Barcelona cruise port to the city: bus, metro, taxi, car
Where you dock decides the journey. The Adossat quay terminals (A to E and MSC) are about 5 km from the centre and need the Cruise Bus or a taxi. The World Trade Center terminal sits roughly 400 m from the public transport network, so a short walk and the metro or a stroll along La Rambla works there.
- Cheapest
- €2.90Metro L3 from Drassanes · 25 min
- Fastest
- 25 minMetro L3 from Drassanes · €2.90
- Taxi
- €15–€22Barcelona taxi · 25 min
Metro L3 from Drassanes: €5.80 for the group, about 25 min. No booking needed.
Metro
Metro L3 from Drassanes
25 min
For the group€5.80
Metro L3 from Drassanes
TMB · best from the World Trade Center terminal, or after the Cruise Bus
- Per person
- €2.90
- Door to door
- 25 min
- Runs
- 05:00–00:00
- Frequency
- frequent service
- Board at
- Drassanes station, about 10 minutes' walk from the WTC terminal
- Suitcases
- Awkward
Taxi
Barcelona taxi
25 min
For the group€15–€22estimate
Barcelona taxi
Metered · rank at the terminals, with a Moll Adossat supplement
- Per person
- €15–€22 per vehicle
- Door to door
- 25 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Rank outside the terminal
- Board at
- Taxi rank outside your cruise terminal
- Suitcases
- Carried for you
Shuttle
Cruise Bus
40 min
For the group€7
Cruise Bus
Moventis · shuttle from the Adossat terminals to the Columbus monument and La Rambla
- Per person
- €3.50
- Door to door
- 40 min
- Runs
- -
- Frequency
- timed around ship calls
- Board at
- Outside terminals A, B, C, D and E on the Adossat quay
- Suitcases
- Fine
Private car
Pre-booked private car
30 min
For the group€32estimateCheck price
Pre-booked private car
Fixed price, driver meets you at the terminal
- Per person
- €32 per vehicle
- Door to door
- 30 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Pre-booked
- Board at
- Meeting point at your cruise terminal, given in your booking
- Suitcases
- Carried for you
Every option in detail
ShuttleCruise Bus
- €3.50
- 40 min
- → Moll de Barcelona, next to La Rambla and the Columbus monument
A one-way ticket is 3.50 euros and a day ticket for several trips is 5 euros. You can buy online and receive a PDF by email at cruisebus.barcelona, or pay on board. The bus drops you beside La Rambla, from where Plaça de Catalunya is about 20 minutes on foot or two stops on metro L3 from Drassanes. Operating hours depend on ship arrivals and are not fixed in a public timetable, so check the operator's site or your ship's information desk before you rely on it for the return.
MetroMetro L3 from Drassanes
- €2.90
- 25 min
- 05:00–00:00
- → Plaça de Catalunya, two stops on L3 via Liceu
A single ticket is 2.90 euros from the machines in the station. From the WTC terminal the walk to Drassanes is about 10 minutes along the waterfront, and the L3 ride to Catalunya takes about 5 minutes. From the Adossat quay you cannot walk to the metro realistically, so use the Cruise Bus to Columbus first. The station has stairs, so a large suitcase makes it slower than the options with a lift or none.
TaxiBarcelona taxi
- €15–€22 per vehicle (estimate)
- 25 min
- 24 hours
- → Door to door, central Barcelona
The meter starts at 2.80 euros, then runs at 1.35 euros per km on weekdays from 08:00 to 20:00 and 1.66 euros per km in the evening, on Saturdays and on public holidays. The official tariff lists a 4.60 euro supplement for the Moll Adossat dock, and none for the WTC terminal. From Adossat to Plaça de Catalunya expect about 15 to 22 euros and roughly 15 minutes, less from the WTC. Vehicles with five to eight seats add 4.60 euros.
Private carPre-booked private car
- €32 per vehicle (estimate)
- 30 min
- 24 hours
- → Your hotel or address
Private transfers from the cruise terminals to the centre start at about 32 euros for a standard car, up to three passengers. The price is fixed in advance and the driver helps with luggage. It costs more than a metered taxi for such a short ride, so it pays off mainly when you want a driver waiting after a long embarkation or when your ship's arrival time is uncertain.
The same trip in a different situation
Arriving late at night
Cruise ships rarely discharge passengers after midnight, but if you are returning late, the Cruise Bus is the one to check first because it is timed around ship calls. The metro runs until midnight Sunday to Thursday, until 02:00 on Friday, and all night on Saturday. After that a taxi from the rank at the terminals is the dependable choice, and the fare is metered with the same 4.60 euro Moll Adossat supplement. If you are heading to the airport at night, the fixed taxi fare of 46 euros is worth knowing.
See the comparison →4 people, 4 suitcasesTravelling as a group of four
Four people on the Cruise Bus pay 14 euros for the ride to Columbus, and then L3 adds 11.60 euros if you continue by metro. A metered taxi from the Adossat quay is about 15 to 22 euros for the whole car, door to door with the luggage. For three or four people the taxi usually beats the Cruise Bus plus metro on both price and time. From the WTC terminal the metro for four is 11.60 euros, so it is the cheapest choice there, and a short walk to La Rambla costs nothing.
See the comparison →Practical tips
- Check which terminal your ship uses. Terminals A to E and MSC are on the Adossat quay and need a bus or taxi, while the WTC terminal is a short walk from the Drassanes metro and La Rambla.
- To the airport, the fixed taxi fare is 46 euros all-inclusive between the airport and the cruise port. The public route is the Cruise Bus (3.50 euros) to Columbus, then the Aerobús (7.75 euros) from Plaça de Catalunya, about 11 euros in total plus 20 minutes on foot or 2.90 euros on L3.
- Cruise Bus tickets can be bought online before you land and arrive by email as a PDF. Day tickets are valid only for the date printed on them.
- At the WTC terminal you can walk to Plaça de Catalunya in about 30 minutes, or to Drassanes metro in about 10.
- Use the official rank at the terminal. A taxi from Moll Adossat carries a 4.60 euro supplement on top of the meter, which is normal.
- Private vehicles can drop off and pick up passengers and luggage at the terminals but cannot park there, so a booked driver collects you at the terminal, not in a car park.
Questions travellers ask
How do I get from Barcelona cruise port to the city centre?
From the Adossat terminals take the Cruise Bus (3.50 euros one way) to the Columbus monument, then walk up La Rambla or take L3 from Drassanes. From the WTC terminal you can walk to Drassanes metro in about 10 minutes.
How much is a taxi from the Barcelona cruise port to the centre?
Expect about 15 to 22 euros on the meter from the Adossat quay to Plaça de Catalunya, including a 4.60 euro dock supplement. It is a bit less from the WTC terminal, where the tariff lists no supplement.
How do I get from the Barcelona cruise port to the airport?
A taxi has a fixed fare of 46 euros all-inclusive between the cruise port and the airport, and the ride takes about 25 to 35 minutes. By public transport use the Cruise Bus to Columbus, then the Aerobús from Plaça de Catalunya, about 11 euros per person in total and around an hour.
Can I walk from the Barcelona cruise terminal into the city?
Only from the World Trade Center terminal, which is about 10 minutes from Drassanes metro and about 30 minutes from Plaça de Catalunya. The Adossat quay is around 5 km out, so walking is not realistic there.
How much is the Cruise Bus in Barcelona?
A one-way ticket is 3.50 euros and a day ticket is 5 euros, bought online or on board. It runs from terminals A to E on the Adossat quay and drops you beside La Rambla.
