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Local Travel Info
Internal flights and major international airports for Barcelona
El Prat, Barcelona’s international airport, is the second largest in Spain after Madrid Barajas, and is located 18 kilometres (11 miles) from the city centre. The airport serves domestic, European and North African destinations by a large range of international and domestic airlines including Iberia and Spainair. In 2008, El Prat was used by more than 30 million passengers.
Getting to and from the airport for Barcelona
Travel costs
There are numerous means of transportation for getting to Barcelona’s city centre from the airport. Aerobus A1, the airport bus, is a popular choice with visitors and takes around 30 minutes. The bus leaves from the Plaza de Catalunya every 15 minutes to return to the airport, and it is recommended that holidaymakers leave plenty of time as the buses can be very full during the peak season. A ticket for a single journey costs €4.25, and €7.30 for a return. The public bus, number 65, operates between the Plaza de Espanya and the airport.
The train station at Barcelona airport is located within a short walk of Terminal B, and 10 minutes from Terminals A and C. The city of Barcelona itself has three train stations and visitors can catch the Renfe C2 line suburban train (Rodalia) to either of these. The journey takes around 32 minutes to El Clot Arago in the Sant Marti district, 26 minutes to Passeig de Gracia, and 19 minutes to Sants, the city’s biggest train station. Trains run between the city centre and the airport between 06:00 and 23:38, and it costs €2.80 for a single fare.
Visitors can also take a taxi from Barcelona airport to the city centre. There are taxi ranks at all three of the airport’s terminals, and the journey into the centre takes approximately 25 minutes, depending on the final destination. Those wishing to use this form of transport should expect to pay between €25 to €30 for a single journey, and fares should all be on a meter and will usually be clearly displayed on the side windows of the city’s black and yellow cabs.
Chauffeur driven taxi services operate between hotels and the airport, and costs around €75 per journey depending on the final destination or chosen pick-up point.
Renting cars
One of the best ways to see what the city of Barcelona and the surrounding region has to offer is by car, and renting a car is very popular choice of transportation by visitors. There are numerous car rental companies in Barcelona with each offering variety of options, and therefore it is worth shopping around before making a reservation. Renting an economical car for ten days costs around €32 to €40 a day, depending on the chosen company and class of vehicle. A satellite navigation system can often be included as part of the rental for an extra fee.
Drivers licenses requirements?
To rent a car anywhere in Spain including Barcelona, drivers must be at least 21 years of age, and have held a licence for one year. Drivers under the age of 25 may be subject to a young driver surcharge. An International Drivers Licence is highly recommended for non-EU residents.
Rules
Throughout Spain, including driving in Barcelona, visitors must drive on the right at all times, and the wearing of seatbelts is obligatory. The use of child seats is demanded for children up to the age of 3, and children under the age of 12 may not sit in the front seat.
Speed limits should be strictly adhered to which are a maximum of 31 mph (50 km/h) for a city, 55 mph (90 km/h) for open roads, and 74 mph (120 km/h) for motorway driving.
Barcelona by bus
One of the best ways to travel around Barcelona is the public bus system, with the network covering 80 lines. Two of the most useful lines are the number 25 which runs from the Santa Creu Hospital and la Sagrada Familia to Parc Guell and the number 24 which operates between Parc Guell and Passeig de Gracia (La Pedera). Bus routes are all colour coded and most buses operate daily, from around 05:00 to 22:30, although some lines finish earlier or run later. Night buses run from 10:00 to 04:00.
Barcelona by taxi
In Barcelona, taxis charge two different tariffs depending on the time of day, the day of the week, and whether it is a public holiday. Tariff T-2 is charged between 08:00 and 20:00, with the minimum fare starting at €2.00 with the price per kilometre costing €0.86. Any waiting time is charged at €18.60 per hour. Tariff T-1 is applicable between 20:00 and 08:00 and all day on Saturdays and public holidays. The minimum fare is the same as T-2, but the cost per kilometre is €1.10. Any waiting time is charged at a higher hourly rate of €18.80. €1 is charged per suitcase and wearing seatbelts is obligatory.
Barcelona by train
There are three main stations in Barcelona, El Clot Arago in the Sant Marti district, Passeig de Gracia in the centre of the city, and Sant Estacio which is the largest. The high speed AVE train from Barcelona to Madrid operates from the Sant Estacio station and takes approximately 3 hours. The standard price for a one-way ticket is €120 but if purchased in advance, can be as low as €40, and trains run between 06:00 and 21:00. There is also an underground subway which makes it very easy to get around when visiting attractions. There are five different lines, and entrances are clearly marked with a red diamond symbol.
Hitchhiking in Barcelona
Hitchhiking is not illegal, however Spain does not have a strong hitchhiking culture and getting a ride can be much more difficult than in other European countries.
