Barcelona, Spain — Travel Tips
Getting There By Air
Airlines flying daily directly to Barcelona from the UK include British Airways, Aer Lingus, bmibaby and easyJet.
Barcelona Airport (BCN)
Tel: 902 404 704.
Website: www.aena.es
Barcelona Airport (El Prat de Llobregat) is located 18km (11 miles) southwest of the city center and has four terminals: the new T1, and T2A, T2B and T2C.
Airport facilities
Barcelona Airport facilities include banks, bureau de change, tourist information desks, duty-free shopping, left luggage, post office, shops, restaurants, cafés and bars. The airport has recently inaugurated a Corporate Aviation Terminal (12km from the city) with several meeting rooms and VIP lounges. Other business facilities can be found in the airport's business center. Car hire is available from Avis, Europcar, Hertz, National Atesa and Sol-Mar.
Transport to the city
A RENFE (tel: 902 320 320; www.renfe.es) suburban train leaves the airport for the city center every 30 minutes, stopping at Central-Sants (journey time - 19 minutes), and Passeig de Gràcia (journey time - 23 minutes).
An Aerobús service (tel: (93) 415 6020; www.emt-amb.com) regularly runs to Plaça de Catalunya via Gran Via Monday to Saturday (journey time - 15-30 minutes). Bus 46 operates a service from the airport to Plaça Espanya every 30 minutes. Nightbus N17 runs from the airport to Plaça Catalunya.
Taxis to and from the airport charge a minimum of €10. The fare to a central hotel costs approximately €20, including a €2 airport supplement.
Approximate flight times to Barcelona
From London is 2 hours; from New York is 7 hours 30 minutes; from Los Angeles is 13 hours; from Toronto is 11 hours 30 minutes; and from Sydney is 25 hours 15 minutes.
Getting There By Road
Road conditions in Barcelona are generally good, but be aware of steep and narrow mountain and countryside roads. Traffic drives on the right and the minimum driving age is 18. Speed limits are 120kph (74mph) on motorways, and 50kph (31mph) within towns, unless otherwise stated. A valid driving license and third-party insurance are required to drive in Spain. National licenses from EU countries are accepted, although drivers are advised to obtain an International Driving Permit. A Green Card is strongly recommended for all visitors and is compulsory for those from outside the EU. Motoring information can be obtained from the Real Automobile Club de Catalunya (RACC) (tel: 902 452 452; www.racc.es). * The speed limit on motorways in Spain has temporarily been reduced to 110kph (68mph). The new limit will remain in effect until the end of June 2011 at the earliest. The slowdown is intended to save energy in response to the surge in oil prices sparked by the unrest in Libya and elsewhere in the Arab world.
Emergency breakdown services
RACC (tel: 902 106 106). Alternatively drivers can contact the Ayuda en Carretera, run by the Guardia Civil, via the roadside SOS telephones located on both sides of the carriageway at 2km (1 mile) intervals.
Routes to the city
Barcelona is well-connected to the rest of Spain and Europe by a network of motorways. The A7 motorway is the main route to Barcelona from France, which is approximately six hours away. On the opposite direction, Valencia is within four hours’ drive away and Alicante five hours. A2 heads inland towards Zaragoza in the west via Madrid. The A19 hugs the coast for a short distance to the northeast of the city.
Driving times to the city
From Montpellier – 3 hours 15 minutes; Zaragoza - 3 hours; Valencia - 3 hours 30 minutes; Madrid - 6 hours.
Coach services
Eurolines international coach services (tel: 902 405 040; www.eurolines.es) use Estació Autobuses de Sants, situated next to the Central-Sants train station, Carrer Viriato, although services to France also stop at Estació del Nord, Avinguda Vilanova. Most long-distance coaches from other parts of Spain operate from the Estació del Nord. There are Eurolines services to major European cities, including Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Prague and Rome.
Getting There By Rail
Train travel in Spain is generally comfortable, punctual and fast, although it is more expensive than other modes of transportation in Spain.
