How to go from the Barcelona airport to the centre

To go from the Barcelona airport to the centre there are several means of public transport. Choose the most appropriate one depending on which terminal you reach (there are two the T1 and the T2) and to which part of the city you go.

The Barcelona-El Prat airport is located 15 kilometres from the centre of Barcelona. It is very well connected to the city and it is possible to get to the centre very cheap. The airport has two terminals T1 and T2

The T1 (the new terminal) is the base to which the flights of the airlines belonging to the One World, Star Alliance, Sky Team and Vueling alliances arrive. For its part, T2 (the old terminal) is the base of operations of low-cost companies such as Ryanair, Norwegian, Easyjet or Wizzair.

The two terminals are connected by a shuttle bus (Bus Transit) that joins them for free on a journey that lasts about 15 minutes. This service operates 24 hours a day and with a continuous frequency of 5 minutes during the day and 20 during the night.

Arriving at the terminal you arrive you will have at your disposal the same means of transport to get to the centre of Barcelona. The only exception is the train. The train station that connects the Barcelona airport with the centre is in the old terminal T2.

T10: transfers from Barcelona airport to the centre.

Before reading further, it is convenient to know that there is the T10, a 10-trip ticket that allows you to use the suburban train, buses, and the underground in Barcelona at very low prices. You can do it for 75 minutes from the first and last validation of the ticket.

The ticket costs 10.20 euros, which leaves you in less than 1 euro any trip that you are going to make from the Barcelona airport to the centre (it goes by zones and the airport and the city are included in the same area). It has the advantage that it can be used by several people.

 

Although the only exception is that you can not use the underground for trips that have the airport as origin or destination, buying it is very interesting if you want to save a few euros. Also, I’m sure that during your visit to Barcelona you will use it for a trip within the city.

You can buy it in the automatic vending machines for transport tickets, in the stations, in the Servicaixa.

How to get from the Barcelona airport to the centre

The options are several. However, personally, my preference to go to the centre of Barcelona from the airport is the Aerobus if I get to T1, or T2, if you are not in a hurry.

If you get to T2 and you are not in a hurry is better to use the train. It takes you a little longer since you have to cross a gangway until you reach the station and the frequencies are lower than those of the Aerobus, but you travel a lot more comfortable and somewhat cheaper (if you use the T10).

Airbus

The Aerobus is the shuttle bus that connects the airport with Plaza Catalunya (the centre of Barcelona). It has only the following stops: Airport – Sepúlveda-Urgell, Plaza Espanya, and Plaça Catalunya. It is the most popular option and with which you will complicate your lifeless.

This bus leaves the two terminals and travels in 35 minutes if there are no traffic jams. There are buses continuously with a frequency of between 5 minutes and 10 minutes depending on the time of day. Buses operate from:

Airport – Plaça Catalunya: 05:35 to 01:05 hours
Plaça Catalunya – Airport: 05:00 to 00:30 hours

The price of the ticket is 5.9 euros (10.2 euros round trip) and you can buy it directly on the bus. Unfortunately, there are no discounts for the use of credits or cards. The T10 cannot be used.

If you use this bus to go from Plaça Catalunya to the Airport, bear in mind that line A1 goes to T1 and A2 goes to T2. If you are wrong you will have to move from one terminal to another with the Bus Transit.

It is a fast option and the most used since you leave the arrivals terminal, you get on the bus and leave in a matter of minutes at most. However, it is not the most comfortable, especially in high season when the buses are full at what time, and it is not the cheapest either.

– http://www.aerobusbcn.com

Bus 46

 

The bus 46 is a cheaper alternative than the Aerobus to reach the centre of Barcelona. However, he does not leave you at Plaça Catalunya, he leaves you at Plaça Espanya. If you have your hotel in this area it is perfect.

The advantage with the Aerobus is its price. The single ticket costs 2.15 euros, and the ticket costs less than one euro if you use the T10 card. As disadvantages: that it does not reach Plaça Catalunya, it is slower since it makes more stops, it is more uncomfortable, it has less space for luggage, and it has fewer frequencies.

