Sitges is a beach town located thirty-five kilometres south of Barcelona. Once a sleepy fishing village, the picturesque narrow streets of the old town, sandy beaches and lively nightlife have been attracting tourists since the nineteenth century.
If you’re flying into Barcelona and planning to spend a few days in Sitges, you might be wondering how to get from Barcelona Airport to Sitges. In this post, we explore all the available transfer options so that you can choose the one that suits you best.
In a hurry?
A taxi from Barcelona airport to Sitges costs around €60 and takes about 35 minutes. There’s a regular bus service from Terminal 1 for €8, which takes 50 minutes. Alternatively, you can catch the train from Terminal 2 for €4.60, which takes around 45 minutes and involves changing trains at Barcelona El Prat de Llobregat.
Keep reading for more information…
From Barcelona Airport to Sitges by Taxi
There are taxi ranks at both terminals of Barcelona airport and, no matter when your flight arrives; there are always plenty of taxis available.
Barcelona taxis are black and yellow and are mostly licensed to carry up to four passengers, although there are also larger minivan-type taxis available which can carry up to six people.
Taxis are metered, and when travelling from the airport, at the end of the journey, you will be charged what is shown on the meter, plus an additional fee for airport pickup and additional passengers and luggage, which is added upon arrival.
A taxi from Barcelona airport will cost around €60, although the exact price will vary depending on where you are staying, the time of your journey, and how much traffic you encounter. You may also have to pay a supplement for more than four passengers and for extra luggage, although hand luggage is transported free of charge.
There’s more information about Barcelona taxis in this post >>
Taxis at Terminal 1
The taxi rank at terminal one is one level below arrivals. After you pick up your luggage and clear security, you go through a pair of sliding doors and come to a metal barrier where there are usually people waiting for friends and family.
Directly behind the metal barrier, there’s a ramp which takes you down to the taxi rank (see photo below). The rank is organized by uniformed taxi marshals who direct passengers to the next available taxi. If there are more than four people at your party, you can ask the taxi marshals to allocate you a six-seater taxi, although you may have to wait a few minutes.
Taxis at Terminal 2
Terminal two is divided into three sections A, B and C. Most flights arrive at Terminal 2B, except for easyJet flights, which arrive at Terminal 2C.
The main taxi rank at Terminal 2 is located on the road outside Terminal 2B. There is also a smaller taxi rank outside Terminal 2C, although there often aren’t many taxis there, so you may have to walk to the taxi rank outside Terminal 2B.
If your flight arrives at Terminal 2B, after collecting your luggage and clearing security, you go through a pair of sliding doors to the airport lobby, where you’ll see a large open-plan snack bar. Just to the left of the snack bar, there’s 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.
If your flight lands at Terminal 2C, after collecting your luggage and clearing security, you go through a pair of sliding doors which lead to the check-in area. The taxi rank is on the road outside. If there aren’t any taxis available, walk straight ahead, past the bus stops, to the taxi rank at Terminal 2B, which is about 100m away.
From Barcelona Airport to Sitges by Bus
Local bus company Bus Garraf operate a regular coach service from the bus station at Barcelona Airport Terminal 1 to Sitges. The journey takes about fifty minutes and costs €8 per passenger.
On weekdays there are one or two departures every hour, one per hour on Saturdays and slightly less on Sundays and public holidays. You can check the exact timetables here. The bus stops at five locations in Sitges, so it’s worth checking which stop is nearest to your hotel or apartment before travelling.
Tickets can be purchased from the ticket machine at the bus station or from the driver. The ticket machine pictured below accepts cards and contactless payments. The drivers can only accept cash, either coins or small denomination notes.
There’s space inside the bus for small backpacks or handbags. Larger items get stowed in the luggage storage area underneath the bus.
The bus station is one level down from the arrivals hall at Terminal One. After collecting your luggage and clearing security, you go through a pair of sliding doors which lead to the main entrance hall of terminal one.
Once through the doors, you’ll see an open-plan snack bar called Go Natural and a ramp down to the taxis. Walk past the snack bar and continue straight ahead until you come to a pair of sliding doors leading to the Metro and the bus station (see photo below).
