Barcelona Airport Guide
Barcelona Airport is the main airport to service the city of Barcelona and also the Catalonia region. If you are wanting to reach the city of Barcelona, then Barcelona El Prat Airport (as it is also known) is the closest airport you can fly in to. However, there are several other airports in Spain such as Reus airport and Girona airport that also service Barcelona but they are located 100 klms from the city centre of Barcelona. Many of the low cost airlines advertise Reus airport and Girona airport as ‘Barcelona’ but in reality, they are some distance from the city of Barcelona.
Barcelona Airport Code: BCN
Where Is Barcelona Airport
The beauty of Barcelona airport is that it is very close to the city of Barcelona itself and is located just 12 klms (8 miles) South West of the city.
Main Cities Serviced By the Airport: Barcelona
About Barcelona Airport
Barcelona Airport is also known as Barcelona ‘El Prat’ Airport due to its location in the municipalities of El Prat de Llobregat. This means that passengers landing at Barcelona airport have no trouble reaching the city centre of Barcelona and also have a wide range of transport on offer for transfers to and from Barcelona Airport.
Barcelona El Prat Airport is the main airport to service Catalonia and is also the second busiest of all the airports in Spain behind Madrid Airport. The airport is a very modern building with a large number of facilities available to passengers.
Airport Terminals
Barcelona Airport has two main terminals and these terminals are known as T1 & T2. The two airport Terminals are quite a distance apart and there is a free shuttle service for passengers that connects them between the two Terminals. The shuttle service runs approximately every 5 minutes at peak times. The Terminals offer both International and Domestic flights and depending on which airline you are flying with, will determine which Terminal you arrive at and depart from.
Passenger Traffic
Barcelona El Prat Airport has a very large volume of passenger traffic each year with approximately 35 Million passengers passing through it annually. Due to this large volume of passenger traffic, Barcelona El Prat Airport is the second busiest of all the airports in Spain.
Getting Too And From Barcelona Airport To Barcelona
Due to its close proximity to the city of Barcelona itself, Barcelona El Prat Airport offers a wide range of transfer option to passengers landing at the airport. As you can imagine, having such a large number of passengers arriving and departing from the airport each year, the Ground Support system that is in place at the airport is excellent. Passengers can choose from various types of transport that suit all requirements and budgets. The following forms of transport are available to passengers at the airport.
Integrated Fare System
There is an Integrated Fare system available to passengers at the airport and this system allows passengers to purchase a ticket that allows them to travel on different types of transport such as train, Tram, Metro and bus. This ticket is only valid for a certain length of time once the ticket is validated but it does save you the hassle of having to purchase several tickets if you are wishing to reach a destination that requires you having to use several different forms of transport. To read more about the system, please click on the following link: Integrated Fare System
Buses From Barcelona Airport:
There are public bus services that operate from outside the main Arrivals Terminals at the airport. These services provide regular connections throughout the day to Barcelona city centre and also a large number of towns and villages throughout the Catalonia region. The bus services that run too and from the airport provide a very cheap and cost effective means of transfer, especially if you are travelling on a limited budget.
Bus Service From T1:
The bus service from T1 at Barcelona El Prat airport to Barcelona itself runs at regular intervals throughout the day and every 5 minutes during peak periods. The journey time to Barcelona from the airport is approximately 35 minutes depending on traffic.
Bus Service From T2:
The bus service from T2 to Barcelona runs at 10 minute intervals during the peak periods.
For more information on Bus Services from Barcelona airport, please click on the following link: Bus services from Barcelona Airport
Train From Barcelona Airport
Barcelona airport is connected to the main city of Barcelona by rail network. Passengers can catch a train from Barcelona airport to the city and the journey take approximately 25 minutes. The train runs from the airport every 30 minutes (at the time of writing) and provides a quick and cost effective form of transfer to and from the airport. There are several types of tickets available and if there are a large number of people travelling in your party, it can be a good idea to purchase one of the tickets that allows you 10 journeys, as you can then use this ticket for your group. It is always a advisable to ask at the ticket office in the train station as to which ticket would be the cheapest option for you travel.
Car Hire From Barcelona Airport
There are several car hire companies located at Barcelona airport and the major companies are: Avis, Enterprise Atesa, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt Rent A Car. There are always good deals to be found (especially if you pre-book in advance) and if you would like to find the best deals on car hire from Barcelona, please click on the following link: Car Hire From Barcelona airport
Barcelona Airport Hotels
Although there are no hotels actually onsite at Barcelona airport, there are a couple of hotels that are very close and provide the perfect place for an overnight stopover. The hotels are a very popular choice with passengers arriving at the airport late at night or with those who have early morning departures. Many of the hotels that are located close to the airport offer a shuttle service to guests staying at the hotel. There are always some good deals to be found and if you want to see how much a hotel will be for your required dates, simply click on the following link: Hotels Close To Barcelona Airport
Shops At Barcelona Airport
Located throughout the airport on both ‘Land Sides and Air Side’ of the Terminal buildings, passengers can find a wide range of shops selling a variety of goods. Some of these shops include:
Clothes shops – Duty Free shops – Gift shops – Pharmacies and Tobacconists
There are also a large number of food outlets that offer a wide range of cuisines to suit all tastes and budgets.
Bars: There are a number of bars situated throughout the airport terminals selling a large selection of drinks. Passengers can enjoy their favourite tipple whilst waiting for their flight!
VIP Airport Lounges At Barcelona Airport
There are several Airport Lounges at Barcelona Airport and passengers wishing to use the airport lounges should hold a Boarding Pass or card that allows them entry. If you do not have a Boarding Pass or Card, you can gain access by purchasing entry through one of the Airport Lounge companies. The following Lounges are available at the airport:
Terminal T1: Business centre – Colomer – Joan Miró – Pau Casals
Terminal T2 B – Canudas
Parking At Barcelona El Prat Airport
There are nearly 20,000 parking spaces available to passengers at Barcelona airport and these are available in both Terminals T1 and T2. Bothe Long term and Short term parking are available and the cost of parking is determined by the duration of your stay.
Left Luggage Lockers
There are ‘Left Luggage Lockers’ available at the airport and these are charged at a daily rate. There are different sized lockers available and the charge varies depending on the size of the locker and duration of use.
Barcelona Airport Address: Aeropuerto de Barcelona El Prat de Llobregat – 08820 Barcelona, Espana – Telephone: 0034(0)932 983 838