Barcelona Airport is connected to the metro, the railway and several city and long-distance bus routes.

For most passengers, the Aerobus is the most convenient option. It runs from both terminals 24 hours a day and takes you directly to Plaça Espanya, Plaça Universitat or Plaça Catalunya without the need to change.

However, another option may be quicker or cheaper, depending on where you’re staying:

Transport	Where it goes	Journey time	Price	Terminals
Aerobus A1/A2	Plaça Espanya, Catalunya	35–45 minutes	7,75 eur Return 13,30 eur	T1 + T2
R2 Nord train	Sants, Passeig de Gràcia	20–30 minutes	5,50 eur T-casual and Hola tickets valid	T2
Metro L9 South	Fira and onwards with a change	45–50 minutes to the city centre	5,90 eur T-Dia and Hola tickets are valid	T1 + T2
Bus 46	Plaça Espanya	45–55 minutes	2,90 eur T-casual and Hola tickets are valid	T1 + T2
Taxi	Direct to the hotel	25–40 minutes	approximately 35–45 eur	T1 + T2

If you just want to hop on straight after arriving and not have to worry about Barcelona’s public transport fares, buy an Aerobus ticket in advance. Simply show it on your mobile.

Bus to Barcelona

The cheapest way to get into the city is by taking the regular public transport bus, route 46. The special Aerobus is faster, runs much more frequently and is more comfortable.

Aerobus

The Aerobus operates two routes:

• A1 – Plaça Catalunya ↔ Terminal T1
• A2 – Plaça Catalunya ↔ Terminal T2

On the journey from the airport, both routes stop at Plaça Espanya, Plaça Universitat and the terminus at Plaça Catalunya, amongst other stops.

• Journey time to Plaça Catalunya –35 to 45 minutes
• Daytime frequency – 5 to 10 minutes
• Frequency at night – 20 minutes
• Service – 24/7
• Single ticket – 7,75 eur
• Return ticket – 13,30 eur
• Children under 4 – free

No Barcelona public transport tickets, including Hola Barcelona, are valid on the Aerobus.

How do I buy a ticket?

You can buy a ticket online, for example via GetYourGuide (at the same price as buying directly from the operator), which is what I use as it’s the clearest option.

An online ticket is purchased for a specific day, but you can travel on any service.

• 👉 Buy a one-way or return ticket for the Aerobus

You can also buy a ticket from the ticket machines at the bus stop or from the driver. You can find the latest bus stops and timetables on the aerobusbarcelona.es website.

Bus 46

The cheapest direct transport from the airport is the regular bus service, route 46. It runs from both terminals to the central square, Plaça Espanya, without the need to change buses.

However, to get to the Plaça Catalunya area, the Gothic Quarter or Sants main station, you’ll need to continue your journey by metro.

The stops are right outside both terminals and are marked with the TMB logo.

• Journey time to Plaça Espanya – 45 to 55 minutes
• Frequency – 15 to 20 minutes
• Operating hours – approx.4.50–23.50
• Single ticket – 2,90 eur
• Timetable for line 46

You can buy a single-journey ticket directly on the bus by tapping your bank card. This ticket is not valid for transfers.

If you wish to continue your journey by metro or another bus, use an integrated ticket such as T-casual, T-Dia or Hola Barcelona – see below for details.

When travelling from Terminal 2, check the destination displayed on the front panel. Buses to the city centre and those travelling in the opposite direction to Terminal 1 both stop in the same area.

Metro to Barcelona

The L9 Sud metro line runs from both terminals to the south-western outskirts of Barcelona. It does not go directly to the historic centre, so you will need to change trains.

You’ll most often use the following connections:

• Torrassa -> red line L1 towards Plaça Catalunya
• Collblanc -> blue line L5 towards Diagonal and Sagrada Família
• Zona Universitària -> green line L3 towards Passeig de Gràcia and La Rambla

Line L9 Sud is a convenient option with no changes required when travelling to the Fira Barcelona exhibition centre. You can also get off at Collblanc station on your way to Camp Nou.

• Frequency – approximately 7 minutes
• Journey time to Zona Universitària – 32 minutes
• Journey time to Plaça Catalunya with a change – approx.45–50 minutes

The metro usually runs from 5.00 am until midnight, until 2.00 am on Fridays, and non-stop from Saturday to Sunday. You can find the exact timetable in our guide to the Barcelona metro or on the official TMB website.

A single airport ticket costs 5,90 eur and allows you to change between metro lines until you reach your final destination.

T-Dia and Hola Barcelona tickets are also valid on the L9 Sud airport section – see below for details. However, standard single-journey tickets, as well as T-casual, T-familiar and T-grup tickets, are not valid at the Aeroport T1 and Aeroport T2 stations.

You can buy tickets from the red ticket machines at both airport metro stations. You can pay in cash or by card.

When travelling from the city centre, the first station at the airport is Aeroport T2. The terminus, Aeroport T1, is located next to Terminal 1.

Train to Barcelona

The R2 Nord train is the fastest option for public transport if you’re staying near Barcelona Sants, Passeig de Gràcia or El Clot-Aragó stations. The downside is that trains run every 30 minutes and the station is only at Terminal 2.

