How to Get From Barcelona Airport to the City Centre

This article outlines the transportation options for travelling from Barcelona Airport to the city centre. The best choice for you depends on several factors: arrival time, the number of people in your party, which area of the city you are staying in, and your budget.

Please note that the information in this post refers to Barcelona’s main airport, also known as Josep Taradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport or simply BCN (the airport’s IATA location code). If your flight lands at Girona-Costa Brava or Reus airports, you should read this post.

Barcelona airport terminal T1
Barcelona Airport Terminal 1

Barcelona Airport

Barcelona Airport is located twelve kilometres southwest of the city centre and is well connected by public transport, including trains, metro, buses, and a fleet of black and yellow taxi cabs.

The airport has two terminals. Terminal one is the larger, more modern terminal and handles long international flights by major airlines and local flights by the Spanish airlines Iberia and Vueling. Terminal two, the older terminal, is used by low-cost airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair and handles mostly European and charter flights.

The airport terminals are connected by a free shuttle bus, which departs every five minutes throughout the day.

Barcelona Airport Taxi

A taxi from Barcelona airport to central Barcelona takes about thirty minutes and costs between €35 and €40.

All Barcelona taxis are metered; the exact price depends on a combination of distance and the time taken for the journey. There are supplements for airport pickups and journeys after 8 pm or on weekends. You can get more information about the tariffs in this post.

There are taxi ranks outside both terminals (T1 and T2)

The ramp down to the taxi rank at Barcelona Airport Terminal 1
One of the ramps leading down to taxis at Terminal 1

Terminal 1 Taxi Rank

Exiting the baggage reclaim area, you pass through automated sliding doors and come to a metal barrier where people await arrivals.

On the other side of this barrier, there are two covered ramps that lead down to the taxi stands on either side of the Go Natural snack bar.

If you have booked your taxi in advance, you should take the ramp located to the right of the snack bar, where your taxi will be waiting for you.

If you haven’t pre-booked a taxi, you should take the ramp located to the left of the snack bar, which will take you to a second taxi stand, where you can queue for a taxi.

At the bottom of the ramp, white arrows on the ground will guide you to the taxi rank, where taxi wardens in high-visibility jackets will indicate the next available taxi.

Terminal 2 Taxi Rank

Terminal 2 is divided into three sections: A, B, and C. Taxis wait on the road directly outside sections B and C.

As you leave the luggage reclaim area and customs in terminal T2B, you’ll see a large open-plan snack bar called EAT. Just to the left of the snack bar, there is a large revolving door which takes you to the road outside the terminal building. Once outside the terminal, the taxi rank is to your right.

Please note that if you are arriving early in the evening on a weekday, the journey may take longer due to heavy after-work traffic entering the city.

There is also a small taxi rank outside Terminal 2C, although there are seldom very many taxis waiting there, and you may have to walk to the taxi rank outside Terminal 2B.

A line of taxis at Barcelona airport waiting to take people to the city centre
Taxi rank at Barcelona Airport Terminal 2

Aerobús (Express airport bus)

The Aerobús is a fast bus service between the airport and Plaça de Catalunya.

The Aerobús runs twenty-four hours a day, departing every 5 or 10 minutes from 5:30 am until 1 am. From 1 am to 5:30 am, buses run every twenty or thirty minutes. The fare is €6.75 one-way or €11.65 return.

The journey from Barcelona airport to the city centre takes approximately 30 minutes. There is free Wi-Fi onboard, so you can let your family and friends know that you have arrived safely, update your Facebook status, or do some last-minute trip planning.

The Aerobús stop at Barcelona Airport terminal T1
The Aerobús fast shuttle bus

Tickets can be purchased from vending machines at the Aerobús stops at both terminals or online in advance. Tickets purchased online are valid for one year from the date of purchase.

The Aerobús is also covered by this ticket bundle which includes the Sagrada Familia and Park Güell, allowing you to reserve timeslots and organize your airport transfer at the same time.

The buses stop at Plaça de Espanya, Gran Via (near the Urgel metro station), Plaça de la Universitat and Plaça de Catalunya.

To the Aerobus from Terminal 1

As you leave the baggage claim area, walk straight ahead so that you pass between the taxi ramp and the Go Natural snack bar.

As you pass the snack bar, you’ll see the large brown sign shown in the photo near the start of this post. Just before you draw level with the sign, you’ll see a pair of sliding doors to your right leading to an escalator and lift down to the Aerobús stop.

There’s more information and photos in this post.

To the Aerobus from Terminal 2

There are two Aerobus stops at Terminal 2.

The first is outside the arrivals area of Terminal 2B. To get there, as you leave the luggage reclaim area, you’ll see a large open-plan snack bar called EAT. To the left of the snack bar, there is a large glass revolving door which takes you to the road outside terminal two. Once outside the terminal building, if you look to the left, you’ll see the covered walkway to the train station. The Aerobús stop is located approximately midway between the revolving door and the covered walkway.

The second Aerobús stop at Terminal 2 is located outside Terminal 2C (used exclusively by easyJet). As you leave the terminal building, you’ll come to a small taxi rank. The Aerobús stop is located on the other side of the taxi rank, approximately twenty metres from the terminal building.

The Aerobús is NOT covered by TMB tickets or travel cards such as the T-casual or Hola Barcelona!


