The Aerobús is undoubtedly one of the easiest ways to travel from Barcelona Airport (El Prat) to the city center. These shuttle buses take you to Plaça de Catalunya, the center of Barcelona, in just about half an hour, making them one of the fastest and most efficient transportation options. On this page, I will tell you more about how these shuttle buses work, and you can order your tickets right away.
By Bus From and To the Airport
The blue shuttle buses of Aerobús connect Barcelona Airport El Prat with downtown Barcelona and are a great mode of transportation for those needing to be in the city center, thanks to their fast and punctual services, well-equipped and clean buses, and extensive operating hours.
For less than ten euros, you can enjoy a comfortable bus ride that takes you from the airport to the center of Barcelona in less than 35 minutes.
Buying Aerobús Tickets
For the Aerobús, you need to purchase separate tickets (other public transport cards are not valid here).
You can buy Aerobús tickets on the spot, for example, from the driver (cash only), the ticket machines at the bus stops (credit card only: Visa or MasterCard), or from the staff walking around.
Ticket machines for the Aerobús are located next to the bus stops at both terminals at the airport and at Plaça Catalunya. At these bus stops, staff often walk around who can answer all your questions and sell tickets.
If you book online, you don’t have to worry about having enough cash, and you don’t need to look for the ticket machine. This also saves a lot of time, as you can board the bus directly with your online-purchased ticket.
What is the Cost of the Aerobús in Barcelona?
With the Aerobús, you can travel for only €6.75 (one-way) or €11.65 (return) from Barcelona Airport to the city center in about half an hour.
To avoid stress at the machines or with the driver, you can choose to book your tickets online in advance, for example, via my partner site Tiqets. This saves a lot of stress and time upon arrival at the airport. Plus, I receive a small commission for each sale made 🥰.
How Aerobús Barcelona Works
One of the easiest and fastest ways to travel from the airport to the center of Barcelona is by using the blue shuttle buses of Aerobús Barcelona. How these buses work, where the boarding places are, the route they follow, and what the operating hours are, I explain further below.
How Long is the Journey with Aerobús Barcelona?
The average travel time with the Aerobús is 35 minutes. This depends on the traffic and can sometimes be longer or shorter at certain times.
What Time Does the Aerobús Barcelona Depart?
The buses depart throughout the day every 5 to 10 minutes (every 20 minutes at night), so there is almost always a bus when you arrive at the Aerobús bus stop, and it never gets too crowded during the bus ride.
The Aerobús services also operate 24/7.
Where to Board the Aerobús Barcelona?
There are multiple boarding places for the Aerobús Barcelona buses. The main ones are at Barcelona Airport (both terminal 1 and terminal 2) and the central Plaça de Catalunya (next to El Corte Inglés). There you will find ticket machines and staff walking around who can help you if you have questions.
If you want to travel from the airport to Barcelona, you can board the Aerobús at the terminal.
If you want to travel from Barcelona to the airport, you can board at Plaça Catalunya, the bus stop at Sepúlveda-Urgell (at Carrer Sepúlveda, 125), or Plaça d’Espanya (Plaça Espanya, 7).
Route Map of Aerobús Barcelona
Barcelona Airport has two different terminals (T1 and T2), and accordingly, there are two different bus lines, A1 and A2. Both lines depart from Plaça Catalunya (next to El Corte Inglés) and have two boarding stops in the city at Sepúlveda – Urgell (at Carrer Sepúlveda, 125) and Plaça d’Espanya (Plaça Espanya, 7) before heading to the airport.
Be attentive about which bus you board for your trip to the airport: A1 is for flights departing from Terminal 1 and A2 is for flights departing from Terminal 2. If you are unsure from which terminal your flight departs, check the details of your flight on your ticket.
On the route from the airport to the center of Barcelona, there are a few other bus stops where you can get off: Plaça Espanya, Gran Via-Urgell (at Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 514), and Plaça Universitat (at Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 590).
Below is an image showing the routes and the different stops of the Aerobús in Barcelona.
Operating Hours of Aerobús Barcelona
The Aerobús operates 365 days a year and is available 24 hours a day. Below is an overview of the bus times according to the line you take:
Bus Line A1 from Plaça Catalunya to Terminal 1 (Airport BCN)
- From 05:00 to 06:40 every 10 minutes
- From 06:50 to 21:55 every 5 minutes
- From 21:50 to 00:35 every 10 minutes
- From 00:35 to 05:00 every 20 minutes
Bus Line A1 from Terminal T1 (Airport BCN) to Plaça Catalunya (Barcelona)
- From 05:35 to 07:15 every 10 minutes
- From 07:15 to 22:30 every 5 minutes
- From 22:30 to 01:05 every 10 minutes
- From 01:05 to 05:35 every 20 minutes
Bus Line A2 from Plaça Catalunya to Terminal T2 (Airport BCN)
- From 05:00 to 22:30 every 10 minutes
- From 22:30 to 05:00 every 20 minutes
Bus Line A2 from Terminal T2 (Airport BCN) to Plaça Catalunya (Barcelona)
- From 05:35 to 23:00 every 10 minutes
- From 23:00 to 05:35 every 20 minutes
Benefits of Aerobús
Barcelona The Aerobús not only provides a fast connection to Barcelona Airport but also offers excellent service: comfortable seats and ample space for luggage, free Wi-Fi and USB chargers, informative videos about Barcelona, and above all, an efficient bus fleet that arrives on time, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.
All buses are also adapted for wheelchair users. Strollers, buggies, and pets are allowed (the latter as long as they are in boxes or cages of the correct dimensions and do not disturb other passengers).
In short, for travelers who need to be in or around the center of Barcelona, this is the ideal way to travel from the airport to Barcelona.
