Barcelona El Prat: A Gateway To Spain's Second City

Barcelona El Prat Airport, officially known as Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport, is located 12 to 15 kilometres southwest of Barcelona, in the municipalities of El Prat de Llobregat, Viladecans, and Sant Boi, in Catalonia, Spain. It is one of the busiest airports in Europe, serving over 50 million passengers annually. The airport has two main terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, with Terminal 2 further divided into three sections: 2A, 2B, and 2C. Barcelona El Prat Airport is easily accessible by bus, taxi, train, or private car, and offers a range of facilities and services for travellers.

The airport is located 12-15km southwest of Barcelona city centre

Barcelona El Prat Airport is located 12-15km southwest of Barcelona city centre, in the municipalities of El Prat de Llobregat, Viladecans, and Sant Boi, in Catalonia, Spain. The airport is easily accessible by bus, taxi, train, or private car.

The airport is one of the busiest in Europe, serving as a hub for airlines such as Level and Vueling, and as a focus city for Air Europa, Iberia, EasyJet, and Ryanair. It has two main terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, with Terminal 2 further divided into three areas: 2A, 2B, and 2C. Each terminal serves a specific group of airlines, regardless of their destination. For example, all EasyJet flights arrive and depart from Terminal 2.

The airport offers a wide range of facilities and services for both leisure and business travellers, including coffee shops, bars, and specialist eateries. It also provides a left luggage storage facility and a tourist information office.

For those travelling to and from the airport, there are several transport options available. The Aerobus express line offers a direct route to the city centre from both terminals, with tickets costing €7.25 for a single trip and €12.25 for a return. The journey takes approximately 25-35 minutes, depending on the terminal. Taxis are also available and offer a convenient and low-cost option, with fares ranging between €30 and €40 to the city centre.

In addition to the express bus and taxi services, the airport is connected to the city centre by the Renfe train line R2 Nord and the metro line L9 Sud. The train journey takes about 25 minutes, while the metro line stops at various points, including Fira, Parc Logístic, and Mercabarna. The metro ticket costs €5.50.

When travelling to Barcelona El Prat Airport by car, the C-32B highway provides access, with specific turn-offs for Terminal 1 (B-22) and Terminal 2 (C-32B). There is also a slip road connecting the two terminals. Parking is available at the airport, offering over 20,000 parking spaces.

It is the second-largest and second-busiest airport in Spain

Barcelona El Prat Airport is the second-largest and second-busiest airport in Spain. It is located 12-15 km southwest of the city centre of Barcelona, in the municipalities of El Prat de Llobregat, Viladecans, and Sant Boi, in Catalonia, Spain. The airport is 6 metres above sea level.

Barcelona El Prat Airport is the busiest airport in Catalonia and the Mediterranean coast. It is also the sixth busiest airport in Europe in terms of passenger traffic. In 2019, the airport handled a record 52,686,314 passengers, a 5% increase from 2018. The airport has two terminals and three runways, and offers a variety of services and facilities. It is adequately connected to Barcelona's city centre, with convenient airport taxis available around the clock, public buses, trains, subways, and private transfer companies.

Terminal 1 (T1) is the main terminal of Barcelona El Prat Airport. It underwent a massive renovation that was completed in 2009, and it primarily handles Schengen and international flights. Terminal 2 (T2) mostly serves domestic and non-Schengen destinations, along with most of the airport's low-cost flights. T2 is spread over three interlinked sections: T2A, T2B, and T2C.

Barcelona El Prat Airport is a hub for Level and Vueling and a focus city for Air Europa, Iberia, EasyJet, and Ryanair. The route between Madrid and Barcelona, known as the "Air Bridge", was the world's busiest route until 2008, with the highest number of flight operations (971 per week) in 2007.

It has two terminals: T1 and T2, which is further divided into T2A, T2B and T2C

Barcelona El Prat Airport has two terminals: Terminal 1 (T1) and Terminal 2 (T2). Terminal 2 is further divided into three sections: T2A, T2B, and T2C. Each terminal serves a different set of airlines, with all EasyJet flights, for example, arriving at and departing from Terminal 2.

Terminal 2 is located on the north side of the airport, while Terminal 1 is on the west side. Terminal 1, which opened in 2009, covers 545,000 square metres and accounts for 70% of the airport's flights. It has 13,000 parking spaces and 45 gates, which can be expanded to 60. It can handle large aircraft like the Airbus A380-800 or Boeing 747-81. The terminal is split into five modules, with Module A handling flights to Madrid, Module B handling Schengen flights, Module C handling Air Nostrum flights, Module D handling non-Schengen European flights, and Module E handling non-Schengen, non-European flights.