Barcelona Airport Metro

Barcelona airport metro
The airport metro

Barcelona airport metro (L9 sud) runs from both airport terminals to the south-west of the city and has 15 stops:

Airport T1, Airport T2, Mas Blau, Parc Nou, Cèntric, El Prat Estació, Les Moreres, Mercabarna, Parc Logístic, Fira, Europa-Fira, Can Tries-Gornal, Torrassa, Collblanc, Zona Universitaria.

The metro departs every 7 minutes (more frequently at peak times) from 5 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, 5 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays, and non-stop from 5 a.m. Saturday to midnight Sunday.

Standard single-trip metro tickets and the T-casual travel card CAN NOT be used on the airport metro. Instead, there’s a special airport ticket that costs €5.50.

You can save money by purchasing a Hola Barcelona Travel Card, which offers unlimited travel on the metro, commuter trains, trams and TMB buses.

The L9 sud metro from Barcelona airport doesn’t connect directly to the city centre. Most visitors will have to transfer to another line at either Torrassa (L1) or Collblanc (L5), and you may have to make more than one change to get to your hotel. Depending on where you are staying, the journey will typically take between one hour and an hour and a quarter.

Download a FREE Map of Barcelona metro >>

Mobile World Congress participants will be interested to know that the journey time by metro from the airport to the congress takes 22 minutes.

To the Metro from Terminal 1

As you leave the baggage claim area, go straight ahead so that you pass between the taxi ramp and the Go Natural snack bar. Keep walking straight ahead; you will see red metro signs above the escalator, which leads to the underground metro station (see photo above).

To the Metro from Terminal 2

The metro stop at terminal 2 is located underground next to the train station. Follow the directions below, and when you arrive at the train station, you will see the entrance to the metro to the left.

More information about the Barcelona Metro here >>


Barcelona Airport Train

The train station at Barcelona airport terminal 2
Barcelona Airport train station

Trains run every 30 minutes from the airport train station, which is located at Terminal 2.

The journey time is 20 to 25 minutes, depending on which of Barcelona’s train stations you choose to get off at. The first train departs at 5:42 a.m., and the last departs at 11:38 p.m.

Depending on where you are staying, you may have to transfer from the airport train to the metro. If your flight lands at Terminal 2, the journey will take between 45 minutes and an hour.

Check the R2 airport train timetable here.

Tip: If you purchase a T-casual multi-trip ticket, you can combine the airport train with the metro and bus as one journey for €1.22 (the T-casual costs €12.15 for ten journeys).

A single train ticket from the airport to the city centre costs €4.60 and doesn’t allow you to transfer to other modes of transport.

Alternatively, you can purchase a Hola Barcelona Transport Pass, which gives unlimited travel on the metro, TMB buses, trams and commuter trains within zone 1 (including the airport train and metro).

Download a FREE Map of Barcelona metro and train stations

To the Train Station from Terminal 1

A free shuttle bus runs from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2. The journey takes under ten minutes, but you should allow about twenty minutes in total to get from Terminal 1 to the train station.

free shuttle bus at Barcelona airport
The free shuttle bus from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2

As you leave the baggage reclaim, walk straight ahead so that you pass between the taxi ramp and the Go Natural snack bar. You will then see a sign guiding you to the ramps and the buses. It is best to take the ramp to the right (just before the Europcar car rental desk) for the shuttle bus.

On arrival at Terminal 2, you should follow the green line painted on the ground. As you enter the terminal building, turn back on yourself and go up the escalators. You then walk for a couple of minutes along the covered bridge leading to the train station. There are also lifts available.

Train tickets can be purchased from the machines on the right-hand side as you enter the station. The machines accept credit cards or cash (Euros).

More information about Barcelona transport zones >>

To the Train Station from Terminal 2

There’s a covered bridge linking Terminal 2B to the train station.

If you arrive at Terminal 2B, turn left as you exit baggage claim and follow the signs to the train station. A yellow line on the ground leads to a pair of escalators up to the covered bridge, where a sign directs you towards the train station.

Once across the bridge, you come to some metal stairs and an elevator back down to ground level. The train station is to the left, just after you descend the stairs.

From T2A, turn right as you leave baggage claim and follow the signs to the train station. As you leave the terminal building, you’ll see the covered bridge which leads from T2B to the train station. Turn right underneath the bridge and enter the terminal building before doubling back on yourself and taking the escalator up to the bridge.

From Terminal 2C, walk past the taxi rank and bus stops to Terminal 2B. Enter the building via the large revolving doors, and you will see signs and a yellow line on the ground directing you to the escalators mentioned above.

Escalators at Barcelona airport terminal two
The escalator which leads to the bridge to the train and metro stations at Terminal 2

Which Barcelona Train Station?

Upon Arrival

The airport train stops at the following train stations in Barcelona:

  • Aeroport
  • El Prat de Llobregat
  • Bellvitge
  • Barcelona Sants
  • Passeig de Gracia
  • El Clot

Which station you should choose when travelling from Barcelona airport to the city centre depends on where you are staying:

Barcelona Sants – This station is close to Plaça Espanya and Montjuic and connects to metro lines L5 and L3. It is also Barcelona’s main train station, with AVE, long-distance, middle-distance, and commuter trains serving all of Spain.

Passeig de Gràcia – This station is the closest to the centre of Barcelona (Plaça de Catalunya and the Gothic Quarter) and connects with metro lines L2, L3 and L4.

