Barcelona Airport - El Prat
How to get to Barcelona Airport from the city centre: Aerobús, train, metro and taxi
To get to Barcelona Airport from the city centre, the easiest option is the Aerobús shuttle, from Plaça Catalunya or Plaça Espanya, 24 hours a day, in 30 to 35 minutes. The cheapest is the R2 Nord train, from Sants or Passeig de Gràcia, for €2.90, but it only serves Terminal 2. Check your terminal first: it depends on your airline, and it determines which line to take.
Aerobús shuttle 24 hours a day from Plaça Catalunya, train from Sants for €2.90, metro, bus or taxi: getting to the airport, terminal by terminal.
- Check your terminal: T1 or T2
- Aerobús every 5 to 10 min
- Train from Sants for €2.90
At a glance
Getting to Barcelona Airport in brief
| Easiest | Aerobús shuttle from Plaça Catalunya: line A1 for T1, A2 for T2, €7.75 one way |
|---|---|
| Cheapest | R2N from Sants or Passeig de Gràcia, €2.90, to T2 only |
| By metro | L9S to both terminals, with the €5.90 Airport ticket: the T-casual is not valid there |
| By bus | 46 from Plaça Espanya, €2.90, from 04:50 to 23:50 |
| By taxi | About €26 to €36 from Plaça Catalunya, depending on the terminal and the time of day |
| At night | Aerobús shuttle 24 hours a day, N17 and N18 night buses from Plaça Catalunya |
| Arriving at the airport | 2 hours before a Schengen flight, 3 hours before a non-Schengen flight (Aena's advice) |
| Between terminals | Free T1-T2 shuttle bus, 24 hours a day, if you've gone to the wrong terminal |
Sources: Aerobús, TMB, Renfe (timetables of 30 October 2026), AMB (2026 taxi fares) and Aena, checked between 30 October and 5 November 2026.
Before you leave
T1 or T2: check your terminal before you leave
Barcelona Airport has two terminals, several kilometres apart. Your terminal depends on your airline, not on your destination: it is shown on your boarding pass.
- Aerobús shuttle: line A1 goes to Terminal 1, line A2 to Terminal 2. Both leave from the same stops in the city.
- R2 Nord train: it only stops at Terminal 2. For T1, take the free shuttle bus between the terminals from there.
- L9 Sud metro: it serves both terminals, Aeroport T2 first, then Aeroport T1.
- Taxi: tell the driver your terminal.
Which airline flies from which terminal: arrivals, departures and terminals.
Routes
Getting to the airport from Plaça Catalunya, Sants, Passeig de Gràcia or the port
The best way depends on where you are starting from.
| Plaça Catalunya | Aerobús shuttle A1 or A2, direct, 30 to 35 min. At night: N17 bus (Plaça Catalunya - Bergara) or N18 (Plaça Catalunya - Pelai) |
|---|---|
| Sants station | R2N direct to T2 in 17 min, departures at 09 and 39 minutes past the hour, from 05:13 to 23:09. Or metro L5 to Collblanc, then L9S |
| Passeig de Gràcia | R2N direct to T2 in 22 to 24 min, departures at 02 and 32 minutes past the hour, from 05:08 to 23:02 |
| Plaça Espanya | Aerobús shuttle A1 or A2, or bus 46 to T2, then T1 |
| Sagrada Família, Diagonal | Metro L5 to Collblanc, then L9S to the terminal |
| Cruise port | See airport and cruise port |
| Your hotel | Taxi, or a private transfer booked in advance, at a fixed price |
Train times taken from the Renfe website on 30 October 2026, the same on weekdays and at weekends that day: check them before you set off.
Aerobús and metro
By Aerobús shuttle or metro to the airport
Aerobús shuttle
The easiest option, day and night
- Stops in the city: Plaça Catalunya, Carrer Sepúlveda, Plaça Espanya. No stop at Sants.
- A1 to T1: every 5 min from 06:40 to 21:55, every 10 to 20 min the rest of the time.
- A2 to T2: every 10 min from 05:00 to 22:30, every 20 min at night.
- Journey time: 30 to 35 min; price: €7.75 one way, €13.30 return.
- Tickets online, from the machines at the stops or on board. The T-casual and the Hola card are not valid.
L9 Sud metro
One change, a special ticket
Line L9S does not run through the centre: you change onto it from another line.
- from L1 at Torrassa (Catalunya, Universitat, Espanya);
- from L5 at Collblanc (Sants Estació, Diagonal, Sagrada Família);
- from L3 at Zona Universitària (Catalunya, Passeig de Gràcia, Liceu).