The 46 takes between 40 and 55 minutes to make the journey depending on whether you leave the T1 or T2 (although if there is little traffic can reach the journey in 30 minutes). The frequencies range between 15 and 20 minutes approximately.

– https://www.tmb.cat/en/web/tmb/barcelona/autobuses/-/lineabus/46

Train: R2 Rodalies

The commuter train or Rodalies R2 connects the Barcelona airport with the center. It is the most comfortable alternative of all after the taxi. Unfortunately only the T2, the old terminal, has a train station.

The Rodalies connects you to the centre in 25 minutes. For in several stations including Sants and Passeig de Gracia. From them, you can also move by subway to other areas of the city. The most central stop is Passeig de Gràcia, which is a few minutes walk from Plaça Catalunya.

The trains leave approximately every 30 minutes and the single ticket costs 4.1 euros. In addition, to comfortable, the price is great if you use the T10 (you get less than 1 euro) that you can buy at the same station.

You can see schedules and other information about the train here:

– http://www.renfe.com/viajeros/cercanias/barcelona/index.html

Underground- Metro

The metro is another means of transport that you can use to go from the airport to the centre of Barcelona. There is a stop in both T1 and T2. It is an interesting means of transport depending on where you go.

The metro line of the airport is L9 Sud that ends in the University Zone. The journey is covered in about 30 minutes. The price of the ticket costs 4.5 euros (it is a special rate for trips to the airport). Unfortunately, unlike the bus and the train, you can not use the T10 with the metro for trips to or from the airport.

If your destination is the Zona Universitària it is a good option. However, to reach more central areas, you have to change and the route gets too long.

So for example, if you want to get to Plaça Catalunya, in the University Zone you would have to change the line L3. At 30 minutes of the journey from the airport, you would have to add additionally what it takes to change the line and 12 more metro stops to Pl. Catalunya.

Taxi

The taxi is the most convenient and quick way to get to your destination. A trip from the Barcelona airport to the centre (Pl. Catalunya) will normally leave you between 30 and 35 euros. If there is not much traffic it takes between 20 and 30 minutes .

Keep in mind that what the meter indicates the driver may apply some surcharges, including luggage and travel to or from the airport. You will see the rates and surcharges on a table inside the taxi. You can also check them at this link:

• http://taxi.amb.cat/s/en/taxista/tarifes-i-taxes.html

Car rental

Another option to transfer from the airport is to do it with your own vehicle. If you plan to rent a car, at the Barcelona airport you will have all the facilities.

You will find both the main car rental agencies and another low cost with unbeatable prices. To make your search easier you can take a look at this price and offers comparator to get an idea of how the market is:

•  https://www.rentalcars.com/AirportLandingPage.do

How to get to Barcelona airport from the centre of dawn

If you have to travel to Barcelona airport from the centre or vice versa at dawn when there is no longer a regular public transport service you have several options: taxi or night bus.

Night buses N16 and N17 (and N18)

If you have to travel to the airport at dawn or from it to the centre you have the possibility of using the night bus (Nit Bus) N16 for T2 and N17 for T1. These buses connect the Plaça Catalunya with each terminal respectively.

Starting at 00:30 h. when there is no longer service from Aerobus or line 46 you can use these night buses. They have a frequency of 20 minutes and cover the journey between 40 and 50 minutes. The price of the single ticket of the Nit Bus is 2.15 euros and the T10 can be used.

In addition to the N16 and the N17, a reinforcement line has been added to the N18that connects the centre of Barcelona with the two terminals of the airport. In principle, it works every day of the summer months (June to September) and on Fridays throughout the year.

The N18 has the same frequency as the N16 and the N17 but makes fewer stops which allows you to make the journey in 30 minutes. If you are going to use these buses it is advisable that you inform yourself well on the official website to check changes in schedules:

• http://www.ambmobilitat.cat/Principales/BusquedaNitBus.aspx