El Clot – This train station is convenient for Poblenou, Clot and the northernmost part of the Eixample (especially if you plan to take a taxi from the train station to your hotel). It connects with metro lines L1 and L2 and some local train lines.

Going to the Airport

Barcelona El Prat Airport is the last stop on the line – Aeroport


Barcelona Airport Bus

The doorway which leads to the buses at BCN airport Terminal 1
The doorway which leads to the buses at BCN Airport Terminal 1

From 5 am to 11:50 pm, bus 46 runs from both airport terminals to Plaça d’Espanya.

Unless you’ve purchased a T-casual or Hola Barcelona Travel Card online, the journey costs €2.40.

This is slightly cheaper than the Aerobus but has the disadvantages of being slower, less frequent (2 per hour) and not having a dedicated space for luggage.

Route Map and Timetable Bus No. 46

The Night Bus

If you are on a tight budget and arrive in Barcelona after the metro has stopped running, you could take the night bus.

Bus route N16 takes you from T1 and N17 from T2 to the city centre.

The fare is €2.40, and buses depart every 20 minutes.

I do not recommend the night bus unless you are staying near Plaça de Catalunya or one of the other stops on the route. If you have to connect to another night bus, your total journey time could be very long.

The number 46 bus stop at Barcelona airport terminal 1
The number 46 bus stop at Terminal 1

Other Public Bus Routes

There are also buses from the airport to Castelldefels, Sant Boi, Sant Joan de Llobregat and  Cornella, as well as further afield, including Lleida, Tarragona, Cadaqués and other towns on the Costa Brava.

Check out this post for more information about buses from Barcelona Airport >>


Rideshare Apps

Several rideshare companies operate in Barcelona, although local bylaws stipulate that you must book the journey from the airport at least fifteen minutes in advance.

Although I do sometimes use ride-hailing apps, when travelling from the airport, it makes more sense to catch a cab from the taxi rank. If you decide to use an app, the driver will normally meet you at one of the following locations:

Terminal 1: at the meeting point in Module C, second floor.

Terminal 2: there are meeting points outside terminal T2B and T2 C buildings.

The driver will normally contact you via the app to confirm the location.

Uber

Uber operates in Barcelona using regular taxis, and you can choose between paying a price fixed in advance or the tariff shown on the taximeter at the end of the journey.

Cabify

Cabify is available in Barcelona, but local bylaws require that you reserve the journey at least 15 minutes before travelling.

Lyft

Lyft doesn’t currently operate in Barcelona.


Private Transfer

If you prefer to have someone waiting for you when your flight arrives, then you may like to pre-arrange a private transfer with Book Taxi Barcelona.

By booking your transfer in advance, you benefit from a fixed fare paid up-front via Paypal or credit card. Your driver will then track your flight and wait for you in the arrivals area, holding a board with your name on it.

They also offer additional services such as bag drops, children’s booster seats, minibuses and vehicles adapted to carry electric wheelchairs or scooters, as well as private transfers to/from the cruise port and other cities nearby.

Book your private airport transfer online


Car Rental

There are several car hire companies at Barcelona airport, including Europcar, Avis and Hertz.

I do not recommend hiring a car to get to your hotel. A car will be of little use during your stay in the city. Even if you plan to spend a night in Barcelona and then leave the next morning, I would still recommend that you pick up your hire car on the day you depart.

It’s important to consider that most rental companies charge a premium for picking up a car at the airport. Generally, if you do need a rental car, it will be more cost-effective to pick the car up from the rental company’s offices in downtown Barcelona, even after factoring in a taxi from the airport. I recommend that you compare prices on DiscoverCars.com before making a decision.


Which To Choose?

There is really no single best way to get from the airport to Barcelona city centre.

Which is best depends on things like budget, time of arrival, where you will be staying, how many people are travelling in your group, how much luggage you carry, and personal preference.

Generally speaking:

  • Staying near Plaça de Catalunya, Plaça de la Universitat or Plaça de Espanya? Take the Aerobús.
  • Staying anywhere else in the city and without too much luggage? Take the train and/or metro.
  • Arriving late at night/in a hurry/bulky or heavy luggage/prefer to be dropped right in front of your hotel? Take a Taxi.

All prices and fares mentioned in this post were checked and updated in March 2024.

Let me know if you have any questions in the comments section below.

427 comments

  1. Hello, we wish to go from the airport to Sitges by train. I know it’s the R2sud line that takes you there but which is better to go from Barcelona Sants or El prat de lobregat? Thank you

    1. Hi Len,

      I haven’t done this journey myself, but I think that I’d change at El Prat de Llobregat, which is the first stop of the R2nord after leaving the airport. As I say, I haven’t done this personally, but it’s a fairly small station, and I believe that the train to Sitges will depart from platform 2. Obviously, check to make sure upon arrival, you’re looking for trains with a final destination of Vilanova I La Geltrú or Sant Vicenç de Calders.

      Looking at the timetables, assuming everything runs to schedule, you’ve got about ten minutes to make the change, which should be plenty of time.

      The other alternative would be to take the bus directly from the airport to Sitges.

      Update: I’ve now published a new post covering how to transfer from Barcelona airport to Sitges

  2. Hi Richard,

    I was hoping you can help me out. I’m arriving to the airport at 20.45 T1 and have a hotel in Molin De Rei. What would be the best way to get there?