• Journey time to Barcelona Sants – 20 minutes
• Journey time to Passeig de Gràcia – 26 minutes
• Frequency – 30 minutes
• Service from the airport – approx.5.40–23.40
• Rodalies single ticket – 5,50 eur
• Find the next service

When purchasing a single Rodalies ticket, the journey to the city centre is calculated across 4 zones.

However, within Barcelona’s integrated transport system (ATM), the airport is classified as Zone 1, which means that single-zone tickets such as the T-casual, T-Dia and Hola Barcelona are also valid on the train.

If you plan to use public transport during your stay, the T-casual ticket ( 13 eur ) is usually better value than a single train ticket ( 5,50 eur).

A free airport bus runs from Terminal 1 to the train station at Terminal 2. It operates 24 hours a day and the journey takes approximately 10–15 minutes.

Night buses

The Aerobus runs all night. A cheaper alternative is the night buses operated as part of the integrated public transport system:

• N17 – Terminal 1, El Prat de Llobregat and Plaça Catalunya
• N18 – Terminals 1 and 2 and Plaça Catalunya

Night buses run between 23:00 and 05:00 at20-minute intervals. The journey to the city centre takes around 45–60 minutes, depending on the route and traffic conditions.

A single journey costs 2,90 eur. T-casual, T-Dia and Hola Barcelona tickets are also valid. You can buy a single-journey ticket from the driver in cash or by card.

You can find the latest departure times on the AMB Mobilitat website.

Are you arriving late and don’t want to travel to Barcelona at night? Take a look at accommodation in El Prat de Llobregat, near the airport.

Where can I buy tickets at the airport?

First, choose your mode of transport. The Aerobus has its own ticket, whilst the metro, train, bus 46 and night buses use the various integrated transport fares.

Ticket	Metro L9	Bus 46	R2 train	N17 and N18	Aerobus
Airport ticket 5,90 eur	Yes	No	No	No	No
T-casual 13 eur	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
T-Dia 12 eur	Yes*	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
‘Hola Barcelona’ by 11,25 eur online	Yes*	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Aerobus 7,75 eur	No	No	No	No	Yes

* T-Dia and Hola Barcelona include one metro journey from the airport and one metro journey back to the airport.

Which ticket is best value?

• Journey from the airport only – a single-journey ticket for the selected service
• At least 5 journeys on public transport during your stay – T-casual
• Unlimited travel for 24 hours – T-Dia or Hola Barcelona for 24 hours
• Unlimited travel for 2 to 5 days – Hola Barcelona

The T-casual ticket includes 10 journeys, costs 13 eur and may only be used by one passenger. Transfers between participating transport services within a 75-minute time limit count as a single journey.

The T-casual is loaded onto an anonymous T-mobilitat card for 1 eur, which can be purchased without the need for registration.

T-Dia offers unlimited travel for 24 hours from the first validation and costs 12 eur. It also includes one journey on the L9 airport metro into the city and one return journey.

Hola Barcelona prices

Hola Barcelona offers unlimited travel for a specific number of hours from the first validation. It is valid on the metro, TMB buses, NitBus night buses, trams, FGC city trains in Zone 1 and Rodalies trains in Zone 1.

It is not valid on the Aerobus or the Telefèric de Montjuïc cable car.

• 24 hours – 11,25 eur online or 12,50 eur on site
• 48 hours – 16,83 eur online or 18,70 eur on the spot
• 72 hours – 24,57 eur online or 27,30 eur on site
• 96 hours – 32,04 eur online or 35,60 eur in person
• 120 hours – 39,24 eur online or 43,60 eur in person

When you purchase a ticket on the official Hola Barcelona website, you will receive a code by email. Enter this code into a ticket machine at any metro station, including the airport, and the machine will issue your card.

Sales points at the airport

• Metro T1 and T2 – ticket machines selling airport tickets, T-Dia, T-casual and other fares
• T2 train station – Rodalies ticket machines and integrated tickets
• Bus 46 – single-journey ticket by tapping your bank card on board
• Aerobus – online, from ticket machines at the stop or from the driver
• TMB app – purchase and top-up of selected tickets

Taxi to Barcelona

Official taxis are black and yellow and wait at designated ranks in front of both terminals.

Drivers who approach passengers inside the arrivals hall are not official airport taxis.

When departing from the taxi rank, the fare is normally calculated by the taximeter. An airport surcharge is added to the initial fare, the distance travelled and any waiting time 4,60 eur. The minimum fare from the airport is 21 eur.

A journey to Plaça Catalunya usually costs around 35–45 eur. The fare may be higher at night or during heavy traffic. The journey takes approximately 25–40 minutes.

There is a fixed fare between the airport and the Moll Adossat cruise terminal 46 eur.

The Uber or Bolt apps can offer a taxi or a private hire vehicle. Pick-up points differ from standard taxi ranks, so follow the instructions in the app and the signage at the terminal.

Would you like to know the price in advance and have a driver waiting in the arrivals hall? Compare prices for Barcelona Airport taxis via Booking.com. This is particularly useful for families, larger groups or travellers with lots of luggage.

