Transport in Barcelona
Getting
here
By
plane: Those arriving in Barcelona by plane will
land at Barcelona Airport, El Prat de Llobregat,
coded BCN in the international aviation codes. An important
international travel destination, Barcelona Airport receives
many incoming flights from the USA and other European cities.
The airport is 13 km (8 miles) away from central Barcelona
to the southwest and there are several traveling options for
getting from the airport to the city.
•
Car: the access highway from the airport
to central Barcelona is the C-246 highway - Autovia de
Castelldefels. Travel time will vary depending on traffic
but should take around 20-30 minutes.
• Taxi: taxis abound outside the airport’s
three terminals and will also take around 20-30 in getting
to central Barcelona along the C-246 highway - Autovia
de Castelldefels. Fares depend on your destination but
expect a minimum of €15. Be sure to consult the driver
on the possible fare to get an idea of what the trip will
amount to.
• Bus: A bus service is available for
those going to central Barcelona. Buses leave the airport
every 15’ from all three terminals and take you to Plaza
Cataluña. The service is available from 6 AM to 12
midnight. Expect a 30’ ride into Barcelona. The fare
is €3.30.-
• Train: The airport is connected to
a train station, providing transportation every 30’
to 4 destinations, namely Barcelona Sants, Placa Catalunya,
Arc de Triomf and Clot-Arago. Trains run from 6:13 AM to 11:40
PM.
By
car: The most common access by road into Barcelona
from Madrid (taking the N-2, A-2, and A-7 motorways. From
outside of Spain the approach to Barc3lona is from France
with the main access route at the eastern end of the Pyrenees.
Two options are available: the express highway, the E-15,
or the more scenic costal road.
By bus: although this is another possibility,
it is a fairly slow way of getting to Barcelona and therefore
not popular. Various bus service companies can arrange for
travel between Barcelona and several European destinations.
These include Eurolines Limited, Enarcar, Linebús,
and Julià Via.
By train: Traveling by rail is
much faster and more comfortable. Trains depart from Barcelona’s
main train station Estació de França, just minutes
away from Ciutadella Park, the Barcelona zoo, to all major
cities within Spain. International destinations are also catered
for, with many cities on mainland Europe such as Paris, Zurich,
Milan, and Geneva. Generally connections will be required
at some point in France. Major trains include the Barcelona-TALGO,
the Pau Casals and TALGO Catalán.
By ferry: getting to Barcelona through the
port is another option. Transmediterránea provides
the ferry service to and from Majorca and Minorca.
Moving around
Barcelona
The fastest
and cheapest way of moving around Barcelona is using public
transport.
The easiest of all to
use is the metro - with 5 different lines
(identified by a different color each) running from 5AM to
midnight on Mondays-Thursdays and Sundays and from 5AM to
2AM on Fridays, Saturdays and holidays. A one-way fare will
cost around 1?. Tickets will be checked before boarding and
it may be a good idea to get a deal on the multiple-trip tickets.
Barcelona's suburban train
service, the FCG, Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya,
is also a wise travel option with 2 lines in Barcelona and
4 others going to towns close by. Trains run from 5:45 AM
to 12:05 AM on Mondays through Thursdays, from 5:50 AM to
2:15 AM on Fridays and Saturdays and from 5:50 AM to 12:02
AM on Sundays. The fare is also around 1?.
The bus, while being a much
slower form of transportation (due to traffic at rush tour),
is not a bad option considering the city's extensive bus network
(over 70 lines). It is also a great way of seeing the city.
Different routes have different schedules and fares are also
around 1?.
A taxi is the most comfortable
way of getting around the city but also the most expensive.
Identifiable by their black and yellow coloring, taxis show
a green light when available. Prices must be displayed inside
the cab and meters (which are compulsory in all cabs) will
indicate the fare.
A fun and novel alternative include bikes,
which are ideal for touring the city at one's own leisure.
These can be hired at Scenic www.scenic.es.
Our Spanish Language School in Barcelona
is ideally situated so that students are just minutes away
from the city's means of public transport.
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