Getting to and from Barcelona Airport

RENFE Train: 

The RENFE train service operates between Barcelona El-Prat Airport and Central Barcelona every 30 minutes with a transfer time of around 25 minutes. 

When you are travelling from the airport to Barcelona, you can get off of the train at Barcelona Sants, Passeig de Gracia or Clot stations. All three of these stops are serviced by the highly efficient Barcelona Metro system and from here you easily reach your final destination, wherever this may be in the city!

A single ticket for this service costs around €1,45. However, our advice would be to purchase a T-10 ticket for the duration of your stay in Barcelona. These tickets allow you to use 10 journeys on any Barcelona public transport service. Moreover, the ticket would consider the Airport to Barcelona journey, as well as the transfer onto to the Metro system to another destination as just one journey! Providing a transfer is made within an hour, this is a feature of the T-10 ticket all over the Barcelona transport network, including FGC Trains, Buses and Trams!

T1 and T2 at Barcelona El-Prat are 4 kilometers apart. Therefore you will not be able to walk to the train station at T2 if you arrive at T1. However, there is a shuttle bus service which will take you to the train station entrance at T2. This shuttle bus service is free to use and you will be able to distinguish them from other bus services by their colour (bright green).  The shuttle bus stop at T1 is directly outside of the terminal building. The shuttle bus stop at T2 is in 3 locations at A, B and C. If you cannot find the signs for the stops, just ask at airport information who will be happy to help you out! The main shuttle bus services between T1 and T2 run every 7 to 15 minutes, 24 hours a day. It is sometimes the case that passengers who are catching a ‘connecting flight’ at El-Prat’ will be transferred by bus ‘airside’ without the need to transfer between both terminals autonymously. You should check with your specific airline for this service in terms of your planning. The entire RENFE network is wheelchair accessible.

Plan your journey on the RENFE Train network.

Number 46 - TMB Airport Bus to Central Barcelona:

This bus is in operation between 05:00 and 00:15 from both T1 and T2.  It travels from the city centre (most notably Plaça Espanya) to the airport every 20 minutes, approximately. You may use a T-10 ticket on this bus, however it is not possible to purchase these on board unfortunately.You would have to buy a single ticket priced at around €1,45. This is worth baring in mind for your return journey however!

You can get this bus from outside of T1 where the pick-up point is directly outside of the terminal building. The bus will then travel onwards to T2 (A) and also T2 (C). From here, the bus will head to the centre of Barcelona, whilst stopping in a few places along the way. These stops are: Autovia Castelldefels

•  Avenida Granvia
• Hospital Oncologíc
• Ciencies
• Centre Commercial – Gran Via 2
• Centra del Prat
• Gran Via
• Plaça Espanya
• Avenida Paral.lel

Unless you are a seasoned Barcelona navigator, we would suggest getting off at the Plaça Espanya stop for its onward transport links; most notably the Metro network which will allow you to travel all over Barcelona. It is worth noting that the number 46 is a public bus route. Therefore passengers with lots of luggage may struggle for space. If you are travelling with just ‘carry on’ luggage, this service is perfect. 

When travelling back to the airport with this bus, head back to Plaça Espanya and seek out the number 46 bus stop. It is in front of a large, oval building with red detailing. This building is ‘Las Arenas’ formerly a bullfighting ring. You will also notice the large ‘Catalonia Barcelona Plaza' Hotel to your right. If this is the case, you are in the right place. To double-check, simply look at the top of the bus stop which will host a list of bus service numbers which will be stopping there. Of course, the number 46 needs to be one of these numbers. Another dead giveaway will be the people standing around with luggage!  Plaça Espanya is a very busy area for public transport and these points will be helpful important for you to not miss your bus. The number 46 buses are all wheelchair accessible.

Plan your journey using the number 46 TMB bus.

The Aérobus:

The Aérobus bus service connects both T1 and T2 with the centre of Barcelona and departs every 5 - 20 minutes, every day of the year. For a small fee, in around 35 minutes you can travel to or from central Barcelona in comfort. The Aérobus covers strategic stops in the Barcelona, and it is potentially the best method of making your airport transfer. Although more expensive than the number 46 bus and RENFE train, the Aérobus has space for your luggage and also, it does not require you to make any changes en route! 

At T1 you can find the Aérobus stop right outside of the terminal building. Likewise, you can grab the Aérobus from outside of T2 at all three areas; A, B and C. 

Tickets for the Aérobus cost around €5,05 one way and €8,75 for a return. You may pay by cash or credit card with one of the vendors present at the various Aérobus departure points. If you are at a departure point with no staff members, you will find a machine or alternatively, you can just pay the driver. Children under 4 do not need to pay a fare, yet persons aged 4+ will all be expected to pay the same rate. Animals are permitted on the Aérobus, providing they are in boxes/cages. Hearing and seeing-eye dogs are of course permitted too. 