    We are spending one night in Molins De Rei and then will be staying in the centre near Joanic for 3 nights.

    Bit confused – is it reasonable to get public transport from airport to Molins De Rei? Assuming I get out of the airport at 21:45…

    I was thinking to get the 4 day travel pass, which includes airport metro, but then thought about getting taxi to Molins De Rei and then the T-10 for the remaining days (paying the one-off airport metro fee on the return).

    On a budget, so any advice would be appreciated.

    The main thing is whether public transport from airport in evening to Molins is advisable and if so what route?

    Thanks! Any help greatly appreciated

    1. Hi Wayne,

      Best is always subjective, a taxi will take less than half an hour and cost about forty Euros.

      By public transport, the last train from the airport is at 23:38, but the last one which will connect with the R4 to Molins de Rei and actually give you time to change trains is the 22:38, so you do have time to go by public transport if you prefer.

      The airport train station is at terminal T2. There’s a free shuttle bus between the terminals, as described in the article above. However, if you decide to purchase the Hola Barcelona Travel Pass, you could use the Airport Metro to get from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2, which would save you time because there’s less walking involved since the metro is right next to the train station at Terminal 2.

      Whichever you decide the route is: metro (or shuttle bus) from terminal 1 to terminal 2, R2 train from the airport to Barcelona Sants, R4 train from Barcelona Sants to Molins de Rei.

      Note that the T-10 which you mention no longer exists; it was replaced by the T-Casual and T-Familiar a few years ago. You can read more about them in this post, they’re basically similar to the T-10, and neither of them is valid for the Airport Metro stations.

      1. Thanks Richard – very helpful. Assuming I get the free shuttle between terminal 1 to 2 – would the T-Casual ticket be valid for the journey between R2 (from the airport) – Sants – R4 to Molins de Rei? Thanks again

        1. Hi Wayne,

          Yes, a one-zone T-Casual will cover the train journey from terminal 2 to Molins de Rei.

          You can purchase them from the ticket machines at the airport train station.

  3. What is the best way to get to the bcn airport from La Rambla, 40
    Ciutat Vella
    08002 Barcelona
    Spain on May 9 2023 in the morning.
    Thanks

    1. Hi Thomas,

      The most convenient way would be to take a taxi, which would cost about €30.

      If you prefer to take public transport, then if you haven’t got too much luggage, you could walk up La Rambla to Plaça de Catalunya and take the Aerobús. Note that there are two routes A1, goes to terminal T1, and A2 to terminal T2.

  4. Hello,
    Thanks for very detailed post on every topic.
    We are a family of 4 arriving late night around 11 pm next week.
    Our stay is in Mataró ….
    Looking at the map, it is far, and Taxi seems to be the preferred way for the time and distance.

    We have 2 kids (6 years and 9 months), and carrying the push wagon.

    Do the usual Taxi already have enough space for 3 cabin bags + a decent sized kid wagon (foldable)?
    Can we book normal taxi in advance?
    Uber didn’t allow and the pick up service is expensive.

    Lastly, what would be preferred card/combination too travel from Mataró (zone 3) to center…

    Thanks in Advance
    Swapnil

    1. Hi Swapnil,

      Unfortunately, if your flight lands at eleven pm, then you’ll be too late to catch the last train to Mataró, which would usually be my recommendation.

      If you want to use public transport at this time of night, then I think that your best bet will be to catch the Aerobus to Plaça de Catalunya, followed by Night Bus number N-80 which departs from Passeig de Gràcia. However, to be honest, travelling with two kids and a buggy, if you can afford it, I think you’re better off taking a taxi.

      There are some six-seater minivan taxis, and if you ask the taxi marshalls at the airport taxi rank, they’ll organize one for you, although you may have to wait a few minutes.

      If you want to use a ride-hailing app during your stay, I recommend you check out Cabify, which has more vehicles than Uber and allows you to select different-sized vehicles and book a booster seat if needed.

      For tickets, I’d recommend you purchase a T-familiar which can be shared between the four of you and can be used both on the R1 train, E11.1 express bus and N-80 night bus. There’s more information about the T-familiar and other ticket options in this post.

  5. Hi arriving to Barcelona from Dublin, Ireland in January 2023 an looking for any tips to get from airport to cruise terminal. Cruising with msc.

  6. Hi

    I am arriving on Saturday 24 Sep at approximately 13h30 Terminal 1 and will be going to my hotel U232 in the Eixample district.

    I have a medium size luggage and backpack, is it safe to use the metro to Hospital Clínic and walk the 180m to the hotel?

    Also I am looking at cost as a 4 day Travel Card (Hola BCN) is 30.80€ vs a single taxi fare 35€

    Lastly can I use this Travel Card to get by Metro to Barcelona Sants Station?

    1. Hi George,

      Yes, it’s safe to use the metro with luggage.

      The Hola Barcelona Travel Card is a good choice, especially if you will be using the airport metro since it works out at approximately €7 per day for unlimited travel on the metro, including the airport metro, plus TMB buses, trams and commuter trains within transport zone 1, which includes the entire city of Barcelona plus a few adjacent towns. And yes, you can use the Hola Barcelona to travel by metro to Barcelona Sants Station.

      It’s worth noting that the so-called four-day Hola Barcelona card is, in fact, valid for 96 hours from the first time you use it, not four calendar days, so if you use it for the first time at 14:00 on Saturday, it will be valid until 13:59 on Wednesday. There’s more information about the Hola Barcelona Travel Card and other tourist passes in this post.

