One of the best ways to get to Barcelona city centre from the airport is the Barcelona airport train. It’s cheap, fast and convenient, especially if you’re flying into or departing from Terminal 2 at El Prat Airport. In this post, you’ll learn everything you need to know about getting the train from Barcelona airport to the city, and back again!
Where is Barcelona Airport?
Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport, more commonly known as Barcelona or Barcelona El Prat Airport, is close to a town called El Prat de Llobregat on the outskirts of Barcelona. This is the main international airport of Barcelona and is the only airport actually in Barcelona.
Barcelona El Prat Airport is about 25 minutes’ drive from the centre of Barcelona by car or taxi and is well connected to the city centre by public transport in the form of buses, metro, and (my personal favourite) the Barcelona airport train.
Barcelona Airport Train Station
The train station at Barcelona Airport is located at Terminal 2 and is easily accessible from the terminal via a raised walkway bridge between Terminals 2B and 2A.
Terminal 2B is the largest section of Terminal 2, and most airlines that fly into Terminal 2 will land here, except for Easyjet and a few other flights, which land at the smaller Terminal 2A.
To get to the station, once you have collected your luggage and passed through customs, follow the signs for the train.
In Terminal 2B, that will be to your left as you leave customs. Walk through the terminal, past all of the check-in desks, to the end hall where there are escalators, stairs and a lift up to the next floor, then go straight on across the bridge – you can’t miss it.
If you arrive at Terminal 2A, you’ll need to walk outside of the terminal and turn right to walk a couple of minutes to Terminal 2B. Go inside the terminal and take the escalators/stairs/lift up to the next floor and go across the bridge to the train station.
If you fly into Terminal 1, you’ll need to take the free shuttle bus to Terminal 2 and then walk to the train station across the bridge from Terminal 2 as above. The shuttle buses run frequently, every 5-10 minutes depending on the time of day, and the journey takes 10-15 minutes to get from one terminal to the other.
Before you decide to take the train from the airport to Barcelona, check which terminal you will be arriving at. If you land at Terminal 1, it might be easier and quicker for you to take the Aerobus or another mode of transport to get from the airport to the city centre, as it can take up to 30 minutes to get from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2. Read more about the Aerobus service here.
Taking the Train from Barcelona Airport to City Centre
I love getting the Barcelona airport train to the city and back again. It is quick, relaxing and cheap. Trains are usually on time and run efficiently, every 30 minutes.
The train line that connects the airport with the city is the R2 Nord line, which runs between Aeroport and Maçanet – Massanes stations.
It stops at the main station in Barcelona, which is called Barcelona Sants, as well as Passeig de Gràcia and El Clot-Aragó, and some stops on the way into the city, and then carries on beyond Barcelona towards Maçanet – Massanes to the north.
You can find a map of the trains in Barcelona on the Renfe website here.
The train journey from Barcelona Airport at Terminal 2 to Barcelona Sants station takes 20 minutes. If you continue on to Passeig de Gràcia, it’s 27 minutes, or 31 minutes to El Clot-Aragó. Check where you are staying in Barcelona for the most convenient train station to get off.
Inside the train, there are screens which show what the next stop is, as well as announcements to tell you verbally which is the next stop. Announcements are made in Catalan, Spanish and English.
A new airport train line is currently under construction, which will be an express service from Barcelona city centre to the Airport. The new trains will running every 15 minutes, linking the city centre with both terminals of Barcelona-El Prat Airport with a journey time of just over 20 minutes. These trains, operated by FGC Mobilitat, are due to begin service between late 2026 and early 2027.
It is possible to change trains at Sants to go to Plaça Catalunya on a different train line, or you can get the metro, bus or taxi to get closer to your accommodation if it’s too far to walk from the main station stops.
EXTRA INFO: at Barcelona Airport station, you’ll wait on the platform to the left-hand side of the train as you look at it from the station. When the train arrives, the doors on the other side will open first to let out passengers who are departing, and then the doors on your side will open automatically.
Getting to Barcelona Airport by Train
To do the return journey from the city to Barcelona airport by train is similarly easy, but make sure you leave plenty of time to get to the airport in case of any delays. Also, if you’re flying from Terminal 1, remember to allow at least 30 minutes of extra time to take the shuttle bus from Terminal 2 station to Terminal 1.
When the train pulls into the airport station, the doors open on the left to let people out onto the platform where you can follow signs to the airport.
INSIDER TIP: Try to sit as close to the front of the train as possible so you will be closer to the airport terminal when the train arrives at the airport station.
