By Plane

Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport

Barcelona-El Prat Airport is located 13km southwest of the centre of Barcelona. Barcelona Airport is the second busiest airport in Spain (after Madrid) and seventh busiest in Europe, servicing more than 50 million passengers each year from over 150 destinations.

Get to the city centre by train:

The R2 North Line of the Barcelona train network (Renfe) has a station (Aeroport) located 5 minutes walk from Terminal 2. The path from the airport to the train station is undercover and accessible. Departing every 30 minutes, you can take the train directly into the centre of Barcelona, getting off at Barcelona Sants (19 minutes), Passeig de Gràcia (26 minutes) or Clot (32 minutes). From any of these stations you can change to the Metro system to get to your final destination. Trains run from 5:42 until 23:38.

If you arrive or depart from Terminal 1, you will need to take the free shuttle bus to Terminal 2 to catch the train. Allow approximately 10-15 minutes extra travel time.

You can purchase a ticket from one of the ticket machines at the train station. To get to the centre of Barcelona (Barcelona Sants or Passeig de Gràcia) a single ticket will cost €4.20. Please note: this ticket is only valid for the Barcelona suburban railway and will be not valid for travel on the metro, bus or tram. Alternatively, you can purchase a T-10 pass which includes 10 public transport trips on Barcelona’s transport network. Purchase a Zone 1, T10 pass (€10.20) from the ticket machine at the train station. Each trip (10 trips total) is valid for 75 minutes and enables you to use 3 methods of transport (e.g. train, metro or bus). Please note that if you buy this pass to use from the airport, it is not valid on the Metro or Aerobús to/from the airport, it only allows you to use the RENFE Train or some buses from the airport (check Barcelona Transport or ask at the airport Transport Information desk for up-to-date information).

Get to the city centre by metro:

The L9 Sud Metro line connects the airport to the Barcelona metro system with a metro station at both Terminal 1 and 2. The station at Terminal 1 is located directly below the terminal, while the station at Terminal 2 is located next to the Aeroport train station. In order to reach the city centre using the metro, you will need to transfer to another metro line at Torrassa (L1 Metro line), Collblanc (L5 Metro line) or Zone Universitària (L3 line). Metro trains run approximately every 4-7 minutes.

Tickets can be purchased from one of the ticket machines at the metro station and will cost €4.60, valid one way to any station on the metro network.

Note: As the L9 tram line does not enter the city centre, depending on where you are staying in Barcelona, the metro may not be the quickest option.

Get to the city centre by bus:

Aerobús is the official express shuttle bus connecting Barcelona Airport to central Barcelona. There are two lines, one from each terminal at the airport. From Terminal 1, the A1 line leaves from the front of the terminal building. From Terminal 2, the A2 line leaves from stops T2B and T2C. Each Aerobús will stop at Plaça Espanya, Gran Via – Urgell, Plaça Universitat & Plaça de Cataluya. Aerobús’ from each terminal leave every 5 – 10 minutes and the journey will take approximately 35 minutes depending on traffic.

Tickets cost €5.90 one way or €10.20 return. Return tickets need to be used within 15 days. You can purchase the tickets online, from ticket machines at the airport by cash or card, or from the bus driver in cash.

Each Aerobús is level-boarding and is accessible for wheelchair users.

Get to the city centre by taxi:

Taxi stands are located outside both Terminals 1 & 2. Official Barcelona taxis are easy to spot as they are black with yellow doors and boot. Taxi tariff rates will vary depending on time of day and weekday/weekend, however the base rate is €2.20 for boarding, €1.17 per km and €22.40 per hour. A taxi trip into the city centre will take approximately 20 -40 minutes, depending on where you are going and traffic conditions, and cost approximately €25-40.

By Train

Barcelona Sants Train Station is the primary railway station in Barcelona, located in the Sants neighbourhood, 4km southwest from the centre of the city. Barcelona Sants is the arrival and departure point for high speed trains to and from Madrid and cities in France, as well as a key transportation hub for national and regional train lines. The station is also connected to the Barcelona Metro system, with Sants Estació serving the L3 and L5 metro lines. Upon arrival at Barcelona Sants, travellers are able to continue on to their destination by train, metro, bus or taxi.

Tickets for local trains, Catalunya area trains and high speed/long distance trains to destinations throughout Spain and Europe can be purchased from ticket machines found throughout the station (red and grey machine for local and Catalunya, grey and purple machine RENFE machine for high speed/long distance). These machines can be accessed in English and accept cash and credit cards. Alternatively, you can purchase tickets from the ticket counters which are divided into local/Catalunya (Cercanias-Media Distancia Venta Salida Hoy) and high speed/long distance (Larga Distancia Venta Salida Hoy). It is highly recommended that you purchase high speed or international tickets online and in advance to save on ticket prices and guarantee a seat.

By Sea

Port de Barcelona is one of the busiest ports in the Mediterranean, welcoming more than 4 million travellers each year. Located just south of the city centre, there are 7 international passenger terminals with cruise ships arriving from many destinations. The cruise terminal is located near the foot of La Rambla, one of the busiest and most important boulevards in Barcelona, which has good connections to the rest of Barcelona.

Shuttle bus from the cruise terminal to the Columbus Monument (Mirador de Colom):

The T3 Portbus (known as the Blue Bus) is a shuttle bus that runs from the cruise terminals to the Columbus Monument at the foot of La Rambla. From here, travellers can set out on foot to explore, or walk to Drassanes Metro Station where they can take a metro train to other destinations in Barcelona. Tickets for the Blue Bus can be purchased in cash from the driver, €3 one-way or €4 return.

Walk from the cruise terminal:

Depending on which terminal your ships arrives at, you may choose to walk to La Rambla. The walking time will vary but will be approximately 5 – 20 minutes.