  7. Hi, first time 2 of us will be travelling to Barcelona in a few weeks will be arriving at terminal 2c at 10.15 am and going to Praktik Bakery. Which is the best way to get there please?

    1. Hi Tracy,

      The easiest way will be to catch a taxi from the airport to your hotel, although you will probably have to walk to the taxi rank at terminal T2B because not many taxis stop at T2C, which is used exclusively by EasyJet.

      The cheapest way will be to catch the airport train to Barcelona Passeig de Gràcia which is a five minute or so walk from your hotel. If you purchase a one zone T-familiar, share it between the two of you, this will cost €1,25 each.

  8. Hi Richard,
    Flying into El-Prat from Glasgow with easyJet on Sept 8th until Sept 22nd
    We are a party of 4 heading to Salou, 2 adults, 2 x 17yo girls
    I want to use the train to get there so what station do I need to use?

    1. Hi Garry,

      You should take the R2Nord train from the airport train station to Barcelona Sants where you change trains to any of the following lines: R14, R15, R16 or R17. Depending on which of those you catch, you may have to change trains again at Tarragona and then catch either the RT2 or R17 to Salou – Port Aventura. Timetables here.

      Note: These are regional or regional express trains. Don’t be tempted to catch the AVE high speed train to Tarragona, because it stops at a station which is several km outside the city.

  9. Hi, we are arriving on a Ryanair flight at 00.10, too late to get to our apartment for check-in, so is there somewhere comfortable in the airport where we can chill for a few hours. Thanks.

    1. Hi Patrick,

      Unfortunately, I haven’t been in Terminal 2 since Christmas 2019 (you can probably guess why) and the terminal was closed for a large part of 2020 and part of 2021 during which time it was refurbished so I can’t really give you any first-hand recommendations. All I can say is that you will probably find somewhere to crash but I wouldn’t expect it to be comfortable. If you decide to go for it and are travelling with hand luggage only I’d try to find somewhere airside (before going through customs).

      If I were you, I’d think about booking a night in a hostel. There are hostels with 24-hour check-in which have dorm beds for as little as €13 per night.

  10. Hello Thank you for the info.but just to ask what is the best for us we are group of 7 and we will gonna stay to Hostal Fernando,shall we take the airbus?

    1. Hi Rosalie,

      Which terminal are you landing at and at what time?

      If you’re landing at Terminal 2 you might be better off catching the train to Passeig de Gràcia followed by the metro (green line) to Liceu, in which case you could purchase a T-Familiar (price €10) and share it between the 7 of you.

      If you’re landing at T1 then the Aerobús is a good choice. It’s a ten-minute walk along La Rambla to your hostel. Carrer de Ferran is easy to spot as you walk down La Rambla since there’s a large KFC on the corner.

  11. Hello, is there a way to buy the R2N ticket online in advance, rather than in-person with the ticketing machines? We will be rushing for time given our flight/connecting train schedules. On RENFE’s site, there are no routes displayed when you search “El Prat Aeroport” to “Barcelona-Sants”.

    1. Hello P,

      To see the timetables for the R2N you have to go to either the Rodalies de Catalunya section of the RENFE website or to the Rodalies own website.

      Either way, unfortunately tickets can’t be purchased online for this route.

      However, there are plenty of ticket machines at the station which take cards or cash so you don’t usually need to queue up. It should only take a minute or two to purchase your ticket. The only delay could be if the machines for some reason don’t accept your credit card in which case you’d have to purchase tickets at the ticket window, where there are usually queues of tourists although it may not be as bad as usual at the moment due to the pandemic.

      From the fact that you speak about having to make a connection, I’m assuming that you’ve got an onward train from Barcelona Sants right?

      If it’s an AVE train then it should include a code to get a free journey on regional trains. Check for the words “Combinado Cercanies” on your ticket. If this is the case, then you just need to type that code into one of the ticket machines at the station to get your free ticket for the R2N, no need to worry about credit cards or changing money. There’s more information about this in this post.

      The other alternative, if you’ll be staying in Barcelona, would be to purchase a Hola Barcelona Travel Card or a Barcelona Card, both of which cover the train from the airport and can be bought online, although you do still have to pick the cards up on arrival. There’s plenty of information about both of these cards in this post.

      1. Hello,
        Indeed once my flight lands, I need to run to Barcelona-Sants asap to catch my AVLO train to Zaragoza. I had to buy the ticket from trainline.com because the Renfe site was full of e errors, but I don’t seem to see any code labelled Cercanies. Does this mean I don’t qualify for the complimentary R2N train? Thank you!

        1. Hi P,

          As you know the AVLO is a “low cost” version of the AVE. Unfortunately, the ticket doesn’t include the complimentary “Combinado Cercanias” tickets which you get with the regular AVE tickets.

          A ticket for the R2N to Barcelona Sants will cost you €4.60.

          You can check the timetable for the R2N train from the link to the Rodalies website in my previous reply. If you are really short of time, you could either catch a taxi direct to the train station, which will take about 20 minutes and cost about €30, or catch the Aerobus to Plaça d’Espanya and then catch a taxi from there to the train station.

          If you haven’t too much luggage you could walk from Plaça d’Espanya to Barcelona Sants which would take about ten minutes or so.

