Airport Barcelona information

The history of El Prat airport in the Spanish city of Barcelona traces back almost one hundred years to 1918, when a small airdrome was first constructed on the site of the modern airport. However, passenger flights in the contemporary sense of this term were not conducted at the beginnings of the airdrome’s existence; the first charter flights began to operate in 1927. In general, the history of El Prat de Llobregat airport reflects a chain of ever-evolving, global construction projects, additions, reconstructions, and transportation hub improvement plans. Among airports, this location always has operated at a high level. It was only a matter of time before the early airport became more comfortable and spacious. In the 1960’s, El Prat underwent its first significant renovation, during which its efficiency was increased and flights with new, major airlines were introduced. The first global airline to offer flights from the airport was Pan American, which launched connecting flights among Barcelona, Lisbon, and New York. As early as the beginning of the 1980’s, the airport in Barcelona, Spain, was receiving over four million passengers per year.

The Olympic Games that Barcelona hosted in 1992 triggered a new wave of reconstructions and improvements in the already independent aeronautical space. These improvements to El Prat are considered to be another significant page in the history of the airport of Barcelona. Ricardo Bofill Levi, one of the most prominent architects of that period, was involved in the process of airport reconstruction. He was the architect to create and execute the new plans and supervise the construction works accordingly.

As for more practical information concerning the Barcelona airport, the key factors are as follows. El Prat is located 12 kilometers to the south-west of Barcelona in the municipality of El Prat de Llobregat, the area after which the airport was named.

• The exact airport address is 08820 El Prat de Llobregat, Barcelona;
• The phone number for 24/7 information is (+34) 902 40 47 04;
• The email address is: bcninformacion@aena.es;
• The airport website also contains plenty of useful information— www.barcelona-airport.com —available in Spanish, Catalan, and English;
• The airport of Barcelona, Spain, is the largest airport in Catalonia and the second largest in Spain, second in terms of passenger traffic only to the Barajas airport of Madrid;
• The airport code is BCN;
• The airport consists of two terminals, Т1 and Т2. T1, the larger terminal (with 545,000 m2), began operating in 2009 and is included in the list of the largest buildings and constructions in the world (in 22nd position). T1 has five zones, A, B, C, D, and E, has 101 gates, and offers flights operated by the biggest international airlines;
• Т2 is smaller and is the older terminal of El Prat. It occupies an area of about 150,000 m2 and has 48 gates. The second terminal includes the zones Т2А, Т2В, and Т2С. This terminal specializes mainly in domestic flights and services low-cost carriers;
• There are three landing strips in the airport of Barcelona, Spain (each from 2,500 m to 3,300 meters long), two of which are made of asphalt and the third of concrete;
• El Prat carries out both passenger and cargo air services.

What services are provided in the airport of Barcelona, Spain

The airport of Barcelona is a modern, innovative transportation hub that offers hundreds of services. It is a real challenge to memorize the location and features of all the services provided. Thus, the best option for visitors is to consult one of the information desks. The general contact number for all the information desks is +34 902 404 704. There are seven information desks in Т1 (tel.: +34 933 788 175), all of which are located on the first floor. In Т2, you can find the information desks at the arrival zone (tel.: +34 933 788 149). In Т2, one of the information desks also offers detailed information about the hotels in Barcelona.

• The airport of Barcelona, Spain, offers its guests various options for car rentals. With this purpose, multiple car rental companies operate on the grounds of El Prat: “Europcar,” “Herz,” “Enterprise,” “Avis,” and “Solmar.” Their representative offices are located in both terminals (in Т1, every company has its own office, while in Т2, there are two offices, in zones В and С). The procedure for car rental is relatively easy and can be accomplished via Internet. The offices of the rental companies are open from 7:00 am until midnight.

Below, you can find the contact information for the car rental companies:

• Hertz: +34 90 201 1959
• Avis: +34 90 210 8495
• Enterprise: +34 935 219 095
• Europcar: +34 913 434 503

• The parking lots at El Prat have space for over 25 thousand cars. (Т1 has 13,000 parking spaces, and Т2 has 12,000 parking spaces.) To be able to use the parking lots, you should receive a parking receipt before the barrier upon entering. Also, it is recommended that you read about the rules and requirements of the parking lot in advance. The phone number for protected VIP parking is +34 93 297 1381.
• Numerous ATMs and currency exchange services can be found throughout the airport. Currency exchange services are open every day from 7:30 am until 20:30. The bank branches can be found both in the T1 zone and the T2B zone.
• Non-automatic luggage lockers in the airport of Barcelona, Spain, can be found in both terminals (on the “zero” floor) and are the property of the British company, “Excess Baggage.” In T1, the lockers are open around the clock, seven days a week, while in T2 there is a special schedule for the locker department, which is open from 6:00 am until 22:00. The maximum weight is 30 kilograms per piece of luggage (and the client pays individually for each piece of luggage). It is crucial not to lose the number tag issued at the time of placing the luggage in the locker to avoid penalty. The lost and found department’s phone number is +34 932 596 440, and it is located in Т1.
• In the T2 zone, there is a post office. Visitors here also can take advantage of the Wi-Fi and charging device rental services in the area.
• Apart from numerous shops, trade kiosks, restaurants, and cafes, El Prat features pharmacies, a 24/7 medical care center, a prayer room, tourist agency offices, and children’s play places.
• If you are looking for hotels in the airport of Barcelona, Т1 has a 4-star hotel called Air Rooms. Such hotels as the Renaissance Barcelona Airport, Tryp Barcelona Aeropuerto Hotel, and Centre Esplai Hostel are also located in the close vicinity of El Prat (up to 3 kilometers away).

How to get to the airport of Barcelona

Barcelona airport transfer is a comfortable service that offers several options:

• The first and most popular option is a taxi. You can take a taxi to get to the airport any time of day, from any city location. Should you need to return to Barcelona, it is possible to catch a taxi near the airport, for taxis stop regularly at the entrances to both terminals. The average travel time is 25-35 minutes by taxi (although it is best to clarify with the driver which terminal you need to reach). The average travel fee is 30-35 euros. The El Prat airport taxi services phone number is +34 93 303 3033.
• The express bus, Aerobus, circulates every day at intervals of 5-10 minutes from Plaza de España and Plaza de Catalonia to the airport of Barcelona. This transfer option is much better in terms of price than a taxi, since you save a lot of money this way. A one-way ticket by bus costs about 6 euros.
• Another answer to the question of how to get to the airport of Barcelona is to take bus #46. (A T10 ticket can be used on this route.) The main difference between this bus and Aerobus is the greater number of stops on the way to the city and the distinctive schedule of circulation between 4:50 am and 23:50.
• NitBus is a nocturnal bus that travels between T1 of the Barcelona airport and the center of the city and operates from 21:55 until 4:45 am. The ticket fee is slightly over 2 euros, and you can use a T10 travel pass as well.
• A RENFE train is another convenient and cheap option for transfer to the airport of Barcelona. The train departs every half an hour, with a travel time of about 20 minutes to the airport. You can take a train from Clot, Passeig de Gràcia, or Barcelona Sants to the station called Aeropuerto. For more information, please contact +34 91 232 0320.
• The L9 Sud metro line with two stops (at each of the two terminals) connects Barcelona center with El Prat. You can purchase a ticket for this metro trip in the terminals at the station; the price is 4.5 euros.