Airport Guide to Barcelona International (BCN)

Airport Overview

Terminal Transfer | Getting into Town | Car Parking | Information Desks | Airport Facilities

Barcelona International Airport (BCN) is generally known as El Prat Airport. It is located 12km (8 miles) outside of Barcelona and is the second-largest airport in Spain. Its close proximity to Barcelona makes El Prat a great airport from which to start a Spanish break.

The airport caters for tourists and locals alike with a great selection of shops and duty free items. The El Prat Airport receives most of its flights from other European airports and a couple from airports in North Africa. The terminal is easy to navigate and staff at the airport are always willing to help.

El Prat is popular with low-cost airlines and it is a hub for Ryanair, Spanair and Vueling. Iberia and Air Europa have regular flights to and from El Prat Airport and it is easy to find domestic, European and charter flights to Barcelona El Prat Airport. Several major carriers choose to use El Prat (British Airways, American Airlines, Air Canada) and most flights to the Canary Islands, Granada and the Balearic Islands either stop-over or originate from Barcelona Airport.

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Terminal Transfer

The two terminals are 4km apart. There’s a free shuttle bus (green) that runs from T2 to T1. It runs every six to seven minutes, 24 hours per day and takes ten minutes.

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Getting into Town

Train: The train station is located opposite Terminal 2, linked by an airbridge. Tickets into Barcelona start at €3. The trip takes 20 minutes and trains generally run twice an hour between 5am and 11pm.

Taxis: Taxi ranks at El Prat Airport are located outside the terminals. Taxi fares to and from the airport start at €20 and increase depending upon which part of Barcelona you are travelling to. The luggage supplement is €1 per item.

Bus: Both long-distance coaches and local buses operate routes to Barcelona Airport. Buses stop outside the both terminals. Fares start at €1.40 to Plaza Espana and Plaza Catalunya. Buses are available 24 hours a day and some leave as frequently as every 20 minutes while less popular routes run less frequently. The airport bus costs about €10 and runs every five minutes – journey time is 40 minutes.

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Car Parking

Both terminals have their own dedicated car parks. There is also a long-stay parking lot located one mile (2km) from the airport, which is serviced by a shuttle bus. Parking rates start at 70 cents for the first 30 minutes and about €2 for the first 60 minutes. Daily rates are about €18. Long-stay parking rates are about €15 per day.

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Information Desks

The airport has a total of 14 information desks across both terminals. Eight information desks are manned by staff wearing “Green Jackets” and there are mobile information points too.

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Airport Facilities

Money and communications: ATMs, exchange facilities and a bank are all available in both terminals.

Luggage: A left-luggage office can be found on P0 of Terminal 1, level below La Plaza. There are three locker sizes to choose from ranging from €4.20 to €5.40 per day (or part of a day). After 30 days, the airport will transfer items to a warehouse and will charge €43 for the transfer and €2 per day. Luggage trolleys are available free of charge.

Conference and business: The El Prat Airport is fully equipped with conference and business facilities. Meeting rooms are located in Terminal 2B and there is a business centre with fax services, printing and internet access in terminal one.

Other facilities: The airport is well equipped for passengers with reduced mobility. There are also tour operators, travel agencies and hotels at the airport and a selection of VIP lounges as well as a first-aid office.

Wi-Fi: El Prat Airport’s Wi-Fi is operated by Kubi Wireless. Unfortunately, it’s not free.

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