Arriving in barcelona

Booking an airport transfer is the quickest, most reliable, and easiest way to get from the airport to the city (or vice versa), especially if you are on a tight schedule. We offer a competitively priced airport transfer service to ensure that our conference attendees don’t have to worry that trouble finding a taxi or unexpected delays with public transport will cause them to miss their flight (or be late for their presentations). This is the perfect option if you are unfamiliar with the city or simply want to avoid the hassle (and time) of dealing with the public transport system, waiting in long taxi lines or dragging heavy luggage around the city or the airport as you search for a taxi stand.

There is a wide variety of public transport options for going to or from the airport. However, they vary widely in convenience, efficiency, and schedule, so plan your trip accordingly. In particular, if you have a very early or very late flight your options are more limited and the best course of action might be an airport transfer. To check which public transport options are available from the airport to the venue or your hotel, click here. The address of the CCIB, venue of EACTS 2016, is Plaça de Willy Brandt, 11-14, 08019 Barcelona

• The public bus (TMB) to the airport uses the same ticket system as the Barcelona metro and commuter rail lines. If you have purchased a ten-ride metro card (T-10, available from the machines in any station) you get free transfers from the metro to the bus (or vice versa) if less than 1 hr. 15 min. have passed since you went through the turnstile. Transfers are not included in single ride tickets. The current price for a single ride ticket is 2.15€ and 9.95€ for a T-10. More info about tickets here.

• During the day you can take the line 46 bus to get to the airport. The starting point for this line is in Plaza España and the trip takes approximately 50 minutes, with stops at both Terminal 1 (T1) and Terminal 2 (T2). Please note that this line only runs during the day, until midnight, after which time the normal city buses cease to run. More information, including a route map, can be found here.

• After midnight (and in some locations, 10 pm), the nocturnal bus system (NitBus) starts up. The N17 line, with its starting point in Plaza Cataluña, offers late night service both to and from the airport, with stops at both T1 and T2. The trip lasts approximately 60 minutes and buses leave every 20 minutes or so. More information, including a schedule and route map, can be found here.


• The Aerobus is a privately operated bus company solely dedicated to transporting visitors to and from the airport. Buses leave from Plaza Cataluña or from the airport (El Prat), with separate lines for each terminal (T1 and T2). The trip is about 35 minutes (but plan for extra time if you are traveling during rush hour) and buses run approximately every 5-10 minutes 365 days a year. However, buses do not run 24 hours a day, so be sure to check the schedule (click here) if your flight leaves early in the morning or late at night. Prices: 5.90€ one way, 10.20€ round trip.

There are two lines:
View Aerobus lines
- Terminal 1 → A1
- Terminal 2 → A2




• The train to the airport (but not trains generally) uses the same ticket system as the Barcelona metro and commuter rail lines. If you have purchased a ten-ride metro card (T-10, available from the machines in any station) you get free transfers from the metro to the bus (or vice versa) if less than 1 hr. 15 min. have passed since you went through the turnstile. Transfers are not included in single ride tickets. The current price for a single ride ticket is 2.15€ and 9.95€ for a T-10. More info about tickets here.

• The train has two main stops in Barcelona, one at Passeig de Gracia and one at Sants Station (the main train station). The train runs approximately every half hour on a set schedule (available on the Renfe website) and the trip takes about 25 minutes. Please note that at both stations other trains use the same track as that used by the train to the airport so confirm that you are getting on the right train by checking the electronic sign on the side of the train before entering. There should also be screens in the train showing the destination. The train only stops at Terminal 2 (T2) if your flight leaves from Terminal 1 (T1) you will need to take the shuttle bus from T2 to T1, so factor in an additional 10-15 minutes into your travel time.

• Shuttle buses between T1 and T2: are green in color and are free. They run approximately every 10 to 15 minutes.


• If you are thinking of taking a taxi, we suggest booking our airport transfer service by clicking here. However, if you prefer to take a yellow cab there are taxi stands available in both airport terminals. In the Barcelona city center there are a number of taxi stands and yellow cabs can also be hailed directly on the street.

Barcelona has an excellent public transport network, including metro, buses, trams, funiculars, multiple commuter rail lines and long distance rail and bus networks. The metro, public buses, trams, and commuter rail lines within the city of Barcelona all use the same ticket system. You can purchase tickets for either individual rides (the most expensive option) or packs of rides (the ten-ride T-10 ticket being the most common). There are also unlimited ride passes available for one or two days. If you have purchased a T-10 or other multi-ride pass you get free transfers from the metro to the bus (and vice versa) if less than 1 hr. 15 min. have passed since you went through the turnstile. Transfers are not included in single ride tickets. The current price for a single ride ticket is 2.15€ and 9.95€ for a T-10. Information on prices and purchasing metro cards is available here.

Please note that once you get outside of Barcelona proper, the trains use a zone system so a ticket that is good for only one zone will not work for destinations outside of zone one. If you don’t have the proper zone ticket you will be unable to exit the station and will be charged a fine. You can check the zone of a destination on the web or at any of the ticket machines available in the stations. You can find more information about zones and prices by clicking here.

Here is a brief overview of the Barcelona transport network:


• Plan your route using the Transporte Metropolitano de Barcelona (TMB) website by clicking here. Note that you can also search by bus stop code.
• You can also download the TMB Maps app for your phone or tablet (iOS or Android).

• Plan your route using the Transporte Metropolitano de Barcelona (TMB) website by clicking here.
• You can also download the TMB Maps app for your phone or tablet (iOS or Android).


• Plan your route using the TRAM website by clicking here.