Easy transfers from Barcelona airport to the city centre

Located 10 miles outside of the Catalan capital, Barcelona El Prat airport has two terminals, both well-connected to the city centre. Transfers are easy, with a whole range of options.

Aerobus A1 or A2: airport- Barcelona city centre transfers

Fast

and comfortable, Aerobuses A1 and A2 run 365 days a year, always with the same frequency.

A1 Aerobus: transfers from airport Terminal 1/ Barcelona city centre

Journey time:

20 to 30 minutes,
Price: €5.90 one way, €10.20 for a return.
Route: Airport – Plaça Espanya – Gran Via/Urgell – Plaça de l’Universitat – Plaça Catalunya
Times: From Plaça Catalunya, 5.30am-12.30am;  from the airport, 6.10am-1.05am.
Frequency: Every 5-10 minutes

A2 Aerobus: transfers from airport Terminal 2/ Barcelona city centre

The A2 Aerobus runs from 6am-1am, every 8 to 15 minutes, and follows the same itinerary as the A1.

• Be careful when catching the bus to the airport from the city centre – the buses to Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 are identical! Only the number is different.

Buying your ticket for the Aerobus: A1 and A2

• on the bus (cash only)
• by card from the automatic ticket machines – but be aware that the machines are sometimes out of order
• online: easy, and a great solution for peace of mind!

• For more information, see our article on the Aerobus.

Taxi transfers: good for large groups

Getting a taxi

is a fast option. All Barcelona taxis are black and yellow, and the taxi rank is very well signposted in the airport.

Journey time to city centre: 20 to 25 minutes
Price: approx. 30-35 euros, depending on which terminal you’re leaving from.

• If you’re travelling in a group, taxis offer a practical solution which may not be as expensive as you’d think.

• Would you like to book your taxi online? Booktaxi offers a taxi service from the Barcelona airport. It’s a quality service, the cars are comfortable and the prices are reasonable.

• The Welcome pick up website also offers a transport service from the Barcelona airport. The prices are very competitive and they include cars adapted for people with reduced mobility.  

Train transfers from airport Terminal 2

Renfe is the name of the Spanish national rail company.

Leaving from T2, the train is a practical way of getting into the centre of Barcelona. It stops at the two biggest stations in the city centre: Estació Sants and Passeig de Gràcia.

Transfers from the airport to the city centre

The train station is just a five-minute walk from Terminal 2, and is well-signposted.

Journey time: 20 to 30 minutes for T2, plus an extra 15-20 minutes for the shuttle for T1
Price: One way: 4,10 euros. Top tip: it’s cheaper to buy a transport card online with 10% off: Hola Barcelona or once you arrive at the RENFE station.
Route R2 Nord: Terminal 2- Prat de LLobregat- Bellvitge- Estació de Sants- Passeig de Gràcia- Barcelona El Clot Aragó
Times: 6.08am to 11.28pm
Fréquence: Every 30 mn

Free shuttle between terminals:

The green shuttle buses are easy to spot.

• From Terminal 1, take the shuttle from right in front of the exit.
• From Terminal 2, follow the signs for the shuttle stop, located under the bridge outside Terminal 2B.

Transfers from the city centre to airport Terminal 2

In the opposite direction, the first train leaves Passeig de Gràcia at 0528, the last at 2302. It reaches Estació Sants around 5 minutes later.

Top tips

• Try to avoid changing at Sants or Passeig de Gràcia: the corridors go on for miles.
• Public transport cards are valid on this service, and can then be used for all of your trips around the city. The Hola Bcn card is the only transport ticket that can be purchased in advance and online via the link indicated below.

Metro transfers (line 9)

Since February 2016, Terminals 1 and 2 are connected to the Zona Universitària station by metro line 9. to get to the city centre, you’ll then need to change to line 3 (green line).

Journey time: 32 minutes to Zona Universitaria station (with a change to get to the city center, you’ll need more than an hour to get from the airport to the city center)
Price: €5.15 (dearer than a standard ticket, as the metro route is over 12 miles)
Frequency:  Every 7 minutes

• Only the Hola BCN, and T dia are valid for this journey.

• Single tickets and the T10, on the other hand, are not.

• See our article on public transport in Barcelona

Transfers using the city bus network (nº46)

The no. 46 bus is a very economical means of getting into central Barcelona from the airport, and will drop you at Plaça Espanya.

Journey time: around 30 minutes from T1, 40 minutes from T2
Price: from the airport, get a single ticket on the bus for €2.15 (transport cards can be bought from the metro station). The Hola Bcn card is the only transport ticket that can be purchased in advance and online via the link indicated below.

Route: From Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 to Plaça Espanya
Times: From 5am to 12.30am
Frequency: Every 20 minutes
Terminal 1 bus stop: located at the exit.
Terminal 2 bus stops: the first stop is opposite the airport exit, to the left of the Aerobus stop. The stops for terminals 2B and 2C are located at the exit from the arrivals hall.

Airport/city centre by night bus (N16, N17 or N18)

if your plane gets in at night, this is your cheapest option.

The N16 night bus runs from Terminal 2 to the city centre, whilst N17 runs from Terminal 1 to the city centre.

The N18 night bus runs from both Terminal 1 and 2 to the city centre (it’s a “reinforcement bus”).

Journey time: 30-40 minutes to  Plaça Catalunya
Price: from the airport, get a single ticket on the bus for €2.40 (transport cards can be bought from the metro station). The Hola Bcn card is the only transport ticket that can be purchased in advance and online via the link indicated below.

Route: Stops at Plaça Espanya and Plaça Catalunya
Times: 9.55pm to 4.45am
Frequency: Every 20 minutes

Transfer from the airport to Sitges: Mon-Bus

Journey time:

35 minutes
Price: €4.50
Route: From avinguda de Vilanova, 14 in Sitges to the airport, Terminal 1.
Frequency: Every hour

For more information, see the Mon-bus website, available in English.

• Click here to calculate your route from the airport to your hotel in Barcelona.