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
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)
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.
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.
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 (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
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Hi!
I will arrive in Barcelona on 13 October at 21:00 (Terminal 2) and I should go to Hostal Nuevo Colon (Avenida Marques de Argentera 19). As I travel alone, can you tell me which is the easiest transport to reach the hostal.
Thanks in advance,
Vera
Hi Vera,
The easiest way would be to take a taxi from the airport to your hotel.
You could also take the train which should take less than an hour. Take the R2Nord train from the airport to Barcelona Sants station then chenge trains (R2Sud or R15 or R16 depending on the connection) to Barcelona Estació de França which is a short walk from your hotel.
Check the train times on the timetable linked to above. You probably won’t catch the train at 21:38 but should have plenty of time to catch the 22:08 from the airport to Barcelona Sants and can then catch the train which departs Sants at 22:36 arriving at Barcelona Estació de França at 22:51
Hi Richard
me and my friends 3 of us will be arriving BCN Terminal 1. We booked train ticket to Valencia which depart from Barcelona Sants at 10.00am. Our flight land at 6.35AM
I have a few questions as follows
1.what would be the best way to get to Barcelona Sants
2.if we take train , u think can we make it for 10am train to Valencia? This is our first time in Spain.
3.how difficult to get to train station at T2? We afraid that we will get lost at airport from T1 to T2. How long to get out from T1 to T2
4.how difficult to find our train to Valencia at Barcelona Sants? i heard the Sants station is very big and it may take time to find the train there
5. If we take train from airport and stop at Barcelona sants, how to go to our train to Valencia. Is it far after get off the train.
Thanks so much in advance and appreciate your great help.
Jack
Hi Jack,
1. Take the free shuttle bus to from terminal T1 to terminal T2 then catch the airport train to Barcelona Sants. Assuming that you have purchased AVE or long distance train tickets from the renfe website then there should be a code on your train ticket which entitles you to a free local train ticket ( see this post for more information)
2. Yes no problem. If your flight lands at 6:35 at T1 you have plenty of time to catch the 10 am train. At terminal one it normally takes about 45 minutes to go through passport control, collect your luggage and clear customs. The shuttle bus takes about 10 minutes then the train takes about 22 minutes to get to Sants.
3. Its easy, there’s a free shuttle bus which departs every few minutes and takes about 10 minutes. See the “To the train station from terminal 1” section above. You can see a photo of the bus at it’s stop in terminal T1 above (5th photo).
4. It’s true that Sants train station is fairly large but in fact the platforms are close together and you have plenty of time. When you disembark the train from the airport at Sants you take the escalator up from the platform to the main concourse. When you get to the top to the escalator you will see the ticket barriers where you have to stamp your ticket.
There’s normally a train station worker near the ticket barriers who will be able to help you. If not look round to the left where you will see a small counter where there are usually a couple more members of staff who will be able to indicate where you need to go.
Worst case scenario, either look at the information screens or go to the ticket sales counters, show them your ticket and ask which platform your train departs from.
5. As above, in fact it’s not far, you just need to find out which platform you have to go to.
If anything´s unclear let me know and I’ll try to clarify.
What is the best way to go from BCN to Flor Parks Hotel for a group of 10 people with 1 large bag each?
Appreciate your help.
Hi Kam,
For a group of 10 people I think that the best bet is to take 2 taxis. When you get to the taxi rank at the airport just tell the marshals that you are travelling together and they will allocate you 2 large taxis. All taxis are metred, depending on which terminal you are landing at and at what time of day the journey should cost about 7 or 8 euros per person (5 people per taxi).
Thanks for a really useful, informative post I have shared on twitter this is great thanks :)
Hi Kate,
Thanks for the feedback and for sharing. I’m glad you found the post helpful.
Hi Richard,
We will be arriving el prat airport at 9:00pm next month. ( 10/9/2017 )
We are staying at Hotel Sb Glow Barcelona. What is the fastest way other than the taxi to get
To our hotel ?
And also is safe to take trains or metro that late? We will have two luggage and a hand carry bag with us.
Please advise.
Thanks!
Antonio
Hi Antonio,
Which terminal will you be arriving at?
If you are landing at terminal T1 the fastest option would be to take the Aerobus to Plaça d’Espanya then the Metro Line 1 (red line) to the Glòries metro stop which is a short walk from your hotel.
If you are landing at terminal T2 then the train will probably take about the same length of time as the Aerobus and will work out cheaper. The time taken is dependent on timetables because the Aerobus departs every 10 minutes from terminal 2 whereas the train runs every 30 minutes. There are links to the timetables in the article above.
Remember that travel passes such as the T10 and Hola Barcelona are valid on the train and metro but not for the Aerobus (more information about this in the article).
If you decide to take the train from the airport then you should catch the train to Barcelona el Clot Aragó station then the metro L1 from there to Glòries (one stop). Clot metro station is connected to the train station.
Public transport is safe at night in Barcelona. As with any large city, you should take care of your belongings.
Hi Richard, i arrive on Friday around 12pm by Norwegian airline and need to get to Laforja, 89, Sarrià-St. Gervasi, 08021 . Can you please point the best way to get to the appartment. Thank you.
Hi Luiza,
The term “best” is a bit ambiguous, for some people the fastest way is best for others the cheapest.
Anyway, Norwegian flies into terminal T2 at Barcelona El Prat Airport so I’m assuming that you will land at T2 at mid-day (I’m never 100% sure whether people mean mean mid-day or mid-night when they say 12pm).
The fastest and most convenient way from the airport to your apartment would be to take a taxi which would take about 20 minutes and should cost less than €30 at this time of day.
The cheapest way would be to purchase a T10 travel card at the train station at the airport and take the R2nord train to Barcelona Sants train station.
From here you catch another train (lines R1, R3 or R4 depending on which arrives first) to Plaça de Catalunya followed by the FGC train (lines S1, S2 or S3) to Muntaner.
Note: the platforms for the FGC trains are in a different part of the station at Plaça de Catalunya than the platforms for R1, R3 and R4. Look out for signs with the orange FGC logo.
