Barcelona airport: how to get to the city center

In this article, I present Barcelona's main airport (El Prat, BCN) and the best ways to reach the city center easily.

Here you'll find

• How to get to Barcelona city center from the airport
• Advice for the right choice
• A presentation of Barcelona's airports
• Practical information: prices, opening hours, operation
• And much more!

If you're looking for information about Barcelona airport, you'll love this article.

Follow the guide!

Aeroport Barcelona : article summary

Barcelona airport: How do I get to the city center?

Since theBarcelona El Prat airportBarcelona city center can be reached via 5 means of transport :

• at car (fast, very comfortable, rather expensive)
• at Aérobus shuttle (fairly fast, comfortable, moderately expensive)
• at TMB bus (rather long, not very comfortable, not very expensive)
• by metro (long, uncomfortable, cheap)
• By train (convenient, inexpensive and fast)

If you arrive at Girona airport, go to the end of the article to see the best ways to get downtown.

The first part of this article deals with Barcelona's main airport which is El Prat airport. This is where most of the people arriving visit Barcelona and it's by far the most practical!

Take a taxi/car from Barcelona El Prat airport to the city center

Barcelona city center can be reached by cab from Barcelona airport (terminals 1 and 2).

The problem with cabs :

Like everywhere else, cabs may try to trick you. scam when you don't know the city and don't speak the language.
Make sure the meter is on, and that it's an official registered cab (you'll see an identification number on the side).

Shuttle bus from Barcelona El Prat airport to the city center

If you don't want to pay for a cab or private car when you arrive from the airport, the aerobus shuttle is a very good solution.
The aerobus shuttle is the official of the city of Barcelona for the bus transfer from Barcelona airport to the city center.
This avoids having to take the public bus, which stops at many more stops outside the center and is not designed to accommodate a lot of luggage.
The aerobus shuttle stops only in the city center, offers WIFI inside the shuttle and has space reserved for travelers' suitcases.

Barcelona city center airport shuttle: essential information

• Ticket price: €6.75 per person for a one-way ticket / €11.65 for a return ticket (payment by credit card only in the aerobus or purchase online)
• 35-minute journey
• Departures approximately every 5 minutes during the day (10-20 minutes at night) from terminals 1 and 2
• Open every day of the year from 05:30 to 01:30

Barcelona city center airport shuttle: stops served

The stops served by the shuttle are :
- Pl. Catalunyathe most important square in town
- Pl. Espanya
- Gran Via-Urgell
- Pl. Universitat

You will take aerobus A1 at Terminal 1 and aerobus A2 at Terminal 2. A shuttle bus runs between the two terminals, if required.

Getting from Barcelona El Prat airport to the city center by metro

It's possible to take the metro from Barcelona airport, but I don't recommend it. Why not?

Simply because you have to change metro lines several times to get to the city center, and carrying suitcases in a crowded metro is not a pleasant experience. not very pleasant.

But for those who still want to take the metro from Barcelona airport, here's the essential information:

Barcelona Airport metro: essential information

• Ticket price: €4.90/person
• Allow 30 minutes for the journey
• Scheduled departures from the airport (terminal 1 only)
• Subway open from 5 a.m. to 00.00 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. Until 02:00 on Friday. All night on Saturday

Visit metro network of the city of Barcelona is modern and easy to use.
It consists of about ten lines and is line 9 from Barcelona El Prat airport.

Getting to the city center from Barcelona El Prat airport by public bus

For those who want to take the public bus, this is possible.

It's less expensive than the Aérobus shuttle, but it's a lot cheaper. much longer and much less comfortable.

The TMB bus stops at many points between the airport and the city center, and there's no space for suitcases. If the bus is crowded, it can be hellish.

But for those who still want to take the public bus from Barcelona airport, here's the essential information.

TMB public bus from Barcelona airport: essential information

• Ticket price: €2.10/person (possibility of using a T Casual ticket)
• Allow 45 minutes for the journey
• Regular departures from both airport terminals
• Operates from 04:50 a.m. to 11:50 p.m.

For the night, there are N16/N17 night buses from terminal 1 and terminal 2.

What is the T-Casual ?

It's a group purchase of transport tickets which allows you to pay less than by the unit. Formerly called the T-10, it changed its name in 2020.

10 tickets cost €11.35, while a single ticket costs €2.40. Each ticket can be used for a single journey of less than 1H15, covering all the city's public transport services (you can change from bus to metro without using a 2nd ticket, for example).

Previously, T-10 tickets weren't nominative, but the T-Casual is, and it's a real pleasure to get to know you. the main change concerning this grouped ticket card. From now on, you won't be able to share them.

Please note: the T-Casual card is not not usable for the Aérobus shuttle.

Take the train from the airport to Barcelona city center

A train of the national company Renfe runs to the city center from Terminal 2. If you are in Terminal 1, a free shuttle bus is available between the two terminals.

