
Also consider staying at an Airport Hotel if you are arriving really late at night.
Private Barcelona airport transportation
6
Taking a taxi from Barcelona airport to city center
TAXI FAQ
- How long is a taxi ride between the Barcelona Airport and the city center? Expect the ride to take around 20-30min.
- How much is the ride? A ride to or from the Prat airport is around 25-30 euro and there should be no extra fee applied for suitcases. Keep an eye on the meter, and pay the price it displays at the end of the ride.
- Do you tip the taxi driver? You can leave one euro per person as a tip, but it’s optional. More about tipping in Barcelona here.
Here you’ll find some tips for taking cabs in Barcelona.
7
Is there Uber in Barcelona Airport?
Uber legally exists in Spain, however they are forced to only allow licensed taxi drivers as Uber drivers. And even like that, the Barcelona taxi drivers lobby has been fighting them so strongly that only a small minority of local taxi drivers have joined Uber and as a result the app is not as convenient as it can be in other parts of the world.
There’s a similar app called Free Now that you can use instead while in Barcelona, but you won’t really need it for the ride from the airport to the city center because there’s always so many taxis in the terminals anyway.
Unless you don’t trust taxi drivers and rather than paying what the meter says (in case they took a detour that went unnoticed by you), you prefer a fixed price. In my experience, though, when the drivers are honest, the fixed-price is usually at least 1 or 2 euros more expensive.
8
Barcelona El Prat Airport car rental
There’s 9 rental car companies operating in Terminal 2 and 8 in Terminal 1. But we only recommend to rent a car at the airport if you are immediately driving somewhere else. It is really hard to find a place to park in Barcelona – not just in the city center but pretty much in every district since it’s mostly Blue Zone (maximum 2 hours) or Green Zone (only for residents). So unless you are staying at a hotel with parking, you are up for a lot of stress. If you are staying overnight within Barcelona city, you’d rather rent your car in the city on your departure day.
RENTAL CAR FAQ
- What rental car companies operate in the Barcelona Airport? Avis, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Europcar, GoldCar, OK Mobility, Sixt and Record 90 have offices in both terminals. Firefly and Hertz – Thrifty only operate from Terminal 2.
- Where are the rental car offices in Terminal 1? They are located on Floor 1, in the arrivals hall known as “La Plaça”.
- Where are the rental car offices in Terminal 2? They are located in T2B in the arrivals hall.
9
Private Transfers
Private transfers are also the best airport transportation option to the cruise ship terminals besides regular taxis. You can book your private transfer from Barcelona airport with us, too. Our drivers are uniformed, professional and discreet. We use new Mercedes vehicles with leather seats and air-conditioner. Plus we have complimentary water bottles available on board.
10
Take a sightseeing tour from el Prat airport to Barcelona
Move around in style! If you are landing in the morning, it is very likely that your hotel room or apartment won’t be available until noon or later. Why would you waste your precious first hours in Barcelona lying in the coaches of the lobby when you could be starting to get familiar with our city?
We can send a driver to pick you up at the terminal and then our guides will join you at the entrance of the city for a relaxed Barcelona city tour from airport ending at the hotel (or apartment or cruise ship). Your luggage will be safely kept in the trunk of the van, which will be locked, and the driver will stay in the vehicle for extra safety even when you are out and about sightseeing with your guide. Taking a private tour that starts at the airport and ends at the hotel (or cruise pier) is the genius move that nobody tells you about!
BONUS: Transportation to other locations
11
Airport transportation to the cruise piers
Unfortunately, there’s no direct bus, train or subway line connecting the Barcelona El Prat airport with the cruise piers. You can check the information above to get to the city center, and from there head to the piers – but it’s likely to be a pain. You’ll find more information about cruise pier transportation in our blog. So your best chances are taxis, Uber, a private transfer or a tour starting at the airport and ending at the pier, as described above. Take into account that taxis charge a small supplement to enter the piers.
12
Getting from the Barcelona Airport to the Girona - Costa Brava Airport
The Sagales Bus 602 departs from Terminal 1 (platforms 10-11-12) and stops on Terminal T2C (Intercity buses stops), then continues to Figueres stopping over twice in Barcelona City before reaching the Girona Airport. The ride is almost 2 hours, but its’ easier than taking the Rodalies train to Sants Station, changing to the AVE high speed train to Girona, and from there a bus to the Girona Airport. And in the end it’s almost as time and cost efficient, if not more.
Taking a taxi to the Girona Airport can cost 100€ or more, so I’d be weary of using a taxi and paying by the meter without knowing the end cost. In this case I’d rather book a ride from an app and choose the set price option. Or I’d book a private transfer for added comfort and reliability.
13
Going to other locations: Girona, Reus, Salou, Costa Brava & more
Most Catalan towns and cities have a bus line that connects them with the airport. We recommend to check the village website to figure out its schedule and where it stops. Just remember that taking a bus to a destination you are not familiar with in an airport you don’t know can be stressful. Specially when these buses don’t run as frequently as the buses that go from the Barcelona Airport to the city center of Barcelona. Booking your ride in advance when possible will allow you to have the schedule and directions available to plan beforehand:
Or if you prefer to spare you the hassle, and make sure that you have a driver coming to find you at the arrivals hall and helping you carry your luggage to the vehicle, then driving you safely door to door, a private transfer is a more expensive but definitely more convenient option. Here are some choices for you:
How are you planning to get from el Prat Airport to Barcelona?
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