Getting from El Prat Airport to Barcelona

Photo by Robot8A, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Barcelona's airport, El Prat, lies about 9 miles from the city and offers many options for connecting between the two. I took the taxi, so I'll talk about that first, before going into public transit. 

Taxi

According to my friend Helen, a Barcelona resident, the best way to get from the airport to the city is by taxi. I found taking the taxi to be an easy process, and I would do it again. I would especially recommend it if you have heavy luggage or a bunch of bags, as I did, or if you're going somewhere that isn't easily accessible by public transit. 

How to order a taxi

Once you leave the arrivals section of the airport, you'll see (and hear) a long line of taxis. As Helen says and as I can vouch, the line moves quickly despite its length, and it's organized. On the curb, you'll see an airport employee in charge of sending passengers to taxis. Go over to them, tell them you need a taxi, and how many people will be riding. (I am pretty sure I spoke English, so if you only speak English, no worries. Otherwise, I'd say it's pretty basic Spanish.) Then you wait until they tell you which taxi to go to.

Once you get to the taxi, give the driver your address or the name of your hotel or dropoff place. When you arrive, they'll tell you the fare, which is on the meter. You don't need to pay a tip; what you see is what you get.

What about rideshares?

Ah, the taxi versus rideshare debate. It's a thorny issue in Barcelona and Catalonia and has been for awhile. Personally, I would stick to taxi or public transit when traveling in Barcelona, but I also can't speak for what it's like to take a rideshare like Uber or Cabify there. If anyone has done so, I'd like to hear how your experience was. 

Public transit and shuttles

Metro

You can also take the metro from the airport. This is especially handy if you are staying near a metro station and want to save money. According to Barcelona's public transit page, Line L9 goes from the airport terminals to the city. While I haven't taken the metro in Barcelona, the airport and metro websites have more info. You can also look up YouTube videos on how to take the metro from the airport. 

Train

You can also take the commuter train if your lodging is near a train stop or you're going to a suburb or other city. Take Line R2 Nord to your stop of interest. If you're going to another city, you'll get off at the Barcelona Sants train station and transfer there. 

Bus

Barcelona's public transit page to the rescue again! You have a couple of options for buses: the airport shuttle (Aerobús), city bus 46  or the city's on-demand night bus (NitBus).