Barcelona airport to the city centre: metro, Aerobús, train or taxi
The four ways from the airport to central Barcelona, with the fares and journey times the operators publish, and which to pick for where you are going and what ticket you hold.
Sources (8)
There are four ways into central Barcelona from El Prat: the Aerobús shuttle, the L9 Sud metro, the R2 Nord train and a taxi. Which is best depends on which terminal you land at, where you are staying and whether you already hold a transport pass.
| Option | Terminals | Fare | Time to the centre | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerobús A1 / A2 | A1: T1 · A2: T2 | €7.75 single, €13.30 return | 30–35 min to Plaça Catalunya | Every 5–10 min by day |
| Metro L9 Sud | T1 and T2 | €5.90 airport ticket | About 32 min, with one change | Every 7 min |
| Train R2 Nord | T2 only | Rodalies ticket or integrated pass | About 20 min to Sants, 25 to Passeig de Gràcia | Every 30 min |
| Taxi | T1 and T2 | Metered; minimum €21 from the airport | Depends on traffic | — |
Fares and times from Aerobús, TMB, Rodalies and AMB. Train times read from the official R2 timetable of 1 September 2026.
Aerobús: the simplest, if you are going to Plaça Catalunya
The Aerobús is a direct shuttle run by Monbus. Line A1 serves Terminal 1 and line A2 serves Terminal 2 (T2B and T2C), so check your terminal with your airline. Into town, both lines stop at Plaça Espanya, Gran Via – Borrell and Plaça Universitat and end at Plaça Catalunya. The operator gives the journey as about 30 to 35 minutes.
A single costs €7.75 and a return €13.30 on the operator's rates page. Tickets are valid for 90 days from purchase; the return half is valid for another 90 days from the outbound trip. You can buy online, in the app, at machines at the airport and in the centre, from staff at the stops and on the bus. Children under 4 travel free.
It runs 24 hours a day. From T1 the A1 leaves every 5 minutes from 07:15 to 22:30 and every 10 to 20 minutes outside those hours; the A2 leaves T2 every 10 minutes from 05:35 to 23:00 and every 20 minutes overnight.
Metro L9 Sud: cheapest from both terminals, with a change
The L9 Sud stops at both terminals and runs every 7 minutes. It does not reach the centre on its own: you change at Torrassa (L1), Collblanc (L5), Zona Universitària (L3) or Can Tries | Gornal (L10 Sud). TMB gives about 32 minutes from the airport to the city centre.
The airport stations need the airport ticket, €5.90. The single ticket (€2.90) and the T-casual are not valid at Aeroport T1 and T2; if you arrive with one, you must buy the airport ticket to get out. The T-dia covers one trip to the airport and one from it, and the Hola Barcelona card includes airport metro trips. Which pass to buy compares them.
The metro runs from 05:00 to midnight Monday to Thursday, until 02:00 on Fridays and the eves of public holidays, and all night on Saturdays.
Train R2 Nord: fastest to Sants and Passeig de Gràcia, from T2
The Rodalies R2 Nord leaves from the station next to Terminal 2 every 30 minutes and stops at Barcelona-Sants, Passeig de Gràcia and El Clot-Aragó. On the official timetable it takes about 20 minutes to Sants and 25 to Passeig de Gràcia.
Unlike the airport metro, the train accepts every integrated pass, the T-casual included, so if you already hold one this is the way in that costs you a single journey. Landing at T1? The free shuttle bus between terminals takes about 10 minutes to T2.
Taxi
Airport taxis in the metropolitan area run on the AMB meter. In 2026 the flag fall is €2.80, the rate is €1.35 per km on weekdays from 08:00 to 20:00 and €1.66 at night, on Saturdays and on public holidays, and trips to or from the airport carry a €4.60 supplement. The minimum fare for a trip starting at the airport, all supplements included, is €21.
No official source publishes a typical total to the centre, because it depends on the meter and the traffic; be wary of anyone quoting a fixed price, which the AMB tariff only sets for the airport–cruise terminal (Moll Adossat) run, at €46.
Between terminals, and at night
Aena runs a free shuttle bus between T1 and T2, 24 hours a day, every 5 to 10 minutes; T1 to T2 takes about 10 minutes and T2 to T1 about 14.
At night, besides the Aerobús, the night buses N17 (from T1) and N18 (T1 and T2) run to Plaça Catalunya roughly from midnight to 05:00, every 20 to 30 minutes, and accept integrated passes.
Which one to pick
- Staying near Plaça Catalunya, Universitat or Plaça Espanya: Aerobús. No change, frequent, luggage-friendly.
- Catching a train at Sants, or staying around Passeig de Gràcia, landing at T2: R2 Nord.
- Already holding a T-casual: R2 Nord or bus 46 and the night buses; not the airport metro.
- Holding a T-dia or Hola Barcelona: the L9 Sud metro is included.
- Three or four people with luggage, or arriving very late: compare the taxi meter with three or four Aerobús tickets.
- How much is the Aerobús from Barcelona airport?
- €7.75 one way and €13.30 return on the operator's rates page, checked on 2026-10-12. Children under 4 travel free.
- Can I use the T-casual from the airport?
- Not on the airport metro stations (L9 Sud), but yes on the R2 Nord train, the bus 46 and the night buses.
- Does the Aerobús stop at Barcelona-Sants?
- No. Neither Aerobús line stops at Sants; the R2 Nord train goes there from T2 in about 20 minutes.
- Which terminal does the train leave from?
- The R2 Nord station is at Terminal 2. From T1, take the free shuttle bus between terminals.
Keep reading
Sources
This page cites official and primary sources. If you spot an error, let us know.
- Aerobús — rates — Aerobús (Monbus)
- Aerobús — FAQs, lines and stops — Aerobús (Monbus)
- Accessing Barcelona from the airport by metro — TMB
- Metro and bus fares — TMB
- R2 Nord line — Rodalies de Catalunya
- How to get to Barcelona from the airport — Autoritat del Transport Metropolità
- Free transport between terminals — Aena
- Tarifes urbanes del taxi per al 2026 — Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona
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