Using the T10 this would cost just under €1 and take about an hour.
I don’t normally recommend taking public buses when travelling from the airport because there is not much space for your luggage and it’s not always easy to know where the stops are. The only exception being the Aerobus which is a purpose built airport bus that has luggage racks.
Having said that, if you haven’t got much luggage you could catch the train to Barcelona Sants then take the bus number 32 to Travessera de Gràcia – Muntaner. This would take about the same length of time but you only have to make one change.
Personally I’d take the train option.
Hi Richard,
How can we go to Rodamon Hostel (It is near to Diagonal Station) from the airport?
Hi Sertac,
The cheapest way would be to purchase a T10 travel pass and take the train from terminal 2 to Barcelona Sants then metro L5 to Diagonal metro station. This will cost just under €1 per person.
Alternatively if you are travelling light and haven’t got much luggage you might prefer to catch the train to Barcelona Passeig de Gracia station. From here it’s a 10 minute walk to your hotel (going past Casa Batlló and La Pedrera on the way so very scenic).
Hi Richard!
I am arriving at El Prat at afternoon with the family. Our apartment is located near Poble Sec metro station. When I was in Barcelona 4 years ago there was no option for taking a metro but now it seems there is a line. I want to buy a multipersonal card T50 or T70 for Zone 1 in order to travel in Barcelona by metro. Can we use these cards also to travel from/to the airport Terminal 2? Do we need to take the L9 metro or trains? I don’t want to buy a Hola Barcelona card. I can also buy a T10 card if it has more options.
Also, I noticed that there is a little difference in Zone maps used by TMB and Rodalies. It appears that the Airport T2 is located in Zone 1 in TMB map and Zone 4 in Rodalies map. How does this affect me? Which zone card do I need to buy for T10, T50 or T70?
Thank you!
Hi Aram,
The L9 Sud metro to the airport opened last year although it’s not as useful as you’d expect because it doesn’t go to the city centre so most visitors will have to make at least one change.
In your case (going to Poble Sec from terminal T2) it will be faster to catch the train to Barcelona Sants then metro L3 to Poble sec.
On to ticket choices, despite the fact that the T10, T50/30 and T70/30 are all multi journey travel passes there are a few subtle differences that you should be aware of:
The T10 is not valid on the L9 sud metro to the airport whereas the t50/30 and t70/39 are valid. All three are valid for thr airport train.
The T10 and T70/30 are multi-person cards that can be used by several people at the same time whereas the T50/30 is unipersonal and can’t be shared.
You are right about the rather odd zone difference, in fact I’ve written an article about this here.
If you purchase any of the ATM tickes (T10, T50/30, Hola Barcelona etc…) then you only need a 1 zone ticket. You only need a 4 zone ticket if you purchase a renfe ticket (single train ticket or Bono tren).
Hi Richard
Could you please help..myself and husband arrive in Pratt airport Sunday 23rd july 9pm
We need to get to our hotel Tryp Condal mar
What do you suggest is best transport?
Also when we are there we will need to get from our hotel to hard rock cafe at placa de cataluna
Can you help
Many thanks
Lorraine
Hi Lorraine,
The cheapest way will be to take the train from the station at terminal T2 to Passeig de Gràcia and then the metro L4 from there to Selva de Mar metro stop which is a 5 minute walk from your hotel. The journey will take about an hour and, if you purchase a T10 travel card from the machines at the train station, will cost just under €1 per person (you can share one T10 between the 2 of you).
If you are arriving at terminal 1 then you will need to take the free shuttle bus from T1 to T2 which will add 10 to 15 minutes to your journey time.
Fastest way would be by taxi which will cost approx. €45 and take around 25 minutes.
To get to the Hard Rock Cafe from your Hotel, take the tram line T4 4 stops to the Glories metro stop (in front of the Els Encants flea market) then the metro L1 from there to Plaça de Catalunya.
Note that there will probably be a metro strike on Monday, this means that there will be a reduced service during the morning and evening rush hours. I guess that you will probably not be going to the Hard Rock Cafe at this time but if so you could catch the bus number B20 from near your hotel to Plaça de Urquinaona which is a short walk from Plaça de Catalunya and the Hard Rock Cafe.
I don’t think that the strike has been confirmed yet. If there will be a strike on Monday then there will be announcements over the tannoys at the metro stations when you arrive on Sunday evening.
Hello again Lorraine,
Just to let you know that the metro strike has now been confirmed for tomorrow (Monday July 24th).
You can find more details of the minimum services on the TMB website here
This only affects the metro.
Hi Richard,
We will be staying in the Barcelona Princess Hotel and arrive at T2 at around 10:30am.
Could you please advise me on how to get the train and the metro to the hotel from Barcelona airport.
Thanks
Hi Elly,
The R2 Nord train leaves the airport train station at Terminal 2 every 30 minutes (see description of how to get to the train station in the article above).
You need to take the train to Barcelona Passeig de Gràcia train station (the fourth stop).
The train station is connected to Passeig de Gràcia metro station. You then take the yellow metro line (L4) 9 stops to El Maresme/Forum.
The station is a short walk (200m or so) from your hotel along Rambla de Prim towards the Forum.
Quick question.
When going from T2B to the Rail Station via the Air bridge are there lifts at the station or do you need to use escalators or stairs.
My partner can get about fine but uses a walking stick and last trip we took overseas, while loaded up with suitcases etc we had a fall on an escalator so escalators make us apprehensive.
We can deal with it but just like to plan ahead.
PS Disappointed with the Official Barcelona Airport Website for not having this info. eg Online maps of Heathrow and Schiphol have clear terminal maps showing locations of lifts
Hi David,
I checked when I was at the airport this afternoon and can confirm that there are lifts at both sides of the bridge from terminal 2B to the train station.
The lift at the terminal side of the bridge is tucked away out of sight behind the escalators.
After you cross the bridge to the train station there are 2 elevators to the right of the escalators down to the train station.
The area just after the bridge is being remodelled at the moment but the floor surface is level and smooth and I didn’t notice anything that could cause you to trip.