Rail Services
The main railway station in Barcelona is the Estació Central-Sants, Plaça del Països Catalans, serving national and international destinations as well as suburban routes.
The Spanish rail network connects Barcelona to the rest of Spain, with regular trains to Valencia, Madrid, Girona and Tarragona. The high-speed AVE rail service shortens travel time between Barcelona and Madrid to 2 hours 30 minutes, and will extend to the French TGV network by 2012. Overnight train Trenhotel links Barcelona to Paris, Milan and Zurich.
Rail Operators
RENFE (tel: 902 320 320; www.renfe.es) operates the Spanish rail network, which covers the majority of the country. The operator manages all routes in Spain, from suburban trains (Cercanías) to international rail services. RENFE serves all major Spanish cities including Barcelona, Madrid, Seville and Valencia, as well as other European destinations in France, Portugal and Italy.
Connections
From Madrid - 2 hours 30 minutes; Montpellier - 4 hours 30 minutes; Paris - 12 hours; Zurich - 14 hours 30 minutes; Milan - 14 hours 20 minutes.
Getting Around in Barcelona, Spain
Public Transport
With the exception of one metro line, all public transport in Barcelona is operated by TMB (tel: 93 318 7074; www.tmb.net). Services generally run daily from 0500 to midnight on weekdays, and until 0200 on Fridays and Saturdays. The metro is the most efficient means of transport in Barcelona, covering most parts of the city. Tickets can be purchased at any metro station and validated in a machine before boarding. The bus network in Barcelona is extensive and almost all services run through Plaça de Catalunya, Plaça Urquinaona or Plaça de la Universitat. In summer, the TombBús is a shopping service that runs Monday to Saturday every few minutes between Plaça de Catalunya and Plaça Pius XII. To get to the suburbs and surrounding areas, FGC (tel: 93 205 1515; www.fgc.es) and RENFE (tel: 902 320 320; www.renfe.es) operate regional rail lines - the RENFE local network is known as Rodalies or Cercanías. Multi-ride tickets and passes (from one-day to monthly passes) cover all transport in the city. For tourists, there are multi-day passes available between two to five days and they can be used for the journey to and from the airport. See www.emt-amb.com for details.
Taxis
Yellow-and-black registered cabs can be hailed on the street or booked in advance. Radio Taxi (tel: 93 293 3111) and Servitaxi (tel: 93 330 0300) provide 24-hour daily services. Meter fares includes VAT (rates rise at night, on Sundays and holidays).Tipping is not expected, but if you would like to tip, the usual amount is 5 to 10% of the meter fare.
Driving in the City
Roads in Barcelona are excellent, but they can get extremely congested during rush hours. There are numerous paid car parks in the city center. Blue markings with a meter signify pay to park for a limited period of time while yellow markings signify no parking. With the proximity of the main attractions and the excellent public transport system, you may prefer to explore on foot.
Car Hire
The minimum age to hire a car in Spain is 21. A passport and a valid driving license are required. A valid international insurance policy is also necessary, although this can be purchased at the time of hire. Cars can be hired at the airport, railway station and ports. Main car rental companies include Avis (tel: 93 330 4193; www.avis.com) and Hertz (tel: 93 419 6156; www.hertz.com).
Bicycle Hire
Barcelona has expanded and improved its network of routes and cycle paths, becoming one of the most cyclist-friendly cities in the world. The public bicycle system known as Bicing (www.bicing.cat, only in Spanish and Catalan) is an economical and convenient way to hire a bike. Sign up for a card online, swipe it in any of the bike stations around Barcelona and a bike is unlocked and ready for use. Alternatively, major bike rental shops include Al Punt de Trobada, Carrer Badajoz 24 (tel: 93 225 0585; www.alpuntdetrobada.com) and Biciclot, Passeig Marítim 33 (tel: 93 221 9778; www.biciclot.net).