It's a solution very practicaland, above all, inexpensive: an individual ticket costs around 4.6 euros.

It's a good solution, with regular trips (every 30 minutes) and space for depositing luggage. If you're staying near one of the following stations - Sants Estacio, Passeig de Gracia, or El Clot-Arago - this is an alternative you should know about!

Train from Barcelona airport: essential information

• Ticket price: €4.60/person (possibility of using a T Casual ticket)
• Allow 30/40 minutes for the journey
• Daytime departures every 30 minutes
• Operates from 5:42 a.m. to 11:38 p.m.

Good to know the Barcelona Card is compatible with this train from the airport, so you pay nothing!

On the way back: from the city center to Barcelona El Prat airport

For your return, the means of transport are the same as for the outward journey:

• taxi/car
• the aerobus shuttle
• TMB public buses and N16/N17 night buses
• the metro
• the train

For the shuttle, attention that the bus goes to the airport, and that it goes to your house. terminal ! Just read what's written on the front of the bus, but to be sure, you can ask the driver.

For the metro, if you need to go to terminal 1, it's easy: it's the terminus of the orange line 9 ("Aeroport T1"). For terminal 2, you need to stop at the station just before it, called "Aeroport T2".

My opinion: what's the best way to get to the city center from the airport?

The best choice for travelling from Barcelona Airport to the city center will depend on both the way you travelIt depends on the time you have available, the composition of your travel group and your habits.

Here are my tips for different situations:

• Families or groups of 4 or more: the shuttle aerobus is still the best solution, offering good value for money and all the comforts you need for your journey and your luggage.
• For small budgets and those with time on their hands: the train is a good solution, especially if you've got time to spare. a hotel near one of the stations we serve
• The metro remains a solution very practical and inexpensiveBut it can be a little stressful for those less used to it. If you're a seasoned city dweller and don't travel with heavy invalids, this is a good choice!

As mentioned above, the bus is neither very convenient nor practical, as there is no space for luggage and the journey is long. As for cabs, there's always the risk of being ripped off, and they're not the best way to start. a stay in Barcelona.

Getting to the city center from Barcelona Gerona airport (Girona Costa Brava)

Some people arrive at Girona airport to visit Barcelona. I might as well tell you straight away that this airport is further than El Prat airport !

But it's possible to get to the center of town, without it being too complicated.

It's worth it if you can find a cheaper flight. Don't hesitate to use a flight comparison service like Liligo to see if there's a price difference on your dates between arriving at El Prat airport or Girona Costa Brava.

You can reach the city center by bus, which takes around 1 hour and drops you off 5 minutes' walk from the Arc de Tromf subway station (red line 1), at the city's main bus station.

Visit other possibilities are clearly not recommended (cab about 120€, train to be taken from the bus station in Gerona, whose airport is not even close...)

Barcelona airport at a glance

In fact, as you've seen, there isn't an airport in Barcelona. two airports. The best-known, most-used and most convenient airport is Barcelona El Prat.

You've already read all about how to get to the city center from this airport, so now it's up to you to choose the means of transport that suits you best.

Barcelona El Prat airport at a glance

El Prat airport is located 12km southeast of Barcelona. It is the 2nd most-used airport in Spain after Madrid, with many stopovers on the way to America and Asia.

It's an airport that's modern and pleasant. It is very well served by the city's public transport system.

Its full name is Aéroport Josep Tarradellas Barcelone-El Prat and its ISIN code is BCN.

Among the figures you need to know about him are :

• This is the 27th airport the world's busiest
• It ranks 6^e among European Union airports
• It has welcomed nearly 42 million passengers by 2022
• The main airlines operating from El Prat are Vueling, Iberia and Ryanair.

Arrival from Barcelona El Prat airport

Depending on the flight, you can arrive at either Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 of El Prat airport.

You should know that there are free transfers between the two terminalsoffered by the airport. These are green shuttles that operate all the time, with very frequent departures. Transfer time between the two terminals is around 15 minutes.

Cabs, the aerobus shuttle and the public bus depart from terminals 1 and 2. Only the metro is located in terminal 1.

Barcelona Gerona airport at a glance

Gerona airport is a very recent development, and is used by Ryanair and other airlines. It is located 100km from Barcelona, which is a long and uncomfortable way to transfer from this airport to Barcelona city center.

It corresponds to the ISIN code GRO and is sometimes referred to by its full name: Girona-Costa Brava airport.

Among the figures you need to know about him are :

• It opened in 1965, but its expansion in terms of visitors is recent.
• Ryanair is one of the airlines serving this airport, notably from Belgium, Ireland and England.
• In 2022, it welcomed nearly 1.3 million passengers by 2022

Arrival from Barcelona Gerona airport

There's only one terminal for arrivals, so it's very easy.
To take the bus to the city center, the stop is just outside the exit.

Bon voyage!
You can ask your questions in the comments below and I'll get back to you as soon as possible!