Hi Richard,
I will be flying in from Lyon to Barcelona. 5 of us and we are staying at Hotel Murmuri.
Which is the most convenient way that you’d recommend for us to get from airport to hotel?
If we use a taxi from the airport, would it be easy for us to get a bigger taxi (i’m assuming the regular taxi’s can take up to max of 4 passengers) ?
Thank you in advance!
Hi Sarah,
I think that a taxi will be the most convenient way to get from the airport to your hotel.
When you get to the taxi rank at the airport just tell the taxi marshal that you are travelling together and they will match you with a suitable taxi.
We’ re arriving 9:30 pm and staying @Hotel Sb Glow, what is the cheapest and safest way to get there?
Hi Tony,
The cheapest way is to purchase a T10 travel card from the ticket machines at the train station and then catch the R2 nord train from terminal 2 to El Clot Aragó train station followed by the metro L1 (red line) one stop to to the Glories metro. Your hotel is a short walk from the metro stop.
The train and metro is safe and your hotel is in a safe area of the city but you should take the usual precautions that you would in any large city.
Hey there, love your website it’s been really helpful breaking down information but I’m still really struggling to get to my final destination – Benicassim (15th July).
I’m travelling alone and can’t seem to find train tickets from Barcelona Airport to Benicassim, as this is what I did a few years ago.
I have found a train which says ‘Barcelona (Todas) to Benicassim’ but, where does ‘Todas’ specifically mean? Could I travel from the airport or would I have to travel from the centre of BCN?
Any information would be so much appreciated – I have no idea how to get there on my own.
Many thanks,
Hi Alice,
Thanks for the feedback, glad you’ve found the site useful.
As far as I’m aware there aren’t trains direct from Barcelona Airport to Benicassim and I dont think there ever have been.
Your best bet will be to get the R2 nord train from the airport to Barcelona Sants and then a long distance train from there to Benicassim.
The “todas” means all stations. If you’re looking at http://www.renfe.com then it means that they will show trains which stop in any of Barcelona’s mainline stations in the list of tickets.
You can then click on “details” followed by “see route” to see where the train actually stops.
When you print out your long distance ticket you’ll see that it has the words “combinado cercanias” followed buy a code. You can use this code to get a free ticket for the train from the airport to Barcelona Sants up to 3 hours before the train leaves Sants. This valid for all long distance trains not just AVE (Talgo, Avila etc…)
More info here
Going by the date, I guess your going to fib right?
There are also direct buses from Barcelona Airport to the festival which can be booked on the website.
Hope this helps
Hi,whould you please inform me that at what time have the trains, metro or buses stopped working towards the airport from city center
Hi Kavoosi,
This varies a bit depending on which day of the week and where in the city centre you are departing from but in general:
Train: Last train to the airport leaves Passeig de Gràcia station at 23:07
Aerobus: Last bus leaves Plaça de Catalunya at 00:30
Bus Line 46: Last bus leaves Plaça de Espanya at 23:50
Night bus: Runs throughout the night from Plaça de Catalunya (see link to timetable in the article above)
Metro: On week days the last metro is at midnight. Remember that there is no direct metro line from Barcelona city centre to the airport, you have to change lines so it is essential to check the timetables and check your connection.
Please check the timetables linked to in the article to make sure.
Hi Richard,
Thank’s for your reply.The area of my hotel is called “Condinella” and I’m leaving the barcelona towards the airport on thursday at night.
May I ask you another question? please let me know when the validation of Hola travel card starts?
I mean if today I buy 2days Hola card, can I use it from tommorrow or the validation stats from the day which I have bought it?
Thank’s
Hi Kavoosi,
I’m afraid I don’t know of a neighbourhood in Barcelona called Condinella.
When I searched for it on Google I only found a street in Manresa which is a town just outside Barcelona.
Is this where you mean?
If not, could you tell me the exact address of your hotel please?
The validation of the Hola Barcelona travel card starts when you pass it through the machine at the ticket barrier at the train or metro station for the first time. Or in the ticket stamping machines on the buses or trams.
This means that if the first time you use the card to travel is 11;00 am on Sunday then you can continue to use it until 10:59 am on Tuesday. The card is valid for 48 hours from the first time you use it, NOT from when you purchase it.
Hi Richard,
That’s right. My hotel is located in Manresa and Ithink the area is called Catalonia.
I know it’s a bit faraway from of the central of barcelona, but I dont know how far it is exactly.I also would be pleased if let me know wether the Hola barcelona card
covers this area or not ang how can I get to the airport from there ?
Thank’s alot.
Hi Kavoosi,
Manresa is approximately 65km from Barcelona.
The Hola Barcelona transport pass is only valid for transport zone 1 (basically Barcelona and a few outlying towns) whereas Manresa is in zone 5.
Manresa can be reached from Barcelona by commuter train line R4, Renfe middle distance trains and FGC line R5. There are also buses run by Sagales and Autocares Julia. (I’ve linked to the relevant websites so you can check which works out best for you)
I think that the most convenient and economical way to get from Manresa to Barcelona airport by public transport would be to take the R4 train to Barcelona Sants and then R2 Nord from there to Barcelona Airport T2.
If you are flying from BCN terminal 1, there is a free shuttle bus which connects between the two airport terminals.
Hi Richard,
thank’s a lot for all things and useful information which you gave me.
Hello Richard
great article ! comprehensive & great suggestions!
very easy to understand too.
need your advise.
We have 4ppl, travelling from Singapore. 4 chk-in luggage + hand carry bags as well.
1. we land at terminal 1 for Singapore airlines ?
2. best mode of transport to Sagrada famillia?
We’ll be staying at Lodging Apartments Sagrada Familia, Rossellon, is the station far from the hotel?
3. we hv dilemma on these: hassle of bags dragging for train changing and stairs involved during journey.
4. Or, one single taxi might not be able to accommodate all 4 of us and all the luggage. we do not wish to have separate transport.
5. any other suggestions?
