Barcelona airport to cruise port: taxi, bus, train compared
The taxi is the answer for most cruise passengers on this route, because the fare is fixed at 46 euros for the whole car, including all supplements, and it takes you to the terminal door with your luggage. The public route works, but it needs a bus, a walk and a second bus, and takes well over an hour. Leave a generous margin before the ship sails whichever way you go.
- Cheapest
- €9.30Train + metro + Cruise Bus · 1 h 40 min
- Fastest
- 35 minTaxi at the fixed airport-port fare · €46
- Taxi
- €46Taxi at the fixed airport-port fare · 35 min
Book a private car ahead: €42 for the group, about 35 min. The driver meets you at arrivals and waits if you are delayed.
Private car
Pre-booked private car
35 min
For the group€42estimateCheck price
Pre-booked private car
Fixed price, driver waits in arrivals
- Per person
- €42 per vehicle
- Door to door
- 35 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Pre-booked
- Board at
- Meeting point inside arrivals, given in your booking
- Suitcases
- Carried for you
Taxi
Taxi at the fixed airport-port fare
35 min
For the group€46
Taxi at the fixed airport-port fare
Barcelona taxi · 46 euros all-inclusive, per taxi
- Per person
- €46 per vehicle
- Door to door
- 35 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Rank outside arrivals
- Board at
- Official taxi rank outside the arrivals exit of Terminal 1 or Terminal 2
- Suitcases
- Carried for you
Bus
Aerobús + Cruise Bus
1 h 35 min
For the group€22.50
Aerobús + Cruise Bus
Aerobús to Plaça de Catalunya, 7.75 euros; Cruise Bus to the terminal, 3.50 euros
- Per person
- €11.25
- Door to door
- 1 h 35 min
- Runs
- -
- Frequency
- Aerobús every 5 to 10 min; Cruise Bus timed to ship calls
- Board at
- Aerobús A1 outside Terminal 1 or A2 outside Terminal 2
- Suitcases
- Awkward
Train
Train + metro + Cruise Bus
1 h 40 min
For the group€18.60
Train + metro + Cruise Bus
R2 Nord from Terminal 2, then metro L3 and the Cruise Bus
- Per person
- €9.30
- Door to door
- 1 h 40 min
- Runs
- 05:40–23:38
- Frequency
- R2 every 30 min
- Board at
- Aeroport station, on a footbridge about 200 m from Terminal 2
- Suitcases
- Awkward
Every option in detail
TaxiTaxi at the fixed airport-port fare
- €46 per vehicle
- 35 min
- 24 hours
- → Your cruise terminal, on the Adossat quay or at the World Trade Center
The metropolitan taxi tariff lists a single fixed price of 46 euros between the airport and the port, with all surcharges included. It does not change with the meter or the time of day, and it is per taxi, not per person. The drive takes 25 to 35 minutes by the Ronda Litoral, longer in the weekday rush. Ask the driver to confirm the fixed fare before you set off and give the name of your terminal or ship.
BusAerobús + Cruise Bus
- €11.25
- 1 h 35 min
- → Cruise Bus stop at the Columbus monument, then the Adossat terminals
Take the Aerobús to Plaça de Catalunya (7.75 euros, about 35 minutes). From there walk down La Rambla to the Columbus monument, about 20 minutes, or ride L3 two stops to Drassanes for 2.90 euros. Then take the Cruise Bus (3.50 euros one way, bought online or on board) to terminals A to E on the Adossat quay. The total is 11.25 euros on foot. The Cruise Bus is timed around ship arrivals and has no public timetable, so confirm it with your cruise line before you rely on it. The World Trade Center terminal is a 10 minute walk from Drassanes and needs no bus.