  12. Arriving with my daughter from Copenhagen on Monday 24 May at 23.15.

    Will stay at Barcelo Sants hotel at the railway station

    How much should I pay?

    Can I negotiate a fixed price?

    1. Hi David,

      A taxi to your hotel from the airport at that time of day will cost around thirty Euros.

      All taxis are metered and you can’t negotiate a fixed fee.

  13. Hi arriving Barcelona airport on 11th March approx 11am then travelling to premia de dalt can you help please.

    1. Hi Haydn,

      If I were you, I’d take the R2 Nord train from the airport to Barcelona El Clot-Aragó train station where you change trains to the R1 line heading North.

      Take the R1 (or RG1) to Premià de Mar train station where you catch the C14 bus to Premià de Dalt.

      As mentioned in the article above, the airport train station is at terminal T2 so if your flight lands at T1 you will need to take the free shuttle bus from T1 to terminal T2.

      The R2 Nord train arrives at platform 2 at Barcelona El Clot-Aragó train station. The R1 and RG1 northbound depart from platform 4.

      At Premià de Mar, the C14 stops on the same side of the road as the train station, turn right as you come out of the station and you´ll see the layby the bus stops in just in front of you.

  14. Hi Richard

    We will arrive BCN terminal 1 , Wednesday at 10:20 pm

    What is the safest and best way to get to Hotel U232 located on the west side of Eixample

    1. Hi Tony,

      Arriving late in the day, I think it’s easiest to just catch a taxi from the airport to your hotel. There are always plenty waiting at the taxi rank.

  15. Dear Richard
    I heard that the T-casual card that replaced the T-10 card can be used by multi-people at the same time until Feb 29th 2020. i.e. the single use purpose was cancelled until Feb 29th by the authorities due to confusion and uproar from BCN citizens. Multiple BCN newspapers published about this on Jan 3rd 2020. Please confirm?

    1. Hi Vic,

      Yes, that’s correct although it seems that the TMB was too embarrassed to publish the information on their own website.

      It was in all the newspapers and is also included on the official website of the Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan government).

      If you scroll down to the bottom of this page you will see that it says:

      Tickets purchased during 2019: redemption and expiration

      The T-10 and the T-Casual will be able to be used as multi-person cards until February 29. Those users who have non-exhausted tickets and do not want to use them can go to the Service Points, where they can get a refund for the number of unused trips. All other tickets acquired in 2019 may be used until their expiry date.

  16. Hi hoping you can help, arriving in Barcelona this saturday lunchtime easy jet can you advise on best route to get to Llacuna metro station from airport and hoping to also visit Sagrada Corazon del Jesus so do any of the transport tickets T10/casual or hola 48/72 hr pass cover me for that journey also please?

    1. Hi Maria,

      To get from the airport to your hotel from terminal T2C (where easyjet flights arrive) by public transport you can take the train to Barcelona Passeig de Gràcia station followed by the L4 metro (direction La Pau) six stops to Llacuna.

      To get to the Templo Expiatorio del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, take the L3 metro from Llacuna to Urquinaona from where you walk (5 minutes) to Plaça de Catalunya and catch the FGC train (lines S1 or S2) to Peu del Funicular. From here you can catch the Funicular railway to Vallvidrera Superior and finally catch the number 111 bus to Plaça Tibidabo (stop number 2149).

      Both of these routes are covered by the T-casual and the Hola Barcelona Travel Card.

      Update: I’ve just added a new post about the Church of the Sacred Heart on Mt. Tibidabo with detailed information about how to get there. Hope this helps.

  17. Hello – I am staying at Hotel Pulitzer and I am very confused on how to get there via Metro. Any suggestions?

    1. Hi Marylyn,

      The best way to get to that location by public transport from the airport is to take the Aerobus which will take about 35 minutes and cost €5.90 one way or €10.20 return. The nearest stop to your hotel is Plaça de la Universitat which is the third stop.

      If you want to take the metro then you could catch the L9Sud to Torrassa where you transfer to the L1. You then take the L1 (direction Fondo) to Catalunya which is a short walk from your hotel. Depending on connections, the metro will take about 50 minutes and cost €5.15.

      There’s more information about both options in the post above.

  18. Hi, I’m flying using easy jet so coming into terminal 2. We are staying at the Novotel Barcelona hotel. 2 adults 1 teen. Arriving at lunchtime on a Saturday. What would be the best way to get from the airport to the hotel?
    Thank you for your help.

    1. Hi Vikki,

      You mean the Novotel Barcelona City at Av. Diagonal 201 right?

      Arriving at Terminal 2 you could get there pretty easily by public transport. Take the train from the airport to Barcelona – El Clot Aragó train station. The train station is about a 10 to 15 minute walk away from your hotel.

      If you don’t fancy walking then you could take the metro L1 (red line) from the train station, one stop to Glòries. Your hotel is a 5 minute walk from the metro stop.

      There are links to download train time tables and a map of the train and metro lines in the post above.

      Depending on how lucky you are with connections the journey should take about an hour (the trains run every 30 minutes and take about 30 minutes to El Clot Aragó station)

      Alternatively, a taxi would take about half an hour and cost about €40.

  19. Hi,

    We will be in Barcelona over New Year and were thinking of buying a T-10 and taking the airport train. I’ve just read your comments about the new T-Casual on the other post. Will we still be able to use the T-10 to get back to the airport or will we have to purchase a T-Casual for the return journey?

