How to get from Barcelona Airport (BCN) ✈️ to the City Center
Barcelona Airport (BCN), also known as Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport, is the main international airport of Barcelona and is located about 14 km southwest of the main city center. Upon arrival, you can reach downtown Barcelona by Public Bus, Express Bus, Public Train, Metro, Taxi or Welcome Pickup.
This guide compares all available airport transfers at Barcelona Airport (BCN) according to classic travel factors. This includes travel time, cost per person (pp), a short route description and official links to book or buy tickets.
Transfer comparison
Overview of all transfer options from Barcelona Airport to the City Center (Plaza de España, Plaça de Catalunya)
Transport | Travel time | Cost | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Public Bus | 45 Min. | 2,40 € | Details | |
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Express Bus | 35 Min. | 9,75 € | Details |
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Train | 35 Min. | 4,60 € | Details |
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Metro | 50 Min. | 5,15 € | Details |
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Taxi | 25 Min. | 30‑40 € | Details |
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Welcome Pickup |
25 Min. | 40 € | Details |
Notices:
• The optimal transfer depends on the number of travelers, budget and available time.
• There may be waiting times at the taxi rank if there are high volume of passengers. In this case, a pre-booked transfer (e.g. via Welcome Pickups) is the more faster and comfortable option.
Barcelona Travel Tips (AD)
Travel tips and recommendations for a great stay in Barcelona:
Tours and attractions in Barcelona
City passes & tickets with time slot
Private transfer from the airport

Timetable here, tickets on-site ↗
Travel time:
45 minutesCost:
💸 2,40 € ppDescription:
Public bus line ’46’ from Barcelona Airport (Bus stop in front of Terminal 1 & 2) to “Plaza de España” in the city center of Barcelona, here you can change to metro lines ‘L1’ and ‘L3’
Timetable and tickets here ↗
Travel time:
35 minutesCost:
9,75 € ppDescription:
Aerobús line ‘A1’ (Bus stop at Terminal 1) or line ‘A2’ (Bus stop at Terminal 2) from Barcelona Airport (BCN) to “Plaza de España”, “Plaça de la Universitat”, “Plaça de Catalunya”. Few stops and free WiFi
Timetable here, tickets on-site ↗
Travel time:
35 minutesCost:
4,60 € pp (4 zones)Description:
RENFE train line ‘R2-Nord’ from Barcelona Airport (Station “Aeroport” in front of Terminal 2) to city center stations “Barcelona-Sants”, “Barcelona-Passeig de Gràcia” or “Barcelona-El-Clot”
Timetable here, tickets on-site ↗
Travel time:
50 minutesCost:
5,15 € ppDescription:
Metro line ‘L9 Sud’ from Barcelona Airport (Station “Aeroport” in front of Terminal 1 & 2) to “Torrassa Station”, change here to Metro line ‘L1’ to “Plaça de Catalunya”, right in the centre of Barcelona
Official local taxis
Travel time:
25 minutesCost:
30‑40 €Description:
Taxi from Barcelona-El Prat Airport (Taxis in front of Terminal 1 & 2) to the center of Barcelona, Plaça de Catalunya or directly to your accommodation in the city center
Book a Welcome Pickup ↗
Travel time:
25 minutesCost:
40 €Description:
Comfortable private transfer (via Welcome Pickups) from Barcelona Airport (Nameplate in the Arrival Hall) to central Barcelona, Plaça de Catalunya or to your accommodation in the cityTrip from Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) to central Barcelona (Plaça de Catalunya, Plaza de España)
Things to know about Barcelona:
1. The FC Barcelona Museum is the most visited museum of Barcelona
2. Both Catalan and Spanish are the official languages in Barcelona
3. Barcelona is the second largest city of Spain with 1.6 million residents (Madrid has 3.2 million)