TrainTrain + metro + Cruise Bus
- €9.30
- 1 h 40 min
- 05:40–23:38
- → Drassanes metro, then the Cruise Bus at Columbus
R2 Nord leaves Terminal 2 about 8 and 38 minutes past the hour from 05:40 to 23:38, for a 2.90 euro single. Get off at Passeig de Gràcia and take L3 to Drassanes, three stops for another 2.90 euros, then the Cruise Bus for 3.50 euros, 9.30 euros in all. Single tickets are not integrated between Rodalies and the metro, so you pay each leg. It has two changes with luggage and only suits Terminal 2 arrivals, so it is the cheapest option and the least comfortable.
Private carPre-booked private car
- €42 per vehicle (estimate)
- 35 min
- 24 hours
- → Your cruise terminal
A standard pre-booked sedan starts at about 42 euros for up to three passengers, so it is a few euros below the taxi. The price is fixed at booking and the driver tracks your flight, so a late landing does not leave you at the rank. A group of four with luggage needs a larger vehicle or the taxi, which takes four for 46 euros.
The same trip in a different situation
Arriving late at night
Ships rarely sail at night, but a late flight the night before still matters. The fixed taxi fare applies at any hour, and there are taxis at the airport rank at all hours. The Aerobús runs 24 hours as well, but the Cruise Bus does not run on a public night timetable, so after dark the public route ends at the Columbus monument. The R2 train stops after 23:38 and the metro closes at midnight from Sunday to Thursday. A pre-booked car will wait for a delayed flight, and the fixed fare means no surprise at 01:00.
See the comparison →4 people, 4 suitcasesTravelling as a group of four
Four people in one taxi pay 46 euros, or 11.50 each, door to door with the bags. Four on the Aerobús and Cruise Bus pay 45 euros in total, almost the same, and spend an hour more on the journey. Four on the train, metro and Cruise Bus pay 37.20 euros, and carry the cases through two changes. A pre-booked car at about 42 euros takes three people, so four need the taxi or a second car.
See the comparison →Practical tips
- Leave a margin before the ship sails. Cruise lines usually close check-in 90 to 120 minutes before departure, so a flight that lands at least five hours before sailing is a sensible target. Your cruise line sets the all-aboard time, so check it.
- The 46 euro fare is fixed for airport to port in either direction. Do not accept a higher price from anyone offering a lift inside the terminal.
- Check which terminal your ship uses. Terminals A to E and the MSC terminal are on the Adossat quay and need a taxi or the Cruise Bus. The World Trade Center terminal is a short walk from Drassanes metro.
- The R2 train serves Terminal 2 only. A free shuttle bus runs between the terminals if you landed in Terminal 1.
- Cruise Bus tickets can be bought online before you land and arrive by email as a PDF. A one-way ticket is valid only on the date printed on it.
- With a large suitcase, the extra changes on the public route cost more in time and effort than the few euros you save over a taxi.
Questions travellers ask
How much is a taxi from Barcelona airport to the cruise port?
The official fixed fare is 46 euros per taxi, with all supplements included. The drive takes 25 to 35 minutes in normal traffic.
How do I get from Barcelona airport to the cruise port by public transport?
Take the Aerobús (7.75 euros) to Plaça de Catalunya, walk or ride L3 to the Columbus monument, then take the Cruise Bus (3.50 euros) to the Adossat terminals. It costs about 11.25 euros and takes around an hour and a half.
How long does it take to get from Barcelona airport to the cruise ship?
About 35 minutes by taxi or pre-booked car, and 95 to 100 minutes by public transport. Add time for terminal check-in, which cruise lines usually close 90 to 120 minutes before sailing.
How early should my flight land before a cruise from Barcelona?
Aim for a flight that lands at least five hours before sailing, or fly in the day before. Cruise lines close check-in well before departure, and your cruise line sets the all-aboard time.
Is the Cruise Bus available from the airport?
No. The Cruise Bus runs between the Adossat terminals and the Columbus monument near La Rambla, at 3.50 euros one way. From the airport you need the Aerobús or a train first, or a taxi instead.
