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I have been to Barcelona and I can say that it is one of the most amazing cities I have ever visited. It is full of attractions, be it architectural monuments, a great variety of museums or magnificent parks and gardens. It is absolutely not surprising that Barcelona is visited by millions of tourists every year, and interest in the city does not dry up. I like the mixture of architectural styles here as well as the unique atmosphere and special gastronomy.
For sure, one of the first questions which comes to tourists’ minds is how to get to Barcelona from the airport. Believe me or not, but there are plenty of ways to get to Barcelona from the airport and you have truly a great choice! Let’s check out the possible options for getting to Barcelona after arrival.
Table of contents:
How to get to Barcelona from Barcelona Airport by metro
How to get to Barcelona from Barcelona Airport by train
How to get to Barcelona from Barcelona Airport by shuttle bus
How to get to Barcelona from Barcelona Airport by regular bus
How to get to Barcelona from Barcelona Airport by taxi/transfer service
How to get to Barcelona from Barcelona Airport by rented car
Where do you fly into to get to Barcelona? The international airport in Barcelona is called El Prat. Flights land here from all over the world. There are both direct and connecting flights to Barcelona. The current flight timetable can be checked via specialized online services such as Aviasales and others. I use Aviasales pretty often when planning my own trips. It has a convenient search with a lot of filters which helps to choose the best available options in terms of duration of a flight, number of changes, departure and arrival points, price, etc. I can definitely recommend this online service.
El Prat International Airport is located 14 km from Barcelona and has 2 terminals – T1 and T2 (see on the map). The airport is a gateway to many flights daily, both direct and connecting. El Prat air hub is considered to be one of the largest not only in Spain, but throughout Europe. The transport infrastructure is very well developed here, and getting from the airport to the city is not difficult as there are plenty of ways to do it.
♦Please note that some types of transport only depart from a certain terminal, but if you are flying into another terminal, you can use the free green shuttle bus to move from one terminal to another.
♦You also need to keep in mind that public transport runs from the airport from morning to midnight. Thus, if you arrive at night, you will not be able to use public transport.
♦One more useful thing to know is that there is another airport in the surroundings of Barcelona called Girona Airport. It is located about 100 km from the city and is often used by various low-cost airlines (see on the map). I have flown to Girona Airport and I can say that it is a great alternative in case you want to save some money on a flight.
How to get to Barcelona from Barcelona Airport by metro
The L9 metro line from Barcelona airport to the city center opened relatively recently, and has already gained popularity among tourists. This is a rather fast and convenient way to get to the point you need, since, if necessary, you can make a change to another line.
The last station of line L9 is Zona Universitaria. If you need to change to another line, you can do this at the stations called Collblanc (to line #L5), Torrassa (to line #L1) and at the last station of Zona Universitaria (to #line L3). The transportation is carried out by TMB company:
Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) is the main public transport operator in The Barcelona metropolitan area.
The advantage of this type of transport is that you can leave by metro both terminal T1 and terminal T2. The metro runs along the route from 5 am to midnight. In order to leave the airport for the city, you need to buy a separate ticket. Please keep in mind that T-Casual passes do not apply to this route. Tickets can be purchased from vending machines. The travel time to the last station is approximately 50 minutes.
I have used Barcelona underground quite often and I can confirm it has a convenient network, connecting different parts of the city. Metro trains run quite often, but sometimes you need to wait for the next train within 5-10 minutes.
How to get to Barcelona from Barcelona Airport by train
A more budget-friendly way to get from Barcelona airport on your own is the train that runs from terminal T2. If you arrive at terminal T1, then catch the free green shuttle bus that will take you to terminal T2. The transportation by train is carried out by Renfe Company:
Renfe is the national railway company operating throughout Spain.
The advantage of the train option is its cost. It is definitely cheaper than the metro. One of the disadvantages is a timetable. The electric trains run every half an hour, and the metro trains run every 7 minutes. Electric trains stop in the city center at the Passeig de Gracia stop and at Barcelona Sants Railway Station. Then you can change to another type of transport to get to the point you need. The travel time from the airport by train is approximately 25 minutes.
Finding the railway station at the airport is quite simple. When leaving terminal T2, you need to follow the signs along the passage. Travel tickets can also be purchased from vending machines. You can immediately buy a T-Casual ticket if you still plan to use public transport in Barcelona. T-Casual is valid for traveling by train from the airport to the city. Electric trains run from morning until midnight.
I have used electric trains when travelling from Barcelona to Montserrat. They are quite similar to metro trains, but run above the ground.
How to get to Barcelona from Barcelona Airport by shuttle bus
Blue shuttle buses operated by Aerobus also run between the airport terminals and Barcelona. The shuttle bus ride is convenient, fast, and you can go directly to the city center at the Plaza Catalunya stop. You can also get off at the stops called “Plaza di Spagna”, “Gran Via Urgell” and “University”. The transportation is carried out by Aerobus:
Aerobus is the official shuttle service that connects the Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport and the center of Barcelona every day of the year.
The shuttle ticket can be purchased directly from the driver. The T-Casual pass is not valid though. The travel time to the final stop is approximately 35 minutes. Shuttles run from morning until 01.00 am. You can find a shuttle bus stop at the airport by going down the escalator.
How to get to Barcelona from Barcelona Airport by regular bus
A cheaper way to get to Barcelona than the bus shuttle is a regular bus. City buses No. 46 run from the airport to the city throughout the day until midnight. Stops in the city are made at Plaza Catalunya and Plaza de España. The stop at the airport can also be found by walking along the escalator (the stop adjacent to the Aerobus). The transportation is carried out by TMB company:
Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) is the main public transport operator in The Barcelona metropolitan area.