6. we have 5 days in Barcelona. is driving conducive? or public transport is better as was told parking is difficult for city & most attractions.
thank you in advance for sharing !
Hi Sam,
Thanks for the feedback, I’m glad you found the post helpful.
To answer your questions:
Q1) That is correct, Singapore Airlines use terminal one.
Q2) & Q3) I’m not familiar with these apartments and from what I can make out via Google they have several apartments in the same area. Do you have the exact address?
Assuming that the nearest metro station is Sagrada Familia (if you tell me the address I’ll check this for you) then to get there by public transport with minimum possible “bag dragging” I’d say your best bet would be to take the metro L9 sud from the airport to Collblanc then L5 (blue line) to Sagrada Familia. When change metro lines at Collblanc it’s best to take the elevator instead of the escalators since L9 sud is very deep and there are 6 or 7 escalators (I lost count lol).
But to be honest with 4 people and 2 bags each I think that a taxi would be a good choice and would work out at about €8 per person (depending on the time of arrival).
The only exception would be if you arrive on a Friday afternoon at between about 4 and 6pm because at this time there is often a lot of traffic entering the city from the airport direction causing traffic jams in which case it may be quicker to catch the metro.
Q4) There are usually plenty of larger taxis (“people carriers” and 7 seaters) which should have enough room for 4 people with suitcases (unless your luggage is really large). When you get to the taxi rank tell the taxi warden that you are travelling together and he/she will allocate you a suitable cab.
Q5) About transport from the airport? As above, for 4 people I think that a taxi will be a good choice.
Q6) NO! You were told right, parking is very difficult unless you pay for a car park and you would end up spending more on parking than on public transport. Not to mention the car hire cost and fuel.
To give you an idea, I own a car but the only time that I use it to move around within Barcelona is when I need to transport stuff around. Normally I use the metro, it works out both cheaper and faster.
This is the most comprehensive and clear post on travelling from the airport to the city I have read and unfortunately I read a few before I got here!!!!
Arriving T2 at 22.15 with cabin luggage only.hoping to get 22.38 train to Passeig de Gracia,then metro to Diagonal but if we missed that train would consider the L9 metro.Where would we change over from it for Diagonal?(which is only metres from our hotel)
Hi Bronagh,
Thanks for your comments, I’m glad you found the article helpful.
Which day of the week are you arriving?
The reason I ask is that from Sunday to Thursday the last metro departs at midnight.
On Friday nights the last metro is at 2am (Saturday morning) and the metro doesn’t close on Saturday nights (it runs thru to Sunday midnight).
This means that if you are arriving on Friday or Saturday night then you could change from L9 sud to L5 at Collblanc.
However if you are arriving on any other day and miss the last train at 23:38, then you will also miss the connection at Collblanc. In which case you’d have to catch a night bus.
The N2 stops near Collblanc metro and would take you to Plaça de Catalunya from where you could catch another night bus (N4) to near your hotel.
Having said that, I think that if you miss the last train (assuming that you aren’t arriving on Friday or Saturday) then you’d be better off catching either the Aerobus or the night bus from the airport straight to Plaça de Catalunya. Then a night bus or taxi from there to your hotel.
Hope this helps!
Sorry.Should have mentioned day!We are arriving this Sunday to T2 at 10.15.With cabin baggage only,do you think we’ll make the 22.38 train?If not and we head straight for the metro,how would that work out?
That should read 22.15!
Hi Bronagh,
Sorry, I misread your original comment and when I answered was thinking that your flight landed at 23:15!
So, landing at 22:15 tomorrow, hand luggage only!
If your flight lands on time and you hurry you should manage to catch the 22:38.
The airport metro station at T2 is next to (and just past) the train station so if you miss the train just keep going to the metro.
Best route by metro (as mentioned before) is to change at Collblanc to the L5 line for Diagonal.
But to be honest, if it was me I’d just take it easy and aim to catch the train at 23:08 instead :-)
Mainly because you can use the T10 ticket on the train which means it is cheaper (this is discussed in other comments below) but the train is also slightly faster than the metro for this location.
Also, travelling with just hand luggage, personally I wouldn’t bother taking the metro one stop from Passeig de Gràcia to Diagonal. You can walk it in about 5 minutes or so and even at night it’s very scenic.
The exit from the train station is just in front of Casa Batlló and the Mansana de la Discòrdia. You then walk along Passeig de Gràcia to Diagonal, passing the Pedrera on your right.
Have fun in Barcelona and let me know which option you chose and how it worked out for you.
I was wondering alright!
Based on what you’re saying now,we’ll definitely opt for the train.
Thanks for the great advice.
Hi, we are arriving late in the evening on 28.05 at the airport., and I have booked a HolaBCN already.
I have read about the new metro L9 sud. Do you have a hint how to get to the Princess Hotel, seems to be difficult and changing the lines many times. L9 – L1 – T4 ?
Hi Robert,
How late will you be arriving exactly?
One of the reasons that I ask is that since you’ve already purchased your Hola BCN travel pass online you will probably want to pick it up at the tourist information office at the airport which closes at 8:30 PM. It also affects which mode of transport will be best.
Anyway, although the airport metro is possibly the simplest way to get to your hotel by public transport as far as route finding is concerned but it’s also the slowest. Not to mention the fact that you have to change lines twice (as you already know).
Note that if you do end up deciding to use the airport metro I’d suggest L9sud – L1 – L4 (rather than T4). This will take around an hour and a half.
To save time and minimise the number of changes of line, while still using public transport and depending on which terminal your flight lands at, I’d suggest the following:
Terminal T1; Take bus number 46 from the airport to Gran Via – Quimica then bus number H16 to Fòrum. This will take about an hour and a quarter. Note that these are normal public buses and don’t have much space for luggage.
Terminal T2; Take the train from the airport (R2 nord) to Passeig de Gràcia and from there catch the metro line 4 (yellow line) to El Maresme/ Fòrum. This will take about an hour.
Note that these routes are partly dependant on how late you will be arriving. If you let me know when your flight arrives and at which terminal I’ll be able to give better advice.
