BARCELONA AIRPORT TO BARCELONA CITY CENTRE
Prices and website links updated on 26th October 2025
From Barcelona's airport (El Prat) Terminal 1, you can reach the city by Aerobus (direct to Plaça Catalunya), taxi, or the free shuttle bus to Terminal 2 for train connections (R2 Nord). Terminal 1 does not have its own train station.
From Barcelona's airport (El Prat) Terminal 2, you have 3 close by sub-terminals: A, B, and C. EasyJet tends to operate from Terminal C, which is about a 5-minute walk from Terminal A.
🚍 24 hours Aerobus Shuttle
Fast and convenient! The Aerobus connects both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 directly to the city center (Plaça Catalunya and Plaça Espanya). The journey takes about 35 minutes from the airport to Plaça Catalunya.
Cost: €7.45 (single) or €12.85 (return, valid for 15 days)
Heads up: Their website can be glitchy — you may need to select your ticket twice before it updates properly. You can also buy tickets directly from the driver.
The train station is located at Terminal 2B, connected by a covered walkway. If you arrive at Terminal 1, take the free shuttle bus to Terminal 2. You can purchase a T-Casual card from machines for €12.55 or via the TMB mobile app.
The R2 Nord train takes you directly to Passeig de Gràcia and Barcelona-Sants, with easy transfers to Plaça Catalunya.
T-Casual benefits:
- 10 journeys across bus, metro, tram, and ferrocarril in Zone 1
- €1.25 per trip
- Transfers allowed within 75 minutes (bus → metro valid; bus → bus not valid)
- Available at metro stations, newsagents, and tobacco shops. They cannot charge you extra money for it.
Above ground tunnel that takes you to the Train and or Metro station.
🚇 Single Ticket Option
If you're only making one trip, you can buy a single Zone 1 ticket for €2.65 via the TMB mobile app or at ticket machines.
🚇 Barcelona Metro Line L9 Sud
Barcelona’s Metro Line L9 Sud connects the city with El Prat Airport (both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2). Unlike regular metro journeys, travel to or from the airport requires a special airport ticket, which costs €5.15 per trip and cannot be covered by standard travel cards such as the T-Casual. Tickets can be purchased at metro station machines or online. For full details, visit the official page: 🚇 Metro to Barcelona Airport
Picture taken in 2025
🚖 TAXI
From the taxi rank, you’ll easily spot Barcelona’s black-and-yellow taxis. A typical journey into the city costs around €35–€45, depending on traffic and the time of day.
Taxi meters start as soon as you get in. If you book by phone or through an app, be aware that some drivers may include the distance from their departure point in the fare.
Within the city, any taxi showing a green light is available and can be hailed directly from the street.
Tip: For peace of mind and to avoid surprises during busy periods, it’s often helpful to pre-book. You can also compare fares using 🚕 Freenow and 🚕 Cabify, as prices may vary depending on demand.
TRANSPORT CARDS
MAXIMISE A T-CASUAL TRAVELCARD IN BARCELONA
Use the personalised Barcelona map o locate exact stations and landmarks. Here's a sample itinerary to make the most of your T-Casual:
- Trip 1: From the airport to your accommodation.
- Trip 2: From your accommodation to Lesseps (Metro L3) to visit Parc Güell.
- Trip 3: From Lesseps to either:
- Fontana to explore the charming Gràcia district, or
- Diagonal for direct access to La Pedrera and Casa Batlló. Then walk down Passeig de Gràcia to the harbour (check the map for hotspots!).
- Trip 4: Check 'La Font Màgica' is running that evening before taking this journey. Take Metro L3 to Drassanes (near the Columbus Monument), then head to Plaça d’Espanya to see 'La Font Màgica'. Magic Fountain Show Times – Barcelona
- Trip 5: Return to your accommodation.
Next Day
- Trip 6: From your accommodation to La Sagrada Família. Then enjoy a scenic walk down Marina Street all the way to the beach.
- Trip 7: Return to your accommodation.
- Trip 8: From your accommodation to the airport.
WALKING IN BARCELONA
Barcelona is a walkable city — here are some handy walking distances to help you plan:
- Parc Güell (Lesseps) → Fontana (Gràcia): 4 mins / 400 m
- Fontana → Passeig de Gràcia (La Pedrera & Casa Batlló): 14 mins / 1.3 km
- Passeig de Gràcia → Plaça Catalunya: 12 mins / 1 km
- Plaça Catalunya → La Boqueria: 7 mins / 550 m
- La Boqueria → Drassanes: 9 mins / 800 m
- Drassanes → Beach: 30 mins / 2.4 km
- Beach → Plaça d’Espanya: 1 hour / 4.8 km
- Plaça d’Espanya → Plaça Catalunya: 32 mins / 2.7 km
Walk fact: A friend once visited and was happy to walk everywhere. We covered 5.2 km from Lesseps to the beach, and nearly 6 km more from the beach to my house. It was a full day of walking — and worth every step!
From Parc Güell (Fontana) to the beach: Approx. 5.3 km / 1 hour (or more if you stop for photos and tapas!).