Getting There
Air
Barcelona’s El Prat Airport is the main international airport which most airlines fly into. Situated 13km South West of the city it is easily accessible by most forms of transport. Airport facilities include ATMs, bureaux de change, left luggage/security lockers plus plenty of restaurants and shops, WiFi hotspots are also available at T2 but at a small cost.
If you’re heading to or from central Barcelona the best option is the Aerobus which costs just over €6 and takes about 30 minutes. Running from the Airport to Plaza Catalunya approx every 5 to 20 mins between 5.30am to 1am seven days a week all year round. A1 runs to & from Terminal 1 and A2 runs to & from Terminal 2.
You can catch the RENFE train service which costs €3 about 5 mins walk from Terminal 2 at the ‘Aeropuerto’ train station but you will need to change at Barcelona Sants or Passeig de Gracia and get on the metro train system. The RENFE runs approx every 30 mins and the journey time is approx 18 mins.
Otherwise, you can take a taxi which will be approx €35, most of the taxis run on meters so you shouldn’t get ripped off or, by private transfer which can cost as little as €8 each for a large group.
Girona Airport is used by budget airlines, including Ryanair. It is 100km from the centre of Barcelona and your best option to get into the city is to use the Barcelona Bus service which costs €16 for a single, this bus service drops passengers off at Barcelona’s main bus terminal (Estacio d’ Autobusos Barcelona Nord) where you can catch the metro.
Getting Around
Metro
Many of the tourist sights in Barcelona are spread out, so it’s a city which can’t be properly seen on foot. The metro system is easy to navigate and cheap starting with a Hola BCN! 2 day travel card from €14 going up to a 5 day travel card for €32.
Bus
If you’re wanting to sightsee, it’s hard to go past the hop-on, hop-off Bus Turistic. At €27 for one day or €35 for two consecutive days, it’s not cheap, but it has three routes (blue, red and an additional green route in summer), running from 9am-7pm in winter and from 9am-8pm in summer, they visit all the major attractions with 44 stops and a guide on each bus to help you. It will give also you a sense of the city’s grand, tree-lined boulevards and spacious layout.
Cable Car
For a bird’s eye view of Barcelona try the Barcelona Cable Car which runs between Barcelona and the top of Montjuïc mountain, on a 750-metre-long trip above the city. A one-way ticket is €7.80 and a return ticket is €11.50. Operating from 10am-6pm January to February, 10am-7pm from March to May, 10am-9pm June to September, 10am-7pm in October and 10am-6pm in November and December.
Tram
Barcelona also runs a safe and clean tram network and the Ferrocarriles de la Generalitat de Cataluña railway service (FCG).
Hola BCN! Travel Card
The Hola BCN! travel card means you can make as many journeys as you like using the urban transportion of the metro, bus, urban railway, tram, Montjuïc funicular and regional rail network (Zone 1), plus travel to and from the city and the airport. Available for 2, 3, 4 or 5 consecutive days the card will offer unlimited travel. Prices are:
Adult 2 days: €14 children under 4 go free
Adult 3 days: €20.50 children under 4 go free
Adult 4 days: €26.50 children under 4 go free
Adult 5 days: €32 children under 4 go free
You need to validate your Hola BCN! travel card each time you use a mode of transport, keep it in good condition and avoid keeping it close to magnets, mobile phones etc.
Where to stay
Equity Point Centric Hostel
Equity Point Centric hostel is situated on an impressive and completely refurbished Modernist building in the best location ever dreamed for a hostel in Barcelona. Centric Point is Equity Point’s flagship hostel next to Plaça Catalunya and The Ramblas.