Terminal 2 is the older terminal, dating back to 1968, with sections T2A and T2C added later to expand capacity before the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. T2B is the oldest part of the complex still in use. T2 is mostly occupied by low-cost airlines, although some full-service airlines also use this terminal. T2 has a Rodalies Barcelona commuter train station, with services to the city centre every 30 minutes. A new shuttle train is being built to connect T1 directly to the city centre, with an expected completion date of 2026.

Passengers can travel between the terminal buildings using the free shuttle bus, which operates 24 hours a day every 5 to 10 minutes. The distance between T2A and T2B is about a 5-minute walk, while the distance between T1 and T2 is 4 kilometres, so the shuttle bus is recommended for this journey.

It is accessible by bus, taxi, train or private car

Barcelona El Prat Airport is located 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of the centre of Barcelona, in the municipalities of El Prat de Llobregat, Viladecans, and Sant Boi, in Catalonia, Spain. It is accessible by bus, taxi, train, or private car.

By Bus

The Aerobus is the Barcelona Airport express shuttle bus that takes you to and from the airport and the city centre. The Aerobus (A2) outside Corte Inglès department store in Plaça de Catalunya is one of the main bus stops in the city centre. At Barcelona Airport, there are stops outside each of the terminals. The Aerobus tickets cost €7.25 for a single ticket and €12.25 for a return ticket.

The TMB Airport Bus Number 46 and the Night Bus N17 and N18 are also available for transfer between the airport and the city centre. These buses are cheaper but slower, less frequent, and provide less space for luggage.

By Taxi

There are always a large number of taxis available at Barcelona Airport. There are taxi ranks outside both Terminal 1 (T1) and Terminal 2 (T2). The standard Barcelona taxis are black with yellow sides. There is a minimum charge for taxis from the airport, with a rate per km and supplementary charges.

By Train

The R2 Nord RENFE Train Service connects the airport to the city centre. The train station at the airport is in Terminal 2B. If you are arriving or departing from T1, you will need to catch one of the free shuttle buses that run between the train station and T1. The train journey from the airport to Estació Sants takes 18 minutes, and to Passeig de Gràcia takes 25 minutes. A single ticket costs €4.90.

By Private Car

There are long-stay car parks located a few minutes from Barcelona El Prat Airport, offering shuttle bus services to the airport. One such car park is operated by Aparca&Go, which offers an Express Service and a Premium Service. With the Express Service, you park your car at their facilities and they immediately transfer you to Terminal T1 or Terminal T2 by shuttle bus. With the Premium Service, you drive directly to the terminal and they collect your car from the departures door.

It is named after Josep Tarradellas, the first Catalan president under the current Spanish Constitution

Barcelona El Prat Airport is located 12-15 km southwest of the city centre, in the municipalities of El Prat de Llobregat, Viladecans, and Sant Boi, in Catalonia, Spain. It is the second-largest and second-busiest airport in Spain, and the busiest international airport in Catalonia.

The airport was renamed by the central Government of Spain on 21 December 2018 to honour Josep Tarradellas, a prominent Catalan politician and statesman. Tarradellas was born on 19 February 1899 in Cervelló, Catalonia, Spain. He played a crucial role in the tumultuous political landscape of the time, with his career deeply tied to Catalonia's struggle for autonomy and recognition of its cultural and linguistic identity.

Tarradellas joined the Republican Left of Catalonia (Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, ERC) in the early 1930s and was appointed general secretary in 1931. During the Spanish Civil War, he held several posts in the Catalan government, including Minister of Finance (1936) and Prime Minister (1936-1937). However, his political aspirations were challenged during the civil war and the subsequent Francoist regime. When Franco's forces won, Catalonia lost its autonomy, and the Catalan language and culture were severely repressed. Tarradellas went into exile in France in 1939 to avoid persecution and continued to advocate for Catalan rights and represent the Catalan government-in-exile.

After Franco's death in 1975, Tarradellas refused to return to Spain until King Juan Carlos assured him that Catalan autonomy would be forthcoming. On 23 July 1977, Tarradellas returned to Barcelona after 38 years of exile, famously declaring, "Ciutadans de Catalunya, ja sóc aquí!" ("Citizens of Catalonia, I am back!") He was then named the 125th President of Catalonia, serving from 1977 to 1980. During his presidency, Tarradellas worked to consolidate democracy in Catalonia and foster a spirit of reconciliation and unity. In 1979, Catalonia was granted full constitutional autonomy within a unified Spain.

Josep Tarradellas passed away on 10 June 1988, but his legacy as a symbol of Catalan identity and democracy endures. The decision to rename Barcelona El Prat Airport in his honour recognises his significant contributions to the region's political landscape and identity and his unwavering commitment to Catalonia's autonomy.

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