    Thanks

    1. Hi Mark,

      You will continue to be able to use the T-10 until February 29th (assuming you haven’t used up the 10 journeys obviously).

      However, on January 1st it will become unipersonal, meaning that you can’t share one ticket between two or more people travelling at the same time (at the moment you can do this with a T-10)

      So, you will still be able to use the T-10 to return to the airport but if there are more than 1 of you sharing the same T-10, you will need to purchase another ticket for the second person etc.

      By the way, if you haven’t seen it already, I’ve just finished updating this post with more information about the new T-Casual.

  20. Best/cheapest route please: (2 adults) June 2020
    Airport to Market; market to maritime museum; museum to cruise port (or maybe skip the museum).
    Thank you. We will be sending luggage directly from airport to ship, so can move around without luggage.

    1. Hi Charles,

      Which market are you thinking of? Do you mean La Boqueria? (The famous food market next to Las Ramblas.)

      If so, I’d suggest you take the Aerobus to Plaça de Catalunya and then walk from there to the Boqueria Market.

      It’s a scenic walk along La Rambla and should take about 5 minutes or so.

      From there you can walk to the Maritime Museum which is a 10-minute walk further down La Rambla towards Columbus Monument and the port.

      To get from the Maritime Museum to your ship you could either take a taxi or catch the Cruise Bus which departs from near to the Columbus Monument.

      There’s more information about this in this post and this post.

      Before deciding which method to use to get from the museum to the port you should check which terminal your ship will dock at because if it docks at the World Trade Center terminals (aka Barcelona Wharf) then you could walk there from the museum in about 10 minutes. If it will be docking at one of the terminals on the Moll Adossat wharf (where the larger cruise ships dock) then you should take either the Cruise Bus or a taxi.

      If you didn’t mean the La Boqueria Market, let me know which market you are thinking of and I’ll give you some more suggestions.

  21. Hi Richard,

    we will be reaching BCN at 23:00 and planning to book my hotel near Rambla street somewhere. Is it advisable to take any mode of public transport at that hour (we are a couple with a 1-year kid), considering 1 big bag and his buggy?
    Many thanks in advance.

    1. Hi Ajay,

      If you plan to stay near to La Rambla I recommend you choose a hotel near to Plaça de Catalunya or in the stretch of La Rambla between Plaça de Catalunya and the Liceu metro station (as a rough guide). The other end of La Rambla (the section near to the port) can be a bit seedy late at night.

      The other advantage of staying near to Plaça de Catalunya is that the Aerobus (express bus from and to the airport) stops there. The Aerobus runs until 1 a.m. so you will have plenty of time to catch it. There’s more information about the Aerobus in the article above.

      Alternatively, a taxi from the airport to the location will cost approximately €30 and take about half an hour.

  22. I need to get from BCN to Suizo Hotel, next Monday, Nov 4. We arrive at 0840, what’s the best way, el cheapo to get there?

    1. Hi Edie,

      Hotel Suizo is near to the Jaume I metro station. The cheapest way to get there will be to purchase a T-10 travel card at the airport train station then take the train to Barcelona Passeig de Gràcia train station followed by the L4 metro to Jaume I (yellow line). If your flight lands at terminal 1, there is a free shuttle bus to take you to terminal 2 (more info in the article)

  23. Hi!

    Me and my wife are arriving at BCN on Vueling (Terminal 1) and are staying at Hotel SB Glow. I believe the closest Metro station is Glories. What’s the best way to get there from the airport?

    Thank you!

    1. Hi Jeff,

      If I were you, for that location I’d do the following:

      Catch the free shuttle bus from terminal 1 to terminal 2 (more info in the article above) and then catch the train from terminal 2 to Barcelona – El Clot Aragó train station. From here it will take you about 10 minutes to walk to your hotel.

      Alternatively, if you don’t want to walk so much, you could take the metro line L1 one stop from El Clot Aragó (the metro station is called simply Clot and is part of the train station) to Glòries and then walk from there (5 minute walk).

      Depending on how lucky you are with connections, this will take about an hour and, if you purchase a T-10 ticket at the train station (share one between you) will cost €1.02 per person.

      More information about the T-10 in this post>>

      If that sounds like too many changes, then you could catch the L9 metro from the airport to Torrassa and then catch the L1 to Glòries. This will also take about an hour but unfortunately you can’t use the T-10 ticket on the L9 metro from the airport, so it will cost you slightly more. You must either purchase a Billet Aeroport (airport ticket) which costs €4.60 or a Hola Barcelona travel pass (there’s more info about travel passes in the article I linked to above).

      Alternatively, depending on your arrival time, a taxi to this location will take about half an hour and cost about €40.

  24. Hi Richard
    We are visiting Barcelona for the first time and we are staying at an AirBnb address is Carrer de Roger de Lluria. We will have some luggage with us as its a two week stay, would the train work and then walk the rest or would you recommend a private transfer?
    thanks
    Jack

    1. Hi Jack,

      Depending on where you are staying on Carrer Roger de Llúria, the train can be a good option. I don’t know how much luggage you will be travelling with but, if you take a look at a map, the section of Roger de Llúria from Plaça de Urquinaona to Carrer de Aragó is basically flat, after that it’s a bit uphill but not too bad. If you let me know exactly where you will be staying and which terminal your flight lands at I’ll be able to give you some better advice.