Alternatively a taxi will take about twenty five minutes.
Hi Richard
Thank you for your response. We will arrive at T2 around 11pm.
I also thought about taxi but this will cost approx 50€.
The time is not that important, we will have side seeing BCN at night :)
Regards
Robert
Hi Robert,
If your flight lands at T2 at 11:00 pm you should be able to catch the last train which departs the airport train station at 23:38.
Check out the To the train station from terminal 2 section above to familiarize yourself with the route though because it generally takes about half an hour to get from the plane to baggage reclaim, pick up your luggage and exit customs.
If on the other hand you’re only travelling with hand luggage then you’ll have plenty of time.
You shouldn’t hang around when you get to Passeig de Gràcia train station either because you’ll be catching the last metro of the night!
The photo in this article is basically you’re route.
Look out for the pictograms indicating L4 when you alight the train.
When you get to the L4 metro platform you’ll see that there are LED signs which indicate how long you have to wait for the next metro. If all goes well you should have a few minutes to spare :-)
Four persons. Arriving at Sants via TGV from Paris Saturday afternoon. Need transport suggestions for the following:
1. Sants station to Carrer D’Ausias Marc , 27
2. Carrer D’Ausias Marc , 27 to Sombrerers, 23, ent 1a. 08003 Barcelona
3. Sombrerers, 23, ent 1a. 08003 Barcelona to Airport (Tuesday @8am).
We plan to walk throughout the city during our stay, but may take public transport.
Thank you!
Hi Scott,
From Barcelona Sants to your first apartment I’d suggest you catch a local train (rodalies). Lines R1, R3 and R4 all stop at the Arc de Triomf train station which is a short walk from your apartment (assuming you don’t have too much luggage).
This might work out to be free since most long distance train tickets in Spain (AVE, TALGO etc.) include free transfers on local trains. More information here. The only doubt that I have is that since your train is coming from France I’m unsure whether the ticket will include the connection.
If the ticket has the words “Combinado Cercanias” followed by a five letter code then you’re good to go.
Either way, I’d appreciate it if you would leave comment and let me know.
If not I suggest you purchase a T10 and catch the train anyway.
Talking of the T10, for a group whose main mode of transport in the city will be on foot with the occasional metro ride I definitely recommend you purchase a T10 travel card.
The card can be shared between you and is valid for 10 individual journeys. Simply pass the ticket through the machine at the barriers once for each person in the group and you will see that the journeys used up get stamped off on the back of the card.
The two apartments are about a 15 minute walk from each other through a pleasant and scenic part of the city. So, once again assuming you don’t have too much luggage, personally I’d walk it.
Lastly , to get to the airport on the Tuesday morning I’d suggest a Taxi which split between the 4 of you will only cost about €8 each and will save you time.
Alternatively, the cheapest option would be to take the metro L4 to Passeig de Gràcia then the train to terminal T2 and then if necessary the shuttle bus from T2 to T1. This journey is covered by your T10 and is explained in more detail above.
Hope this helps, have a great time in Barcelona
Richard- your suggestion worked well today- thank you.
My ticket did not include “Combinado Cercanias”. I was advised by station personnel that my ticket (purchased from Loco2; Paris to Barcelona) did not allow for the free transfer to local transportation.
We will take a taxi back to the airport- more expensive, but will save time and stress.
Hi Scott,
Glad it worked out for you and thanks for the update.
Hi Richard,
We are travelling to BCN airport on the 16th may. However, we need to get to GHT S’agaro Mar hotel, I have heard that the best option is to take a bus from estacion de nord to san feliu de guixol… I have purchased a BCN travel card and was wondering if this would get us all the way? Any hints and suggestions as to the best route would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Jay
Hi Jay,
What time does your flight land?
SARFA run 5 buses per day from Barcelona el Prat airport to Sant Feliu de Guixols.
You can check the timetable here.
If that doesn’t suit, let me know what time your plane lands and in which terminal and I’ll give you some other options.
Buses to Sant Feliu de Guixols aren’t covered by the Hola BCN travel pass.
Hi Richard,
I’ll be travelling to Barcelona in 2 days.
will arrived at T1 EL Prat around 9am.
apt in carrier di’ escorial (passeig de gracia area)
what would be the best transport from Airport to the apt ?
Thanks in advance
nikita
Hi Nikita,
The nearest metro station to Carrer de l’escorial is Joanic which is 3 stops on the yellow line (L4) from Passeig de Gràcia train station.
If I were you (assuming you’re not carrying too much luggage) I’d take the free shuttle bus from T1 to T2 and then take the train to Passeig de Gràcia followed by the metro to Joanic.
The train and metro stations at Passeig de Gràcia are linked together so you just need to follow the signs to the L4.
If you purchase a T10 travel card from the ticket machines at the airport train station this will work out at just under €1 for the entire journey.
Getting from T1 to the train station at T2 is explained in detail in the article above.
You might also want to check the exact location of your apartment on a map since, if I’m not mistaken, Carrer de l’escorial runs uphill from the Joanic metro stop.
Good day, I have one question. Me and my boyfriend will land in Barcelona at 19.35. What is the best way to get from Barcelona el Prat to Carrer de la Renaixenca?
Thank you in advance
Hi Elena,
My first choice would be to purchase a T10 travel card (you can share one between the two of you) and take the train from terminal 2 to Passeig de Gràcia followed by the metro (yellow line L4) to Guinardó – Hospital de Sant Pau.
If you are landing at T1 there is a free shuttle bus which runs between terminals.
A taxi would be faster and cost between €35 and €40
Hi Richard,i have been on your blog for some days and tried to go through almost all the articles and comments,it iswell loaded and helpful to say the least.Pls i will be coming to bercelona by 11th may through turkish airways and so will like to know which terminal we are landing at.Secondly,our hostel is in st.christopher inn so what will be the appropriate means of transport i learn the hostel is in the city centre.Thirdly,we are spending three days with my friend can you recommend best places and how to go about them,how is the weather like in Bercelona now.Your kind response will highly be appreciated
Hi Steph,
Thanks for your comment, I’m glad you find the site helpful
Turkish Airlines flights usually land in terminal T1 but I recommend you check this either in the email that you received when you booked or on a flight tracking website like Flightview.
