By Elena Garcia, airport editor · Updated July 2026
Quick answer: The Aerobus is the express bus between Barcelona Airport and the city centre: line A1 serves Terminal 1 and A2 serves Terminal 2, both run 24 hours a day, leave every 5-10 minutes (about every 20 minutes late at night), and reach Plaça de Catalunya in roughly 35 minutes. The official fare is €7.45 single / €12.85 return (the return leg stays valid for 90 days). The cheapest bus is city bus 46 to Plaça Espanya at €2.65: unlike the airport metro, it accepts ordinary TMB tickets such as the T-casual. After midnight, night buses N17 and N18 cover the same route into the centre.
Buses are the widest-covering public transport at Barcelona-El Prat (BCN): an express shuttle, a cheap city line, night buses and a handful of regional routes all stop at the terminals. Here is how they compare in 2026, with fares, timetables and where each one actually leaves from.
At a glance
| Bus | Route | Price (2026) | Hours | Time to centre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerobus A1 | T1 ↔ Plaça de Catalunya | €7.45 / €12.85 return | 24/7, every 5-10 min | ~35 min |
| Aerobus A2 | T2 ↔ Plaça de Catalunya | €7.45 / €12.85 return | 24/7, every 10 min | ~35 min |
| Bus 46 | T1/T2 ↔ Plaça Espanya | €2.65 (T-casual valid) | ~05:30-23:50, every 15-20 min | 30-40 min |
| N17 / N18 | T1 / T1+T2 ↔ Plaça de Catalunya | €2.65 | night hours, every ~15-20 min | ~40 min |
What is the Aerobus (A1 and A2)?
The Aerobus is Barcelona Airport’s dedicated express shuttle: a fleet of blue coaches running non-stop between both terminals and Plaça de Catalunya, the square at the top of Las Ramblas. A1 departs from Terminal 1 (Arrivals level, right outside the exit) and A2 from Terminal 2 (outside the T2B and T2C exits). The coaches carry large luggage racks, free Wi-Fi and USB charging, and are fully accessible.
In the airport-bound direction the Aerobus leaves Plaça de Catalunya (in front of El Corte Inglés) and calls at Sepúlveda-Urgell and Plaça Espanya; towards the city it stops at Plaça Espanya, Gran Via-Urgell and Plaça Universitat before Catalunya. If your hotel is near Plaça Espanya, you save about ten minutes by getting off there.
How much does the Aerobus cost?
The official fare since 1 March 2026 is €7.45 for a single and €12.85 for a return; the return leg can be used within 90 days of the outbound trip. Children under 4 ride free. Buy tickets online (aerobusbarcelona.es), from the machines at the stops, or from the driver by card; prices move slightly year to year, so treat these as a close guide and check the official site for the live fare.
Note that ordinary TMB tickets, the T-casual and the Hola Barcelona pass are not valid on the Aerobus: it is a separate premium service.
Aerobus timetable: does it run 24 hours?
Yes. Since its schedule expansion the Aerobus operates around the clock, every day of the year, including public holidays. During the day A1 departs roughly every 5 minutes and A2 every 10; late at night the frequency drops to about every 20 minutes. The end-to-end journey takes 25 to 35 minutes depending on traffic; budget the full 35 for a morning departure in rush hour.
Bus 46: the cheapest bus to the city
City bus 46 links both terminals with Plaça Espanya in around 30 to 40 minutes. A single ride costs €2.65, and here is the fare trick worth knowing: the T-casual (€13.00 for 10 rides) and other standard TMB tickets are valid on bus 46, even though they are not valid at the airport metro stations, which require the €5.90 airport ticket. Holders of a T-casual therefore ride to the airport for an effective €1.30.
Bus 46 runs from about 05:30 to 23:50 (slightly shorter on weekends and holidays), every 15 to 20 minutes. In exchange for the price you get a normal city bus: limited luggage space and more stops than the Aerobus.
Night buses N17, N18 and N19
After the daytime lines wind down, the Nitbus network covers the airport:
- N18: serves both T1 and T2 → Plaça de Catalunya (roughly 00:20-04:40 from the airport, every ~15-20 minutes).
- N17: Terminal 1 only → the same Catalunya terminus (roughly 21:55-04:50).
- N19: links the airport with Castelldefels.
Night buses use the standard €2.65 fare and accept regular TMB tickets. With the Aerobus now running 24/7, the night buses are mainly the budget option for late arrivals.
Regional and local bus lines at BCN
| Bus Line | Departure | Destination | Airport Stop |
|---|---|---|---|
| 46 | Plaça Espanya | Barcelona Airport | T1 / T2 |
| L99 | Castelldefels | Barcelona Airport | T1 |
| L77 | Sant Feliu de Llobregat | Gavà Mar | T1 |
| PR1 | El Prat de Llobregat | Barcelona Airport | T1 / T2 |
| PR2 / PR3 | Estació Rodalies | Sant Cosme / Platja | Corporate Aviation Terminal |
| N17 | Plaça Catalunya | Barcelona Airport | T1 |
| N18 | Plaça Catalunya | Barcelona Airport | T1 / T2 |
| N19 | Castelldefels | Barcelona Airport | T1 / T2 |
Aerobus, bus 46 or the metro: which should you take?
Take the Aerobus when speed and luggage space matter, when you land at night, or when your hotel sits near Plaça de Catalunya or Universitat. Take bus 46 when you are on a budget or already hold a T-casual and are heading to the Plaça Espanya side of town. A third option, the metro L9 Sud (€5.90 airport ticket), beats road traffic but needs a change for most central stops; our airport-to-city-centre guide compares them all, the R2 Nord train from Terminal 2 covers the rail route, and airport taxis handle the door-to-door case. Heading straight to the basilica? There is a dedicated airport-to-Sagrada-Família guide.
Sources: Aerobús Barcelona / Monbus (aerobusbarcelona.es), TMB (tmb.cat) 2026 fares, AMB night bus network. Fares and timetables change; figures here were re-checked in July 2026, so confirm the live fare with the operator before you travel.
About the author
Elena Garcia is the airport editor for barcelona-bcn-international-airport.com. Elena writes about getting to and from Barcelona-El Prat (buses, trains, taxis and terminal logistics) with a focus on current fares and practical detail.
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