Practical Information

Visa requirements

The entry to Spain of foreign nationals is subject to the Schengen Acquis. As a rule, foreign nationals who need an entry visa are requested to apply for one at the diplomatic mission representing Spain in their home country.

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Travelling to Barcelona

Barcelona is an international hub and major destination in Europe with direct connections to many European and extra-European destinations. We recommend travelling directly to Barcelona El Prat Airport where possible, or via Madrid (with a flight connection) if direct flights are not available.

In the less likely case of needing to travel from Madrid (not by plane), there are several connections between the two cities, both by  coach and train .

A train from Madrid to Barcelona takes approx. 3 hours. Cost for a one-way ticket is approx. 70 €, also depending on how early the tickets are booked.

Barcelona Airports

Barcelona main airport is Barcelona El Prat Airport , which is located 12 km southwest of the city centre. We recommend travelling to this airport.  The Airport has two terminals, T1 and T2.

Barcelona is also served by two other minor airports, Girona Airport (85Km to the north) and Reus Airport (110km to the south). These airports are mainly served by low cost operators and are connected to Barcelona city only by bus service (1.5 hours).

Transport between Barcelona airport and the city centre

There are several options when travelling to and from Barcelona El Prat airport.

Taxi: Taxi fares from the airport to the city cost approx. 30 € and the trip takes around 25 minutes. Taxis ranks are located near the arrivals halls (look for signs in arrival halls).

Airport bus: There is a frequent and regular bus connection between the city centre (Plaza Catalunya) and Barcelona Airport T1 and T2. For schedules, please visit their website .  Please check your terminal when travelling from the city centre (Plaza Catalunya), since the bus for T1 is labelled as Aerobus A1, and that for T2 is labelled Aerobus A2. The bus fare is c. 6 € one-way (cash only). 

Train: For those arriving at T2, an excellent alternative to the bus would be the train. This terminal has a train station, with direct trains departing every 15 min. to central Barcelona (Paseo de Gracia Station or Sants Station). The fare is in the region of 5 € one-way.

Once in the city, if you plan to use public transport (metro, bus etc) you can buy a carnet of 10 trips. This ticket is called T10 (zone 1 only), has to be validated each time you travel. This is the most cost-effective way of moving around the city. Taxis are relatively cheap. For example for an average trip within the city central areas, you can often spend less than 10 €.