The St. Christopher inn is right next to Plaça de Catalunya so I suggest that you take the Aerobus from the airport. It will take you less than 5 minutes to walk from the Aerobus stop to your hotel, Plaça de Catalunya is the last stop.
What to do, depends on your tastes but top of my list would be visiting the Sagrada Familia, exploring the Gothic quarter, Park Güell and the other Modernista buildings such as the Hospital de Sant Pau, Casa Batllo and the Palau de la Musica. You should spend some time at the beach, in the Park de la Ciutadela and on Montjuïc mountain etc…
I’m also a big fan of the MACBA and MNAC museums.
At some point I plan to write a series of itineraries but unfortunately haven’t had time to do this yet. In the meantime this blog post from ir Barcelona will give you some ideas.
If you’ve never visited Barcelona before then you could start off with an open top bus tour to get an overview of the city and then decide which sites you want to go back to later.
This week the weather has been cooler than usual for this time of year and it has rained a couple of days. Having said that the previous 3 weekends were warm and sunny and both tourists and locals were on the beach. You can expect to be in a T-shirt at mid-day and then a light jacket and maybe a jumper early in the morning and in the evenings. You should also bring an umbrella or waterproof jacket because the weather tends to be changeable during May.
Me and my girlfriend are arriving at BCN airport on 21.4.2017 at 9.30am, what would be better the train or aerobus to get to NH Barcelona Podium hotel Carrer de bailen,
thanks
Hi Ray,
For this location I think it’s better to take the train.
If you arrive at terminal T2 catch the R2 Nord train from the airport to Barcelona Sants and then either the R1, R3 or R4 train from there to Arc de Triomf train station. It’s a short walk from the train station to your hotel.
If you land at T1 take the free shuttle bus from Terminal T1 to T2 then the train as above.
Thanks Richard
Hi,
Father son team, both adults, landing at 9.00 am on a week day at T1. Staying at an hotel in eixample. Planning to buy BCN card before arriving. Hotel check in is in the afternoon, so no rush. Like to know, if metro is safe to get to our hotel, heard stories about pick pocketing. Just 1 suitcase each.
What are your thoughts on this. Thanks
Hi Mo,
Barcelona has earned a bit of a reputation for pickpocketing and it’s true that the metro is one of the places where pickpockets operate.
Having said that, they are mainly a problem when it’s crowded and by the time you arrive the metro shouldn’t be that busy.
Here’s a blog post which I found recently with some good general advice of how to prevent yourself from becoming a victim. It’s mostly common sense but worth reading.
In my experience its highly unlikely that you’ll have any problems but if you are worried then a taxi from the airport will only cost around €30 (depending on the exact distance and time taken).
We are staying at hotel sagrada familia, what is the cheapest way to get from Bcn terminal 1 ?
Hello Niran,
The cheapest way will be to purchase a T10 travel pass from the ticket machines at the airport train station and take the train to Barcelona Sants then transfer to the metro and take L5 (the blue line) to Sagrada Familia.
You don’t say how many people are travelling with you but one T10 can be shared between up to 10 people and costs just under 1€ per journey.
As described above, the airport train station is at terminal 2 so first you will need to catch the free shuttle bus from terminal one to terminal 2 (more information about this in the article above).
If you will be using public transport a lot during your stay you could also consider purchasing a HolaBCN transport pass which has the advantage that it is valid on the airport metro (see the By Metro section above).
If you choose this option then you would catch the L9 sud metro from terminal 1 to Collblanc and then the L5 from there to Sagrada famillia.
Both options will take approximately an hour to get from the airport terminal T1 to your hotel near to La Sagrada Familia.
I will be staying in vilanova park and i was just wondering if i purchase the BCN Hola card can i get from barcelona city to vilanova park while using this card or will I have to purchase a seperate ticket.Is children under 16 the same price as a adults in barcelona city.Can the BCN Hola card allow you to go to tarragona and what does the card include.
Hi Rebel,
Unfortunately the HolaBCN travel card won’t get you to Vilanova or Tarragona.
The pass is only valid for transport zone 1, basically Barcelona city, Badalona and Hospitalet. More information about Barcelona transport zones here.
The hola BCN pass allows unlimited journeys on public transport run by TMB (the Barcelona Metropolitan Transport company) within travel zone 1. This includes the metro, tram and most buses as well as RENFE commuter trains (called rodalies) and includes the train, bus and metro from the airport. Notable exceptions are the night bus, aerobus and FGC trains and the bus turistic.
Children under four years old travel for free, older children have to purchase a full adult fare ticket.
The only exception is that local residents under 25 years can purchase a 90 day T Jove which starts from €105.
Renfe train from El Prat Airport T2 to Passeig de Gracia?
Hi there, we are flying with Easyjet and arrive at T2, we are planning to take the renfe train from El Prat Airport T2, to Passeig de Gracia.
(1) Do we have to change at any stops or do we just get off at Passeig de Gracia ?
(2) How do I know if this is right station to get off (Passeig de Gracia)? Will train driver calls the station out when it arrives?
(3) How many stops from Airport to Passeig de Gracia? What is the best way to ensure I am get off at correct station?
There are 3 of us, and we are first time been to Barcelona. Please help.
Thanks!
Hi Henry,
To answer your questions:
(1) There’s no need to change trains, the train runs direct from the airport to your stop. You get off at the fourth station.
(2) The stops are normally (but not always) announced over the train’s loud speaker system.
There are also information screens inside the train carriages which display the name of the next station.
Older trains have a LED dot matrix type display above the doors which alternate between displaying the name of the next stop (in Spanish and Catalan language) and the current time and outside temperature.
The newer trains have similar displays above the doors plus colour screens (like computer screens) which alternate between displaying the name of the next station and the train’s final destination in large letters in the main part of the screen plus route details in smaller letters on the bottom part of the screen. The information displayed alternates between English, Catalan and Spanish languages.
