The city of Barcelona is located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Every year it attracts tourists with the gentle sea, sandy beaches, an abundance of beautiful places and attractions. Among the most famous of them are the buildings of the architect Antonio Gaudi, many museums of modern art and ancient monuments. Also, tourists are encouraged by incendiary parties, sociable locals and fine wine. All this favorably complements the image of sunny Spain. Immediately upon arrival, you will arrive at the largest airport in Barcelona - El Prat, the infrastructure and device of which we will consider in this article.
An excursion into the history of airport construction
The El Prat Airport Terminal was built in the first half of the 20th century. Since then, Barcelona Airport has undergone multiple transformations. Its infrastructure has expanded and developed. So, in the second half of the 20th century, two runways, a control tower, a terminal for comfortable accommodation of passengers and taxiways were built. Then all these objects underwent a partial and complete reconstruction. After these transformations, the airport building experienced a period of decline, the end of which was the decision to host the Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona.
Thus, in 1992, before the Olympic Games, El Prat Airport underwent a complete reconstruction in accordance with the project of the famous Spanish architect - Ricardo Bofill. Thanks to him, Barcelona Airport has acquired its modern look. By the way, in 2009 a new terminal was opened at the airport. We will talk about the functionality of the old and new terminals in the next chapter of our article.
Barcelona Airport Terminals
Currently, there are two passenger terminals operating at the airport (T1 and T2), the plans are to create a third terminal due to the high tourist load. Departure areas for Barcelona Airport vary. Thus, for terminal T1 it is zone D, and for terminal T2 it is A, B and C.
The terminals are located at a distance of about four kilometers from each other, so moving between them is convenient on a special free shuttle. It should be noted that tourists need to think about time planning and arrive at the airport at least two hours in advance. Because only a trip from one terminal to another with stops in different zones takes about twenty minutes. If we add to this a rather significant area of the airport, we can conclude that an unprepared traveler needs time to find the desired terminal, departure area and take a fascinating walk to shops and cafes.
Legends are already circulating about the congestion and passenger flow at El Prat Airport. According to statistics, only last year it received about 44 million tourists. Therefore, the city administration plans to build a third terminal. In terms of congestion, El Prat Airport is second only to Madrid Airport.
Shops and Shopping
Barcelona Airport is equipped with developed infrastructure. On its territory many cozy restaurants and cafes, mother and child’s rooms, modern children's play areas and playgrounds, superior rooms, where you can relax for a fee, are successfully located. As well as left-luggage offices, lost property and, of course, Duty Free shops, boutiques of various brands and souvenir shops.
It is worth noting that, according to numerous reviews of tourists, the prices at the airport for food products are not inferior to their counterparts in local stores in Spain. The main shopping area is located in zones A, B and C.
Buses and transfers
For convenient transport links to Barcelona Airport with the city center, there are bus stops opposite each terminal. Comfortable buses are the most inexpensive means of transportation. They run every twelve minutes and make three stops in the city center.
According to numerous tourist reviews, the most convenient means of transportation from El Prat Airport is a transfer. This type of movement is especially good for large companies, when you can share the cost. You need to take care of booking a transfer from Barcelona Airport in advance. In this case, the driver will meet you at the airport with a nameplate and take you to the hotel.
Train and metro
The airport is connected to the city center by rail. The station is located at the terminal, and you can buy a ticket there. The train makes three stops in the city center.
Also an affordable way to get to the city is the metro line L9, which connects both terminals of the airport with the city center. To do this, you also need to purchase a special ticket. Trains run every seven minutes.
Taxi and car rental
A taxi ride, according to travelers, is the most expensive form of transport that you can use. In addition, when you exit Barcelona airport you will see a long line. The movement will be supervised by a terminal employee. Good advice to tourists is to find out the name of their hotel in Spanish in advance so that there are no problems due to the language barrier. Payment for taxi services takes place on the counter.
You can also rent a car. This can be done both in advance and upon arrival at the airport, where there are numerous offices of companies that are happy to offer you their services.
How many airports in Barcelona?
When buying tickets to Barcelona, many tourists often get confused at local airports. Recall that in Barcelona itself there is only one airport - this is El Prat. It is located about twelve kilometers south-west of the city and at the same time is equipped with a developed infrastructure and transport network, which is of no small importance. At the same time, at a distance of about 120 kilometers from Barcelona, there are two more airports - Reus and Girona.
It is worth paying special attention to the fact that, according to tourists, it is most convenient and fast to get to the city center from El Prat Airport, since the transport connection is established there and does not require huge time and financial costs. This is very convenient when traveling with young children and having luggage. But the final decision when choosing an airport is up to you.