The Aerobus

There are several ways of getting from Barcelona’s El Prat airport into the city centre, but probably the best one in terms of being affordable, quick and easy is the Aerobus. In fact, 9 times out of 10 it’s the option I choose when I travel.

The bus runs 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, so you never have to worry about being left stranded.

The journey time is quick at just 25 to 35 minutes, and the bus leaves you right in the heart of the city at Plaça Catalunya – although you can also alight earlier at Plaça Espanya, Gran Via or Plaça Universitat (see Aerobus route later on this page). You can access the metro easily from all of these stops.

Bonus: there is free WiFi on board, so you can update your socials before you’ve even gotten to the city centre!

Both convenient and affordable… (photo from Wikipedia).

Aerobus Route: Where To Catch Bus?

If you’re arriving at Barcelona El Prat airport (BCN), you can catch the Aerobus from either terminal (T1 or T2).

Note: Some budget carriers do also fly to nearby Reus (REU) and Girona (GRO) airports, in which case you will need to find alternative transport.

Bus Route: Airport to City Centre

The A1 Aerobus starts at Terminal 1, and the A2 Aerobus starts at Terminal 2, but after that both bus routes are the same. They both make four stops, all in the city centre:

1. Terminal 1 or 2 (starting point)
2. Plaça Espanya (1st stop),
3. Gran Via – Borrell (2nd stop)
4. Plaça Universitat (3rd stop)
5. Plaça Catalunya (4th and final stop).

You can check out the exact locations of the bus stops on the map below…

There are clearly marked signs outside the arrivals gate at both terminals. Once you get outside, it’s easy to spot the bus stand – just look for the big blue bus with “Aerobus” splashed across the side, there’s usually one waiting to be boarded.

Otherwise check these videos below, which will walk you through the exact locations.

Finding the A1 Bus Stop at Terminal 1

If you land at Terminal 1 you’ll be boarding the A1 Aerobus.

Finding the A2 Bus Stop at Terminal 2

If you land at Terminal 2 you’ll be boarding the A2 Aerobus. It takes the same route at the A1, but just with a different starting point.

Bus Route: City Centre to Airport

If you’re catching a departing flight from Barcelona, you can get on the Aerobus (A1 or A2) at any one of three stops:

1. Plaça Catalunya
2. Sepulveda-Urgell
3. Plaça Espanya

If in doubt we advise going to Plaça Catalunya (click here for Google map directions), where the stops are easiest to find! There’s nearly always a big blue bus parked and getting ready to go.

You can check the location of all three stops on a map here.

Important Tip: Make sure to check which terminal you’re flying out of, as there are separate buses for T1 and T2. The “A1” bus takes you to Terminal 1 and the “A2” bus takes you to Terminal 2. If in doubt, just ask the bus driver to be sure.

Wrong Terminal? If you mistakenly catch the wrong Aerobus, you can transfer between the two terminals at the airport, using a special free shuttle bus service, but you will likely lose 20 or so minutes.

The Airport Bus Timetable

Both the A1 and the A2 run all year around (365 days of the year) and 24 hours a day, with exact frequency depending on the time of day. The only difference to note is that the A1 runs every 5 mins during the day (every 20 mins at night), while the A2 is slightly less frequent, running every 10 during the day (every 20 mins at night).

Travel from Plaça Catalunya to either airport terminal (T1 or T2) takes about 25-35 minutes, but it’s wise to factor in a bit of extra time just in case there’s a lot of traffic that day.

Buying Tickets Online

Whilst it’s possible to buy your tickets on the day from ticket machines or the driver, the machines are sometimes out of order, while the drivers don’t accept large bills.

More importantly, as the Aerobus is a very popular transport option, there’s normally a queue to get tickets from the driver or the ticket machines. On the other hand, those who already have tickets are fast-tracked by a member of staff straight on board the back of the bus, so it’s a good idea to buy in advance!

Tickets cost €9.75 one way, or €14.65 for a return. You can purchase your tickets via Tiqets.com, and then either print them off or have them available to scan on your phone.

The return tickets are valid within 15 days of taking your outbound trip. Children under 4 years of age travel for free.

BOOK AEROBUS TICKETS ONLINE

Note: Please note, if you’ve bought a public transport pass (like a T-Casual or the Hola Barcelona card), this is NOT valid on the Aerobus. You do have to purchase Aerobus tickets separately, as per the link above.

More Useful Info About the Aerobus

All of the Aerobus stops have easy access to the metro, so it’s easy to continue your journey. From Plaça Espanya you can access the Red and Green lines at the corresponding metro station. At Plaça Catalunya you can access the same lines, or you can walk just a 100 metres or so to Urquinaona metro and board the Yellow line of the metro.

The Aerobus is suitable for people with reduced mobility.

The buses have lots of space designated for luggage storage. There is also an area for things like pushchairs, wheelchairs, bikes, and oversized luggage.

During the trip, the bus has a TV channel filled with information about Barcelona.

Did we mention free Wi-Fi?

And USB chargers?

More Airport Transport Options

While the Aerobus is hardly expensive, it’s not the cheapest option to get to the airport: for that consider the metro or train as alternatives (although both have their drawbacks…).

Meanwhile a pre-booked taxi is faster, more convenient and more comfortable, and still affordable, especially if you are 3 or more people.

Metro

A new ‘L9 Sud‘ makes getting to Barcelona airport by metro possible, but not ideal to be honest, because one still has to reach the L9 Sud line which doesn’t go to the city centre. So you will have to change lines at least once and I would leave at least one hour in total for the journey. What’s more, you can’t use a typical metro ticket or T-casual, you need a special ticket that costs €5.15 (although transport is included as part of the Hola Barcelona public transport pass)

Train

The train is fast and cheap (around €4-5 for a single), but only departs every 30 minutes and only goes to Terminal 2 (leaving you with the faff of taking the free shuttle bus if you’re flying out of Terminal 1). You need the R2 Nord train which calls through central stations Clot, Passeig de Gracia and Sants.

Private Transfer (Taxi)

Obviously the most convenient way to travel is via taxi to/from the airport, and they are surprisingly affordable at around €35-45 to or from the city centre. There may be extra charges for late night trips or during public holidays. A taxi journey takes approximately 20-30 minutes. Better to book in advance via the likes of Welcome Pickups, where you can see the price up front, skip queuing at the taxi rank, and be sure of an English speaking driver.

More info on taxis and alternative transport options on our Airport page.