      Alternatively, a taxi from the taxi rank at the airport will cost around €30. There’s no need to pre-book because there are always plenty available.

  25. Hi,

    I will be visiting Barcelona on October 14-17. Any recommendations for a place to stay in the city center that doesn’t cost more than $60/night?
    Thanks!

    1. Hi Travelmarin,

      I’m not the best person for hotel recommendations in Barcelona because I haven’t stayed in a hotel or hostel here for a long time now.

      60 US dollars (about €50) is low end here so if you want to stay central and are travelling solo I think you’d be better off looking at staying in a hostel. If you don’t mind sharing then you can get a bed in a dorm or shared room for about €25 or even less.

      I’ve heard good things about the Sant Jordi Hostels Rock Palace which is in a central location and gets decent reviews.

  26. Hi again Richard,

    Just to say we got the train and its was a great service. Also using the t10 card meant it cost us about 5 euro to get into Barcelona city centre.

    Thanks

  27. We arrive about 11:00 am on an American airline from the USA. We check intoo the Vasanta Hostal Boutique . Casp 31 on September 5th. What is the best public transportation for us to take and what would be our stop

    1. Hi Kay,

      Your flight will land at Terminal 1 and your hotel is 2 blocks (5 minute walk) from Plaça de Catalunya.

      If I were you, I’d catch the Aerobus. Plaça de Catalunya is the last stop, the journey takes about 35 minutes, buses depart every 5 minutes.

      If you take a look at the route on Google maps, the Aerobus stops just in front of the El Corte Inglés department store.

  28. Hi,

    We will be staying at hotel Cuatro Naciones with senior in our party. Any suggestions as to the best way to travel from the airport to our hotel??

    Thank you,

  29. Hi Richard,

    We are staying near to Carrer d’Arago.

    I believe it is around a 10 minute walk.

    Would you think the train is doable with luggage and 3 children or should we get a taxi.

    Thanks again

    1. Hi Alan,

      If you use public transport at home with your family, you shouldn’t have any problems in Barcelona.

      The trains are modern and clean and the area where you will be walking is flat and scenic.

      If you change your mind, a taxi from the airport to that location will take about 25 minutes and cost about €30

  30. Hi,
    I am traveling to Barcelona arriving Friday 9th at 10.30am.
    I am a group of 5 with 3 children.
    I am staying at Carrer d’Aribau and am thinking of getting the train.
    I would buy a T10 pass.
    What station is best to travel to and then would I transfer to metro?
    Thanks

    1. Hi Alan,

      It really depends on where you are staying on Carrer d’Aribau exactly, it’s a pretty long street.

      If you’re staying near to Carrer de Valencia, then it’s only about a 10 or 15-minute walk from Barcelona Passeig de Gràcia train station which is the fourth stop on the airport train line.

      If not, then you may want to combine the train with another mode of transport (most likely the metro)

      If you tell me the name or address of your hotel, I’ll tell you what I think would be your best option(s).

      By the way, there’s been talk of a possible strike by airport security staff this Friday which may cause delays at the airport. Obviously, it will mostly affect people who are departing from BCN (security checks after check-in) but you may find that the airport is more busy than usual.

  31. Coming to Barcelona in October with easyjet and staying at Hotel Ronda House. What’s the best way to get there? We land at 18:05 BCN.
    Our return flight is 22:05 so advice for return also appreciated.

    1. Hi Debbie,

      The easiest way would be to catch a taxi from the rank outside the airport terminal which should normally cost about €30 and take about 25 minutes.

      Having said that, if you are arriving on a weekday at 18:05 (allow about 30 minutes to collect your bags) you are still within the evening rush hour. There may be heavy traffic at the entrance to Barcelona and it could take longer and cost a bit more.

      It would, of course, be cheaper by public transport.

      Easyjet flies to and from terminal 2 so, for this location, you could catch the train to Barcelona-Passeig de Gràcia train station followed by the L2 metro 2 stops to Sant Antoni metro station which is a 5-minute walk from your hotel.

      This would take between 45 minutes and 1 hour depending on how lucky you are with connections.

      Note: there is some walking involved: 5 minutes from the airport terminal to the train station, 5 minutes from the train to the metro (the train station is linked to the metro by a tunnel) and then 5 minutes from the metro to your hotel.

      If you purchase a T-10 pass at the train station, this journey would cost just €1.02. More info about the T-10 pass in this post.

      1. Hi, myself and one other are flying into Barcelona soon and are planning to take the Rodalies train from T2 (R2 Nord)to Pineda De Mar (R1).
        I understand that I will need to change trains but was wondering which train station I should change at. Also does the €5.50 pp include the cost of changing trains?
        Also do you have any recommendations for things to see/do, markets, bars etc in and around Pineda De Mar.

        Thank you in advance :)

        1. Hi Sej,

          I recommend you change trains at Barcelona El Clot Aragó, which is the fifth station after you leave the airport. The R2 Nord from the airport arrives at platform 2, and the R1 departs from platform 4.

          Yes, the €5.50 fare is all the way from the airport to Pineda de Mar and includes the change of trains. When you purchase your ticket from the ticket machine at the airport train station, just select Pineda de Mar as the destination, and you’ll be issued with the right ticket.

          I’ve not visited Pineda yet, unfortunately so I can’t recommend any bars etc. For day trips, in addition to Barcelona, I recommend you take a look at Tossa de Mar.

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