You are in Barcelona just landed. However, before you set out on your one day adventure, one important choice lies between you and the Gothic Quarter, and that is how do you get to the centre of the city in time and without experiencing any stress?
El Prat Airport of Barcelona is only 13 kilometers southwest of the city centre, though there are choices available of 13 kilometers. We will also divide the key ways to take the journey in this guide so that you can select the alternative that literally fits in the itinerary of one day.
Aerobus
When I first arrived in Barcelona with a mere one-day in the city to see what it could offer. And the Aerobus is the best friend then. A shiny blue taxi that takes you off the airport into the middle of the city in a space of approximately 35 minutes, and does so in a straightforwardness that cannot be matter-of-course by other forms of transportation.
The Aerobus follows a straight, logical route: it begins at the Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, passes through Placa Espanya and rolls past the architectural splendor of Gran Via and on through Placa Universitat on its way to the Placa de Catalunya. All of them are access points to another Barcelona neighborhood. You are not traveling as such you are being oriented.
Duration: ~35 minutes
Frequency: Every 5-10 minutes, 24/7
All the buses operate twenty-four hours, and so, no matter where you are at the beginning of the day or in the middle of the night, you will never be in a deadlock.
Pro Tip
Get an online ticket before you get here. Two minutes save you the time of having to line up at the airport, and one less thing to think about during the bleary-eyed post travel times.
Metro
Barcelo Metro is the bloodline of the town and it is, frankly speaking, your little secret on how to get in and out of El Prat Airport to the centre of Barcelona without spending a lot of money. Board the L9 Sud (Orange Line) and you will be right in the centre within an approximate of 35 to 40 minutes.
This is the truth of the matter: the L9 Sud does not put you right at Placa de Catalunya, the center of things. When you are heading to the Sants district, you can get out and begin exploring right away.
You can take the Orange Line at the airport to Torrassa, where you can change to L1, or use the airport to go to Collblanc and take the L5. It is not complex to have a single connection. Yet it does give some few minutes to your journey. The metro in Barcelona is also efficient and well marked and as such, transfers do not pose a challenge.
Train
Renfe R2 Nord is the best tool of transport between the airport and the city in Barcelona. It is fast, cheap and you have those initial genuine views of the city as you pass through industrial estates and into the center of Barcelona.
The R2 Nord is the only route that serves Terminal 2 and which takes approximately 25 minutes to pass through the city.
This is the ideal path in case your place of stay is close to the Gothic Quarter (Passeig de Gracia will keep you in steps distance) or even in Sants. The train will put you at the point where the transport network in Barcelona is most developed even when you are staying elsewhere and it will be easy to make further connections.
Travelers Terminal 1
Don’t worry. The free green shuttle bus transports people directly between T1 and T2 and takes approximately 10 minutes.
Bus 46
The path will lead you out of Terminal 1 or 2 directly into the centre of the city, and rolling through the biggest avenue in the city the Gran Via it will drop you off close to Placa Espanya. The entire trip takes about 40-50 minutes (traffic and stops made by the driver) depending on the traffic and the number of stops made. The service is available between 5 AM and midnight.
Best: Economical tourists that have reasonable luggage and time.
You should skip it when: You have a number of heavy bags or when you are in a rush hour and you have to get to the hotel promptly.
Taxi
A taxi comes in handy when you are rolling out of the airport with luggage on board or when you are in 2 AM and you just want to get over with travelling. The ride to the center of the city usually consumes 20-30 minutes based on traffic conditions, which is why it is among the fastest door-to-door options. You’ll pay EUR30-EUR35 on average.
Taxis are ideal in groups (divide among few, the price per head decreases in a lovely manner), late night arrival when other transports have been restricted, or when you have serious luggage and could easily be cumbersome in other means. No queuing, the simple ride to where you need to go.
The trick here is to use official taxis which are black and yellow.
Tips for Saving Time
- Plan your Aerobus tickets
- Hola Barcelona Public Transport Travel Card: It will suit you perfectly well, in case you are intending to commute using the Barcelona public transport more than a few times. The unlimited 24-hour difference will provide you with an opportunity to ride metro trains, buses, and trams as many times as you wish without considering the separate ticket costs. It even pays back on a two or three day tour of sightseeing.