Buy the €5.90 Airport ticket before you board: the T-casual and the single ticket will not let you exit at the airport stations. The Hola Barcelona card, on the other hand, includes one outward and one return journey. Trains every 7 minutes, about 30 minutes from the centre to the terminal.
T-casual: not valid on the airport metro. It is valid on the R2 Nord train and the 46 bus, but not at the Aeroport T1 and T2 stations. Without the right ticket, you will have to buy the Airport ticket to get out.
Direct, no changes
The Aerobús shuttle, from Plaça Catalunya to your terminal
Every 5 to 10 minutes during the day, 24 hours a day, with room for your luggage. Buy your ticket in advance and board straight away.
The cheapest
By train or bus to the airport
R2 Nord train
Direct from Sants and Passeig de Gràcia
- Sants: departures at 09 and 39 minutes past the hour, from 05:13 to 23:09, 17 min to the airport;
- Passeig de Gràcia: departures at 02 and 32 minutes past the hour, from 05:08 to 23:02, 22 to 24 min;
- €2.90 ticket (one zone), or one T-casual journey;
- the airport station is at Terminal 2: for T1, take the free shuttle bus from there.
Bus 46 and night buses
From Plaça Espanya and Plaça Catalunya
- 46 from Plaça Espanya, to T2 then T1, from 04:50 to 23:50, €2.90 or one T-casual journey;
- at night, N17 from Plaça Catalunya - Bergara, every 15 min from 23:00 to 05:00, to T1;
- N18 from Plaça Catalunya - Pelai, every 15 min from 00:05 to 04:50.
Slower than the shuttle, these buses go through L'Hospitalet and El Prat: allow extra time.
Door to door
By taxi or private transfer to the airport
Taxi
On the meter, no flat rate
- about €26 to €36 from Plaça Catalunya or Sants station, depending on the terminal and the time of day;
- the €4.60 airport supplement also applies on trips to the airport;
- from Sants station, a €2.55 supplement is added;
- the €21 minimum fare only applies to trips from the airport.
Metered estimate, 2026 AMB fares, excluding traffic jams: there is no fixed price to the airport.
Private transfer
A driver at the time you choose
With a transfer booked in advance at a fixed price, the driver picks you up at your hotel or address and drops you off at the terminal. Handy with lots of luggage, with a family or for a very early flight.
Barcelona Airport
Read also
Your questions
Getting to Barcelona Airport: frequently asked questions
The easiest way is the Aerobús shuttle from Plaça Catalunya: 30 to 35 minutes, 24 hours a day, line A1 for Terminal 1 and A2 for Terminal 2. The R2 Nord train, from Sants or Passeig de Gràcia, is cheaper but only goes to Terminal 2.
The R2 Nord train and the 46 bus, at €2.90 a journey, or less with a T-casual. The train leaves from Sants and Passeig de Gràcia, the bus from Plaça Espanya.
Take the R2 Nord train, direct to Terminal 2 in 17 minutes, departures at 09 and 39 minutes past the hour from 05:13 to 23:09. For Terminal 1, take the free shuttle bus from there, or the L5 metro to Collblanc, then the L9 Sud.
Line L9 Sud, which serves both terminals. It does not run through the centre: you change onto it at Torrassa (L1), Collblanc (L5) or Zona Universitària (L3).
The Airport ticket, at €5.90, or the Hola Barcelona card, which includes one outward and one return journey. The T-casual and the single ticket are not valid at the airport stations.
About €26 to €36 from Plaça Catalunya, on the meter, including the €4.60 airport supplement. From Sants station, there is an extra €2.55 supplement. There is no fixed price.
Aena advises arriving 2 hours before a Schengen flight and 3 hours before a non-Schengen flight. Add the journey time: 30 to 35 minutes by shuttle from Plaça Catalunya, longer by metro or bus.
The R2 Nord, from Sants, Passeig de Gràcia or El Clot. Its station is at Terminal 2, linked to the terminal building; for Terminal 1, take the free shuttle bus from there.
Take the Aerobús A1 shuttle, direct from Plaça Catalunya or Plaça Espanya, by the L9 Sud metro (Aeroport T1 station), or by the 46 bus. The train only stops at Terminal 2.
At Plaça Catalunya, Carrer Sepúlveda or Plaça Espanya. Check the line: A1 for Terminal 1, A2 for Terminal 2.
The Aerobús shuttle runs 24 hours a day, every 20 minutes in the middle of the night. The N17 and N18 night buses leave Plaça Catalunya every 15 minutes. The metro stops at midnight from Monday to Thursday and at 02:00 on Friday, but runs all night on Saturday; the last train leaves Sants at 23:09.
From Plaça Catalunya, about 14 km by road to Terminal 2 and 17 km to Terminal 1.