The travel time is on average 40 minutes, depending on traffic jams. You can use the T-Casual pass. Tickets must be purchased from the vending machines at the stop.
This travel option takes longer than the Aerobus, since the regular bus makes stops along the route, and the Aerobus travels in express mode. But if an extra 5-10 minutes does not play a key role for you, then regular buses are an excellent alternative to other types of transport, and you can save some money on it.
How to get to Barcelona from Barcelona Airport by taxi/transfer service
It happens that public transport, for one reason or another, is not suitable for tourists as a way to get to the city. This may be due to a large amount of luggage, traveling with small children or simply arriving at night. In this case, taxi or individual transfer services come to the rescue.
You can find a taxi upon arrival near the arrival terminal, or order it at the information desk in the terminal. If you don’t want to solve this issue upon arrival or don’t have enough time for it, then you can order a car in advance. The convenience of the transfer services is its fixed price (unlike a taxi, where markups are possible). Besides, a driver with a sign will meet you at the time of arrival and help you carry your luggage. Upon request, the vehicle will be equipped with a child seat or booster seat.
The travel time by taxi or transfer service is about 20 minutes. You can order transfer services in advance via various specialized services such as:
Kiwitaxi is a system for ordering taxi transfers from airports, train stations and hotels around the world;
Intui.Travel is a system for self-booking tourist transfers to/from hotels via the Internet.
The cost of taxi and transfer services is approximately equal, while the transfer is considered to be a more reliable and comfortable way to get to Barcelona. The transfer cars are usually equipped with air conditioning, bottled water, and the driver will already be waiting for you at the time of arrival.
I use both online services mentioned above to check out available options when planning my upcoming trips in advance. If I travel with someone else, we can share our expenses on the transfer services and reach our travel destination faster than by public transport.
How to get to Barcelona from Barcelona Airport by rented car
If you do not plan to stay only in Barcelona, but want to actively explore the entire region, for instance, to go to the sea or to the mountains, then it makes sense to rent a car. This can be done immediately upon arrival, at the terminal. The offices of many international car rental companies are open here, where you can quickly and with a minimum of documents register a car for rent.
To register, you only need to have a passport, an international driver’s license and a bank card to pay for services. In terminal T1 there are offices of such rental companies as Firefly, Goldcar, Budget, Thrifty, Avis, InterRent, Rhodium, Hertz and others. In Terminal T2 you can find such suppliers as Europcar and Keddy.
During the “high” season, the car rental option is so popular that there may be significant queues and not enough cars of the required class. In this regard, I would recommend booking the desired class of car with a specific rental company in advance. This can be done via various online services. Plus, early booking is often cheaper than renting on the spot. Popular car booking services, which I usually use, are:
Discover Cars is a service for searching, comparing and saving on car rentals;
Economybookings is a service for finding cheap car rentals around the world.
I would recommend booking a car with well-known companies that have a good reputation and a lot of reviews to avoid fraud. You can choose a car in almost any class. If you plan to travel around cities a lot, then you need a small car. If you are going to the mountains, then it makes sense to take a larger car.
Barcelona Airport and the city center are connected by motorways #C31, B10 or B20. The distance varies from 14 to 17 km, depending on the chosen route. The travel time is from 20 to 30 minutes, depending on traffic. A rented car is an excellent option for traveling along the sea shore and for trips to the mountains. You can also visit other cities in the region and even travel throughout Spain using a car.
If your route is not radial, but one-way, then you can return the car in any other city, if it is provided by the chosen rental company. Most international companies provide such a service.
The quality of Spanish roads is excellent, so even long distances can be covered in a short time. In addition, the country has a system of expressways. Please note that there is a toll to travel on them. You can do your own search of a car for renting:
I have travelled by car around Europe a lot, and, based on my experience, it is a very convenient and often the fastest way to reach the desired travel destination. I would recommend a car rental as an option in case you prefer travelling on your own with some stops along the way.
Thus, there are many options for how to get from Barcelona airport to the city. In addition to the extensive network of public transport, you can always order a taxi/transfer or rent a car. Below is a table of all available modes of transport to get to Barcelona from El Prat Airport:
| Type of transport | Travel time | Opening hours | Some additional information |
| Metro | 50 min | From 05.00 to 00.00 | The T-Casual pass is not valid |
| Electric train | 25 min | From 05.00 to 00.00 | Departs only from terminal #T2 |
| Shuttle bus | 35 min | From 06.00 to 01.00 | No passes are valid |
| Regular bus | 40 min | From 05.00 to 00.00 | Stops at every bus stop along the route |
| Taxi/transfer service | 20 min | 24 hours a day | Taxi – metered; transfer – fixed fee |
| Car rental | 20-30 min | 24 hours a day | The deposit on the card is blocked for the duration of the rental |
As you can see Barcelona is a truly convenient travel destination. It is not only because of a huge number of attractions or accommodation options, but also because of developed transport infrastructure, including routes from the airport. To my mind, whatever means of transport you choose, it will be a fast and convenient way to reach Barcelona.
Take a note! When going on a trip to Spain, do not forget to take out travel insurance, which is useful for receiving a tourist visa and for solving emerging medical problems when travelling in another country. You can purchase insurance via online services, for example, via EKTA and others. You can choose from different modes, including quiet, active or extreme rest.
Photo credit: all photos are taken by me during my visit to Barcelona ©Julia Mam
The author is Julia Mam
Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more…