Screens are located at just above head height at each end of the carriage and near the doors.
I’ve uploaded some photos here to show you what I mean.
(3) Passeig de Gràcia is the 4th stop.
You shouldn’t have any problem, the stations are well indicated and plenty of people will get off at your stop so you will have time to check where you are.
There are also signs on the platforms which you can see from the train.
Thank you very much for reply! Much Appreciate!
Best regards
I just read about Cabify and wonder what you think of that as an option? I have a family of 4 going from the airport to Barri Gotic and am considering this (or else a taxi).
Hi Olivia,
I’ve not used Cabify myself, there are always plenty of taxis waiting at the taxi ranks at Barcelona airport so there’s no real need to book one in advance.
You can compare prices between the app and the official taxi route planner linked to in the article above.
Thank you for the detailed information!! I will travel tomorrow and this blog post helped me a lot!
:)
Hi Nancy,
You’re welcome, enjoy your stay in Barcelona!
Hi. We are arriving 10pm on a sunday. Staying at the Sant Agusti hotel. Four women. What is the safest way to travel to hotel
Hi Erika,
A taxi from the airport to your hotel will cost about €8 per person (depending on which terminal you arrive at).
Hi Richard,
I will be taking the train from Madrid to Barcelona in March 2017. I heard with the AVE ticket, I can get on the Rodalies (commuter rail) connection from the Barcelona Sants station to Pl. Catalunya for free. Is this true? If it is, what do I need to do for the connection. If not , will I be able to use the 10-trip “Metrobus” ticket on the Rodalies for this connection?
Also, does it apply in Madrid too? Can I take the commuter rail from my hotel at Sol to Madrid Atocha Train Station?
Thanks for your help.
Yvonne
Hi Yvonne,
Thanks for your very timely comment. I started writing a post about this last December but never got round to finishing it!
You can now read the finished post here.
As you will see the answer is yes, your AVE ticket entitles you to a free commuter train ticket in both Barcelona and Madrid. However, it’s essential that you get the free ticket from the machines, you can’t just get on the commuter trains with your AVE ticket.
When you get off the train at Barcelona Sants and enter the main station concourse turn right. You will see ticket machines where you can print your free rodalies train ticket next to the entrance to the commuter trains platforms. Lines R1, RG1, R3 and R4 all stop at Barcelona Sants and Plaça de Catalunya.
Thank you very much for help. You will save me a lot of time. Enjoy your day.
We will travel from Houston to London, and arrive Barcelona on May 13th, 2017 at 10:20 pm and we will stay at Pension Palacio. Can you please let us know how to get from the airport to our hostel? Do you know about tax free duty because we are planing to buy some brandname clothes and wondering where we should claim it, at Barcelona or London airport? Since UK left the EU.
Thank you for your help.
Hi Ann,
To be honest, arriving in a city which I’m not familiar with at 10:20pm I’d probably take a taxi. Especially since you arrive on a Saturday night, I’d prefer to get to the hotel as quickly as possible and then go out and start enjoying the nightlife!
Having said that, since you are staying in a Pension I guess that you are on a tight budget, right?
If you are arriving at terminal T2 then I suggest you catch the train to Barcelona – Passeig de Gràcia then take the metro L4 (yellow line) 3 stops from there to the Barceloneta.
If you purchase a T10 ticket from the machines at the airport train station this will cost €1 per person and depending on connections will take about an hour.
If you are landing at T1 and are travelling with only hand luggage then you could do the same. First you need to catch the free shuttle bus to terminal T2 which takes about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on your watch but you should have plenty of time to catch the last train which leaves the airport at 23:38 and if you are lucky you will probably be able to catch the 23:08 train.
If you are arriving at T1 with checked bags, you may well miss the last train. In my experience it takes between 30 and 40 minutes for checked luggage to arrive at the luggage carousels at Terminal T1.
In this case you could take the aerobus to Plaça de la Universitat then take the N8 night bus from there to Plaça Pau Vila which is near your hotel. You could also take a night bus from the airport but it would take longer.
As for claiming back VAT. As an EU resident, it’s not something which I’ve ever done but I believe that you have to get the tax forms stamped by the customs officials in the last EU country which you are visiting.
Despite last years BREXIT vote, the UK is currently still a member of the EU and will continue to be until some time in 2019. So as far as I understand it, if you are staying in London after Barcelona you will have to get the tax forms stamped by customs before you check your luggage in for the flight from London to Houston.
If you are only in London in transit then you should get the forms stamped in Barcelona at the airport before you check in.
There’s some general information about tax refunds for tourists here.
Thank you Richard for your information. It’s very helpful. I am thinking to take a taxi on Sat night as your recommendation.
We just stop by London for transit so on the way we come back to Houston so as you said, we can claim tax duty refund at the last country we visit, it means Barcelona airport. Thanks for clearing it.
We will be in Barcelona only 2 days and then head to Rome. Some traveler recomends we should take a bus tour ( Barcelona bus turistic) around the city, red and blue lines so we can stop by any places and then continue the route. Is it a good idea, Richard?
Hi Ann,
Good choice. Although I generally prefer to use public transport, when arriving late I think that it’s worth paying a little extra for a taxi to get to you hotel quickly.
As for the Bus Turistic, I’ve not used it in Barcelona but have used similar services in other European cities. Especially since you are only here for a couple of days, I think that it’s a good way to get an overview of the city. Once you’ve done the tour you can decide which areas you want to go back to and spend more time in later.
You can get 10% discount if you buy your tickets online form the official Barcelona tourism website
Hi,
I am staying in Hotel BestPrice Gracia Hotel. Our plane arrive at 8 : 40pm.
Could you please tell me what is the best way to get from Terminal T2 to our hotel.
Please explained me the road by Aerobus and Metro.
Thank You
Hi Meri,
If I were you I’d take the airport train from the station at BCN terminal T2 to Barcelona – Passeig de Gràcia station and then the metro (yellow line L4) 3 stops from there to Joanic metro station. Your hotel is 4 blocks from the metro station. If you purchase a T10 multi-trip ticket from the machines at the airport then the whole journey will cost just under one Euro.