Please be aware that your ticket for the Aérobus is NOT transferable to another form of Barcelona public transport, nor will a T-10 ticket grant you access to the Aérobus. 

When you are travelling back to the airport using the Aérobus, it is vital to note:

The A1 Aérobus connects to T1 only.

The A2 Aérobus connects to T2 only. 

The routes and timetables for the A1 and A2 Aérobuses are as follows:

A1 Aérobus:

From Pl. Catalunya (Barcelona) - To Terminal T1 (Airport).

From 05.30 to 06.50 - every 10 mins

From 06.50 to 21.45 - every 5 mins

From 21.45 to 00.30 - every 10 mins

From Terminal T1 (Airport) - To Pl. Catalunya (Barcelona).

From 06.10 to 07.30 - every 10 mins

From 07.30 to 22.25 - every 5 mins

From 22.25 to 01.05 - every 10 mins

A2 Aérobus

From Pl. Catalunya (Barcelona) - To Terminal T2 (Airport). 

From 05.30 to 06.50 - every 20 mins

From 06.50 to 22.20 - every 10 mins

From 22.20 to 00.30 - every 20 mins

From Terminal T2 (Airport) - To Pl. Catalunya (Barcelona). 

From 06.00 to 07.00 - every 20 mins

From 07.00 to 23.00 - every 10 mins

From 23.00 to 01.00 - every 20 mins

For more detailed information on the Barcelona Aérobus, including details on the locations and times of its various stops in the city, visit the Aérobus Website. All Aérobus vehicles are adapted to provide for wheelchair users. 

The N17 Night Bus:

The stops for the N17 Night Bus at Barcelona El-Prat are the same as those of the number 46 bus; T1, T2A and T2C. The bus will then travel into Central Barcelona, making the following stops. 

•  Avenida Onze de Setembre
• Riu Llobregat
• Avenida Remolar
• Lleida
• Avenida del Canal
• Avenida Verge de Montserrat
• Manuel Bertrand
• Avenida J.Anselm Clavé
• Avenida Granvia
• Gran Via de Les Corts Catalanes
• Plaça Espanya
• Gran Via de Les Corts Catalanes
• Plaça Universitat
• Plaça Catalunya

Again, unless you know the city of Barcelona reasonably well, we would suggest heading for the busier areas of Plaça Espanya or Plaça Catalunya. Late at night, your only option to travel onwards to your accommodation would be via Taxi. Yet, doing it this way is far cheaper than taking a cab straight from the airport, and these two main areas will be relatively full of Taxi’s seeking a fare! 

When using the N17 Night Bus to travel back to Barcelona El-Prat airport  you will need to head over to Plaça Catalunya and seek the bus stop where Ronda Universitat meets Plaça Catalunya. See the diagram below for more information.  The bus will head from here back towards the airport, stopping at terminal T2A, T2C and later T1 in that order. 

From Plaça Catalunya, the N17 Night Bus operates between 23:00 and 05:00 whilst the service beginning at the airport commences at 21:50 and finishes at 04:50. Buses run every 20 minutes approximately. You may use the official website to plan an exact journey, however this service is currently only available in Catalan and Spanish. The journey time on the N17 Night Bus takes around 40 minutes to travel to T2 and around 55 minutes to reach T1. You may use a T-10 ticket on the N17 Night Bus, otherwise a fare of €1,45 per person is charged (single journey). The N17 Night Bus is fully equipped to cater for wheelchair users. 

IMPORTANT: If you are travelling in and around the ‘crossover’ period between the N17 and 46 buses, it is a better bet to head to Plaça Espanya where both of these buses make pickups. The 46 bus DOES NOT travel to and from Plaça Catalunya!

Plan your journey on the N17 Night Bus.

Taking a Taxi:

The airport transfer in a taxi should NOT cost you more than €25-30. Anything over this is excessive. Make sure the driver knows where you want to go and agree a rough fee before you depart! Official Barcelona taxis are black and yellow. You should look for these hallmarks, along with a license badge before entering into a taxi. Unlicensed minicabs are illegal and uninsured for you to travel in as a paying passenger.

Take a look at more Barcelona Taxi information.

Renting a Car:

It is worth noting that the public transport network in Barcelona is of a high standard. Unless you intend to head out to the Costa’s or elsewhere in Catalunya, we would suggest that you do not really need to rent a car. Parking in Barcelona is troublesome and often takes some of the fun out of exploring a tight-knit city!