Car hire

It’s not worth hiring a car just to visit Barcelona. Traffic is heavy, parking is expensive, and you’ll get around the city faster by metro.

It does make sense, however, if you want to use the airport as a starting point for a trip to the Pyrenees, along the Costa Brava or further afield in Catalonia. There are dozens of car hire companies operating at the airport, and prices vary significantly depending on the season and how far in advance you book.

Compare car hire prices at BCN Airport

You’ll find the car hire counters in Terminal 1 inside the building, near the exit to the buses and car parks.

At Terminal 2, some car hire companies are located outside the building. Always check your booking confirmation for the exact pick-up location, as some companies operate a free shuttle service to a branch outside the airport.

Direct buses outside Barcelona

There are many long-distance buses running from Barcelona Airport. If you’re heading straight to a holiday resort or another town, you don’t need to travel to the centre of Barcelona first.

Long-distance bus timetables vary depending on the season. Always check the timetable for the specific day you’re travelling.

Direct bus to Andorra

Two bus companies operate services from Barcelona Airport to Andorra. There is no train service to Andorra.

Operator	One-way fare	Return	Journey time
Andbus	33 eur	56 eur	approx. 3:15
Directbus/Flixbus	35 eur	depending on the fare selected	around 3:30

Both operators stop at Terminals T1 and T2 and run several times a day.

Andbus usually has more services, including late in the evening and at night. Directbus continues via Barcelona-Sants station to Sant Julià de Lòria and Andorra la Vella.

• Andbus timetables and prices
• Flixbus/Directbus timetable and bookings

We recommend buying your ticket in advance, particularly during the winter ski season and at weekends.

Girona, Girona Airport and Figueres

Direct buses on the Sagalés 602 route run from both terminals via Barcelona and Girona Airport to the centres of Girona and Figueres.

• Girona – 24 eur
• Girona Airport – 25,50 eur
• Figueres – 29,50 eur

This service is also useful when transferring between Barcelona-El Prat and Girona-Costa Brava airports. However, make sure you allow plenty of time between flights, as the buses may be delayed.

You can find timetables on the Sagalés Airport Line website.

I also provide further information in the article ‘Transport to and from Girona Airport’.

Sitges, Vilanova and the coast south of Barcelona

BusGarraf buses connect the airport with the towns of Sitges, Sant Pere de Ribes and Vilanova i la Geltrú. Some services continue via Cubelles, Cunit, Segur de Calafell and Calafell as far as El Vendrell.

The airport bus stop is located at Terminal T1. If you are travelling from T2, you will therefore need to take the free shuttle bus first.

A ticket from the airport to Vilanova costs 9,45 eur and the journey takes around 60 minutes. Fares to other destinations vary depending on the distance.

Check the timetable and fares at busgarraf.cat.

Calella, Santa Susanna, Malgrat and Blanes

The Sagalés 603 runs a regular service to the seaside resorts north of Barcelona.

It serves, for example:

• Calella
• Pineda de Mar
• Santa Susanna
• Malgrat de Mar
• Palafolls
• Blanes

Prices start at 11,85 eur to Calella. A ticket to Blanes costs 13,75 eur.

Calella, Pineda and Santa Susanna are often marketed alongside the Costa Brava, but geographically they are situated in the Maresme region, also known as the Costa Barcelona.

Costa Brava – Lloret, Tossa, Palamós and other destinations

Direct buses operated by Sarfa / Moventis run to other resorts on the Costa Brava.

The network includes, for example:

• Lloret de Mar
• Tossa de Mar
• and others

The route network and number of services vary depending on the season. Check the Moventis website for service timetables.

An alternative is the seasonal Terravision shared transfer service. This is not a traditional service with a fixed timetable, but a shuttle service to selected hotels.

Prices start from 14 eur and bookings must be made at least 48 hours in advance. Before paying, please check that the service serves your specific hotel.

Transfer from the airport to your hotel on the Costa Brava

Costa Dorada – Tarragona, Salou and Cambrils

Regular buses operated by Empresa Plana run from the airport to:

• Tarragona
• La Pineda
• Salou
• Cambrils
• Reus

Prices from Barcelona Airport start from 15,95 eur, return tickets from 28,95 eur.

You can find timetables and availability for a specific day on busplana.com.

There is also a seasonal Terravision shared transfer service to selected hotels on the Costa Dorada. Prices start from 17 eur and bookings must be made at least 48 hours before departure.

Transfer from the airport to your hotel on the Costa Dorada

Other long-distance and international buses

Long-distance buses also depart directly from the airport to other parts of Spain, France and Switzerland.

• ALSA – Lleida, Balaguer, Vall d’Aran, Valencia, Montpellier, Toulouse, Lyon and Paris
• Hife – Tortosa, Amposta, Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Peñíscola and Teruel
• FlixBus – Perpignan, Marseille, Nice, Nantes and Geneva

Prices depend on the specific date and how busy the service is.

Check for tickets and timetables directly on the ALSA, Hife and FlixBus websites.