Get a taxi from the cruise terminal:

There are several taxi stands located around the cruise terminal. Official Barcelona taxis are easy to spot as they are black with yellow doors and boot. Taxi tariff rates will vary depending on time of day and weekday/weekend, however the base rate is €2.20 for boarding, €1.17 per km and €22.40 per hour. A taxi trip into the city centre should take about 10 minutes and cost approximately €15-20 or to the airport is about 25 minutes and will cost a flat rate of €39.

Hop on hop off

If you are in port at Barcelona for just one day, you may choose to take the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus which stops at the World Trade Centre right at the cruise terminal. From the World Trade Centre, you can join the Red Route, which stops at 21 sites and takes approximately 2 hours to complete its circuit. You can get off at any stop and hop back on when the next bus arrives. Tickets can be purchased in advance online for €26.10 or at the stop for €29 for one day.

By Car

Driving in Barcelona is not recommended due to the heavy traffic, aggressive drivers, complicated road layout and high parking fees. If you are travelling throughout Spain or Europe with a car and decide to drive into Barcelona there are several rules to note: Street parking is not allowed when you see yellow stripes on the road, nor can you park when you see green stripes on the road as they are for residents only. Blue stripes on the road indicate metered parking but time restrictions apply. There are private underground parking garages available throughout the city. The largest operator is B:SM, which operates over 40 parking lots. Prices start from €25 for 24 hours, and passes can be purchased for 1, 3, 5, or 7 days or by the hour.

Moving Around the City

Barcelona is an easy city to explore by foot, with many of the major sights situated in close proximity, though as is the case in many European cities, be sure to wear good supportive shoes as the cobblestones underfoot can be uneven and slippery. Barcelona also has an excellent public transport network, consisting of the metro, trains, buses and trams so you can reach all corners of the city with ease. One of the best ways to navigate the public transport is through a phone app. Google Maps and Citymapper are both great at letting you know the various options for getting from A to B and include real time steps for how to get there.

Travel cards and tickets

Barcelona is divided into 6 zones for public transport. Most of the key sights are within Zone 1.

The T-10

The T-10 is a public transport pass which includes 10 public transport trips. The T-10 is valid for travel on the Barcelona transport network including: metro (though not the airport metro line), tram, suburban train (Rodalies) and bus. You can purchase a T-10 pass for use in up to 6 Zones. For most travellers, you will only need a Zone 1 pass which will cost €11.35. Each included journey is valid for 75 minutes travel time and you can change transport type (e.g. from train to metro to bus) up to 3 times. Furthermore, you can share the pass with others you are travelling with (e.g. as a couple), you just need to validate the pass at the start of each trip for each person.

Hola BCN

The Hola BCN card provides unlimited public transport journeys on the metro (including the L9 from the airport), bus, urban railway, tram and Montjuïc funicular. Valid from your first journey, you can purchase a card for 48 hours (€15.20), 72 hours (€22.20), 96 hours (€28.80) and 120 hours (€35.40). Tickets can be purchased online (which includes a 10% discount) or you can purchase them from any Tourist Information Office (including at the airport, Sants Station, Pl. Catalunya and more). If you purchase the card online you will receive an email with a voucher number, then at any metro station ticket machine you can insert the voucher number and collect the card. You will need to validate your ticket before your first journey by inserting the ticket into the validation machine, which will stamp the time and date.

The Hola BCN may not be the cheapest option for your transport but it sure is simple and easy to use.

Metro

The Barcelona Metro is the primary public transport method in the city centre. The Metro consists of 12 lines and 187 stations covering the Barcelona city area. Metro trains run underground, and you can spot the stations by the red and white signs with the letter M on them. Tickets can be purchased from ticket machines or ticket booths found at each metro station. A single journey ticket will cost €2.20 or you can buy a T-10 ticket (described above) for €10.20 which includes 10 journeys. You will need to validate your ticket before each journey by inserting the ticket into the validation machine, which will stamp the time and date.

Monday to Thursday the metro runs 5:00am to 12:00am, Friday the metro runs from 5:00 to 2:00am, Saturday the metro runs 5:00am through to Sunday when the metro stops at 12:00am.

Bus

When the metro doesn’t quite get you to where you would like to go, consider the bus. Barcelona has a huge network of bus routes which can connect you all over the city. Single journey tickets (€2.20) can be purchased in cash from the bus driver or you can use your T-10 travel pass, just remember to validate it in the machine. A bonus of catching the bus is getting to see more of the city as you travel!

Buses run from approximately 5:00am to 11:00pm. After this time night buses (Nit Bus) operate overnight.

Tram

Barcelona has a small tram network consisting of 6 lines and 56 stations covering about 30km. Tickets can be purchased from ticket machines at the tram stations. A single journey will cost €2.20 or you can use your T-10 travel pass, remembering to validate the pass on the tram. Trams operate to the same schedule as the metro. The tram network operates Sunday to Thursday 5:00am to 12:00am and Friday and Saturday 5:00am to 02:00am.

Hop-On Hop-Off

Another way to travel around Barcelona is to take the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus, Barcelona Bus Turistic. There are three different routes you can take throughout the city (Red, Blue & Green), taking you to the most famous sights and locations in the city. You can hop off at any stop and explore the area and then just hop on the next bus when it arrives to continue the circuit. Each bus has audio commentary which you listen to with headphones in 16 languages, explaining the neighbourhoods and sights that you see. The Red and Blue route circuit takes approximately 2 hours, while the Green route takes about 40 minutes. Buses arrive every 5-25 minutes depending on the season and run from 9:00am to 7:00pm.

Tickets are €30 per adult for 1 day (€40 for 2 days), but you can save 10% by purchasing online, and you can travel on any of the routes.