Take the escalators down to the metro station and then turn hard left at the bottom of the escalator, almost doubling back on yourself. There’s a sign on the wall with a bus stop icon and the word Intercity. You then go through another set of sliding doors which lead to a small bus station.
The bus to Sitges departs from bays 7 to 12, which are on the right as you enter the bus station. There’s a screen on the wall in front of the buses which displays upcoming departures, as well as a board with timetables. The ticket vending machines are located by the wall on your right, just before you come to the bus stands.
There are a few benches where you can sit and wait for the bus. Alternatively, if you’ve got to wait for more than a few minutes, there’s a small café and newsagent next to the escalator which brought you down to the bus station.
Despite the fact that the route is operated by Bus Garraf, most of the buses display the name PLANA on the side, as they are owned by Bus Plana. To ensure you board the correct bus, check the display above the windscreen or ask the driver.
If your flight lands at Terminal Two and you plan to take the bus to Sitges, there’s a free shuttle bus which takes about twelve minutes and departs every five minutes. There’s more information about the shuttle bus in this post. Alternatively, you could take the metro, but this would add €5.15 to the cost of the journey.
From Barcelona Airport to Sitges by Train
If you want to travel from Barcelona Airport to Sitges by train, you’ll need to change trains at El Prat de Llobregat, which is the first stop after leaving the airport.
The airport train station is located at Terminal 2 and is accessible through a covered footbridge from Terminal 2B.
Once you’ve collected your luggage and passed through security, you’ll come to a pair of sliding doors that lead to the check-in area. Turn left and follow the signs, past the tourist information and check-in counters until you reach the escalators shown in the photo below.
You’ll find several signs pointing you towards the train station, along with a yellow line painted on the ground. Both escalators will take you up to the bridge that leads to the train station.
It takes about five minutes to walk from Terminal 2B arrivals to the train station. If your flight landed at Terminal 2C, which is used exclusively by easyJet, you simply need to walk past the taxi rank and the bus stops to Terminal 2B and then follow the directions above.
If your flight landed at Terminal 1 and you decide to take the train to Sitges, then there’s a free shuttle bus which takes about six minutes to travel from terminal one to terminal two. There’s more information about the shuttle bus in this post.
The airport train station is the first stop on the R2 Nord line, and trains depart every thirty minutes at eight minutes past the hour and thirty-eight minutes past the hour. You can check the timetables here.
The train from the airport stops at Platform 2 at El Prat de Llobregat station. The train to Sitges departs from Platform 1. If both trains are running to schedule, you normally have about ten minutes to change platforms, which is plenty of time.
Trains from El Prat de Llobregat to Sitges have a final destination of Vilanova I la Geltru.
When changing trains, take the escalator up from platform two, turn left, walk across the hallway and take the other escalator down to Platform 1. You can’t really go wrong since there are only three platforms at the station.
Tickets cost €4.60 and can be purchased from the ticket machines at the train station or from the ticket kiosk. The machines accept cash, cards and contactless payments.
If you plan to travel into Barcelona several times during your stay, or if you are travelling as a group, it may be more cost-effective to purchase a 3-zone travel pass such as the T- casual or T-familiar. There’s more information about travel passes in this post and more information about Barcelona transport zones here.
From Barcelona Airport to Sitges by Private Transfer
If you prefer to have someone waiting for you at the airport when your flight lands, 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 which is 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.
Book your private airport transfer online
From Barcelona Airport to Sitges by Rental Car
If you plan to visit other towns and villages during your stay, then you may prefer to rent a car at the airport and drive to Sitges. Having said that, rental companies charge a premium for airport pickups, so it may be more economical to wait and pick the car up in Sitges. I recommend that you compare prices online at DiscoverCars.com before making a decision.
It takes approximately thirty minutes to drive from Barcelona Airport to Sitges along the C-32. This is a toll road which runs along the coast and through a series of tunnels. At the time of writing, the tolls cost €7.32.
