Barcelona is a tourist Mecca of Spain. All year long it welcomes travelers from all over the world to unveil the gorgeous churches and shaded streets. Both solo travelers and participants of guided tours will have a lot of fun there. But if you are planning to visit, you will soon find that the main airport is not directly in the center of the city. So you will need to decide on how to get from the international Barcelona-El Prat airport (it invites flights from all over the world) to the city centre. Lucky for you, a friend and visitor to the city has created a handful guide for the route.
All transport from Barcelona-El Prat
Barcelona-El Prat and the city have 17 kilometers between them. It’s not a very far distance, but it’s likely that you won’t want to walk or bicycle it with your luggage. And most of the hotels, restaurants and actions are in the downtown center of Barcelona.
From the airport to the centre of Barcelona you can go by train, city bus, commercial shuttle, or taxi.
RENFE train is the primary train service in Spain and offers many options traveling throughout the country, and a nearly one hour trip costs about $3. The trip by city bus can take a few minutes longer but also travels at night if needed and costs almost one Euro less. And group transfer options like Aerobus, the official airport carrier, can bring you to the centre in about 40 minutes for a fee of about 6 Euros.
Or if you prefer to skip mass transportation options and want a service that will cater to your schedule, you may want to use a taxi — especially if you’re arriving from a long international flight. It’s important to remember that the price for a taxi on the spot is different from the price for a transfer booked in advance. Transfer service defines a fixed price of €40 for a 30 minute trip. The taxi price depends on the day of the week, time of day and kilometers covered; on average it’s EUR 5-10 difference.
Tips for Choosing Your Transport
- If you have been to Spain before and feel comfortable at finding your way around and asking for a direction, you can easily use public transport: it’s cheap and pretty comfortable. Still, please note that English will not save you there since most drivers only speak native language and will not be able to help you find the way to the hotel or any other destination.
- The schedule for Barcelona transport is always available online. Yet those who plan on traveling around the city a lot can buy a universal T10 card.
- In case you are afraid to get lost, you better go for group shuttles or taxi (transfer). It’s also good for those who can’t waste time on waiting for some public transport (e.g. mothers with young children, elderly or disabled tourists).
Travel Options from El-Prat to Barcelona
When traveling from El-Prat airport to the city of Barcelona, you have 4 main options to choose from. They are outlined below with a few additional details to consider when you are making your choice.
Train from El-Prat — Barcelona
- RENFE
- 25 minutes in the road
- 30 minutes waiting at the station
- Price €3. T10 card for 10 trips for any type of city transport – €9,95.
- Comfort level: middle
Bus from El-Prat — Barcelona
- TMB №46 and NitBus №17 (night route)
- 40+ minutes in the road
- 30 minutes waiting at the bus stop
- Price €2.15. T10 card for 10 trips for any type of city transport – €9,95.
- Comfort level: low
Group shuttle from El-Prat — Barcelona
- Aerobus
- 35 minutes in the road
- 5 minutes waiting at the bus stop
- Price €5,9 one way. Return ticket: €10,2
- Comfort level: middle
Taxi from El-Prat — Barcelona
- Transfer / taxi on the spot
- 25 minutes in the road
- No need to wait (meeting at arrival) / taxi 10-15 minutes waiting
- Price €40-50 (€20 minimum fixed price + fees and markups)
- Comfort level: middle
Don’t forget to see in Barcelona:
- Barcelona Zoo
- Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia
- Old Town
- Barcelona Royal Shipyard
- Gothic Quarter
- Parc de la Ciutadella
Have you ever been to Barcelona? What was your favorite part?