If you want to take the aerobus, you’ll need to catch the aerobus to either Plaça de Espanya or Plaça de Catalunya. Then take the metro red line (L1) to Urquinaona and the yellow line from there to Joanic. I normally recommend the aerobus to people who are staying in Barcelona city centre but in your case I think that the train is a better choice.
We are staying at the Barcelona city novotel.
We will only have carry on bags.
We arrive by easyjet. What is the best way to get to this hotel from el prat airport.
Hi Lee,
I’m always a bit wary of the term “best way” which is pretty subjective depending on how you rate things like time, price and convenience.
The Barcelona City Novotel is at Av. Diagonal number 201 – right?
The hotel is near the Glories metro stop so If I were you (assuming you’re arriving between about 05:30 and 23:30 – check the timetables above) I’d catch the train and then metro. If you purchase a T10 travel pass this would cost you just under 1 Euro per person.
Your easyJet flight lands at Terminal T2B, as you come out of security / luggage reclaim turn left and follow the yellow line on the floor and signs to the train station. You don’t need to go outside, the terminal is connected by a covered foot bridge directly to the airport train station.
Buy a T10 travel pass from the ticket machines at the train station (the T10 costs €9.95 and can be shared between several of you) and take the train 5 stops to El Clot – Aragó train station.
The train arrives at platform 2, from here take the escalator up to the vestibule. The train station and metro station are linked together. Once again there’s no need to go outside… Simply go through the ticket barriers then walk straight ahead, up a short flight of about 4 steps then up another escalator. At the top of the escalator turn right then follow the passageway round the corner, past the dunking donuts (or something similar) and to the metro station.
You’ll have to pass your T10 ticket thru the ticket barrier again to get access to the metro but this time it won’t get stamped (the entire journey counts as one trip). From here you take the red metro line (Line 1) one stop to Glories.
When you arrive at the Glories metro station take the Plaça de les Glories exit which is just a few metres from your hotel. As you come out of the metro you’ll see the Torre Agbar building. Your hotel is just past that.
The train takes about 30 minutes and total journey time should be around 45 minutes to an hour depending on how lucky you are with connections.
Alternatively you could take a taxi which would cost around €35 and would take around 25 minutes (depending on the time of day).
Enjoy your stay in Barcelona and if you have any more questions feel free to ask.
Richard:
VERY helpful site and terrific replies. I am also staying at the Barcelona City Novotel next week but I am arriving at terminal 1. Do you also advise taking the train and then transfer to the metro or should we take the metro directly from Terminal 1 and just transfer lines?
WE are arriving midday on a Friday and staying just through Monday, departing on a 6:30 am flight on Tuesday. We love to walk so should we purchase the T10 or the Hola unlimited transport card?
What do you recommend for the return to the airport since the flight is so early?
Many thanks
Hi Amy,
I’m going to answer the second part of your question first:
Since you enjoy walking (and Barcelona is a fantastic city for walking) then I recommend you purchase the T10. The Hola BCN card only works out cheaper if you take public transport more than 6 times per day.
If you enjoy walking and plan your itinerary in a logical way you shouldn’t need to take public transport more than 4 times per day on average, especially since you arrive at midday and leave early morning.
Remember that the T10 can be shared between two or more people so you just buy one and then buy another when it runs out. The advantage of the HolaBCN is that you can buy one for the duration of your journey and then don’t need to worry about how many times you take the metro, bus or tram. Great if you like to do your planning on the fly.
Back to your first question…
From T1 both of the options you mentioned will take about the same length of time to get to your hotel (the train is faster but there’s the additional shuttle bus from T1 to T2 – see above). The T10 isn’t valid for the L9 sud airport metro whereas the HolaBCN pass is. Meaning that if you’re going to purchase the T10 you should take the train from T2.
As for the return journey. Most airlines recommend that you are at the airport 2 hours before international flights. Which means you need you need to be at the airport at 4:30 am.
At this time there are 2 possibilities:
The night bus which will take about an hour and 45 minutes. Take the N7 from in front of the Glories shopping centre (opposite your hotel) to Plaça Universitat then N17 from there to the airport. The night buses are covered by the T10 ticket whereas the Hola BCN travel pass is NOT valid for the night bus.
The other option would be a taxi which would take half an hour and cost approximately €40 (there’s a surcharge at this time of night – see tariffs above)
Personally I’d take a taxi and enjoy an extra hour and a half in bed :-)
Enjoy Barcelona and let us know which options you chose and how it worked out for you!
Thanks so much for your very prompt and thorough reply. Much appreciated. The return trip will have to be by taxi. Do we ask the hotel to arrange for that and is there an additional surcharge or should it just be @ 40 euros (is that set rate or by meter?)
Will probably opt for the t10 ticket and the train upon arrival.
Also I am a vegan so I also really appreciated your list of vegetarian restaurants.
Now I just have to figure out the best ones not to miss!!
One again thanks for a great website filled with useful info.
Hi Amy,
You could ask the hotel to call you a taxi but there would be a surcharge added.
You could also try to flag a taxi down in the street or there is a taxi rank just round the corner from your hotel (behind the sheraton four points hotel), you may have to wait a few minutes at this time of night.
Another option would be to use the MyTaxi app which doesn’t add any surcharges as far as I am aware.
The €40 is just a rough estimate for this time of night. All taxis in Barcelona are metered. When you arrive at the airport the driver will press buttons on the meter to add the relevant supplements.
In your case this will include a supplement for the airport drop off and for the early departure. There will also be a supplement if you have large suitcases.
The taxi will have a sticker like this in the window with more information.
As for the vegetarian restaurants, my current favourites are Sésamo and Rasoterra. Both are very popular so at the weekend it’s best to book.
I’m glad that you’ve found my site useful, please tell your friends!
Incredibly helpful-thank you for this! I’ll recommend to anyone I know visiting Barcelona. Much appreciated!
Thanks Erica,
I’m glad you found it helpful!