Barcelona Airport Train Timetable
The trains to Barcelona airport start just after 5am during the summer (a bit later during the winter), and the last train to Barcelona city leaves the airport at 11.38pm. There are two trains every hour and you can check the timetable on the Renfe website here to find your preferred time.
Barcelona Airport Train Tickets
You don’t need to pre-book your train tickets from Barcelona airport to the city, or vice versa. The train journey is part of the Barcelona public transport system, and it isn’t possible to reserve seats on the train.
There are ticket machines at the station where you can buy a ticket. If you have a Hola Barcelona Travel Card, the train journey is included as part of your card price.
READ MORE: Is the Hola Barcelona Travel Card Worth It?
If you don’t have a Hola Barcelona Card and plan to use the metro or buses while you are in Barcelona (and are in the city for more than 1 day), I would recommend getting a T-Casual ticket in most cases. If you are only in Barcelona for a day, then the T-dia card could be best for you.
For families, a T-Familiar might be better if you only plan to use the train or the metro a couple of times. Children aged 4 and over must have a valid ticket.
The ticket machines accept cards (contactless and inserted), and cash. Press the flag to choose which language you prefer, and then choose your ticket. There are usually staff around to help you with the machines if you get stuck.
Make sure you keep your ticket for the whole of your journey as you may need to swipe your ticket to exit the station at your destination
The R2 Nord train line journey (not the metro) from Barcelona Airport Terminal Two to Barcelona city centre is included in the following transport ticket types:
Single Ticket (Bitllet senzil)
A single ticket is valid for a single journey on the transport network, including transfers, within the zone 1 city limits. It is valid on the R2 Airport train, but not for metro stations Aeroport T1 and Aeroport T2 on line L9 Sud. You can also use it for a metro or bus journey or the Montjuïc funicular.
Cost: €2.90
T-dia Card
An individual travel card which allows one person to have an unlimited number of journeys during one day on all operators in the integrated transport system, including the R2 Barcelona Airport train. It is valid for 24 hours (1 day) from the time of the first validation. You can also use it for a maximum of one round trip to or from Aeroport T1 and Aeroport T2 metro stations on line L9 Sud.
Cost: €12 for 1 zone.
T-Casual
This is a single-person, multi-journey card that allows for ten separate trips by one person on the metro, buses, trams, and suburban trains within Zone 1 of the Barcelona transport network, including the R2 train to the airport (but not the L9 Sud airport metro stations).
Cost: €13.00 for 1 zone (plus 50 cents for the card if you buy a new one, there is no added cost for topping up your existing card)
NB: The T-Casual replaced the popular T-10 which could be shared between multiple people – the T-Casual cannot be shared, each person must purchase their own ticket.
T-familiar Card
The T-familiar card is a multi-person travel card allowing 8 journeys in 30 consecutive days from the first validation, so it is useful for families who only want to take one or two journeys on the metro, or couples for 4 journeys each for example.
Cost: €11.50 for 1 zone.
T-usual card
A month-long travel card for unlimited journeys on all operators in the Integrated Fare System, including night buses and the R2 train to the airport. It is great value if you are spending several days or weeks in Barcelona on a Workation or as a Digital Nomad. Thanks to current subsidies from the government, this ticket is currently 50% less than its usual price, so is excellent value.
Cost: from €22.80 for 1 zone (plus 50 cents for the card if you buy a new one; there is no added cost for topping up an existing card)
Other Places You Can Go By Train from Barcelona Airport
If you’re not going into Barcelona city centre, trains from Barcelona airport can connect you with a wide variety of destinations around Spain and beyond, but you’ll probably have to change trains unless your station is on the R2 Nord line.
Don’t forget to check what tickets you need to get for your destination and buy them in advance or from the train station, depending on where you’re heading.
International and long-distance trains leave from Barcelona Sants, so you’ll need to take the train from Barcelona Airport to Sants and then change. High-speed trains leave from a different part of the station, so you’ll need to come out of the platform area to the main foyer and check departure boards for your next train.
To get to the train from Barcelona Airport to Sitges, Casteldefels and other stations on the R2 Sud line, you can change trains at El Prat de Llobregat and head south on the R2 Sud line. Check out the train line map below or visit the Rodalies Renfe website for more information (the Aeroport stop is on the pale green R2 Nord line at the bottom of the map).
I hope this article answers all of the questions you might have about taking the Barcelona airport train to the city or vice versa, but please do leave me a comment below if you have any other questions or concerns, or head over to our Facebook group.