Hire an airport rental car to explore the cosmopolitan city of Barcelona
Hire a car to explore the wonderful art and architecture of the Spanish city of Barcelona. With its rich culture, fine dining, gorgeous cityscape and so much more, your days will be packed with incredible things to see and do in this stunning city. Located in Northeast Spain, Barcelona is right on the waterfront and short traveling distances in your rental car to nearby Andorra and Zaragoza.
Booking a Barcelona rental car
Reserving a cheap rental car from Barcelona Airport-El Prat (BCN) is only a few clicks away with Airport Rentals. Just type in your travel details to compare a large inventory of local and international brands, all visible on one user-friendly page. Use preference filters to narrow your options down to the exact vehicle you would like for your holiday.
Confirm your reservation securely without ever having to worry about hidden fees, and enjoy access to 24/7 customer service, should you need it.
Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN)
El Prat is the main airport of the Catalonia region of Spain and the second busiest facility in Spain after Madrid. There are two terminals: T1 which was built in 2009 and services 70% of flights; and T2 which mainly services low-cost, regional carriers. There is a shuttle bus that runs between the two terminals, as they are 4 km apart.
You will find dining options, retail shopping and much more at the airport that sees up to 55 million visitors per year. If you’re landing at T1, pick up your car rental at the ground floor just after the baggage claim areas. If you’re landing at T2, find the rental kiosks at the main exit hall and also after customs. If you’ve arranged to pick up your hired car in Barcelona, you can choose from buses, taxis and trains to get you downtown.
Driving from the airport to downtown Barcelona
The drive from Barcelona Airport to the city centre takes around 30 minutes. To get to the city center, follow these directions: Get on C-31 from Av. de l'Aeroport. Follow C-31 and B-10 to Passeig Josep Carner in Barcelona. Take the exit towards 21 Ciutat Vella/Paral.lel/La Rombla/Montjuïc/Port vell from B-10 and follow signs to the city centre.
Driving tips for your Barcelona rental car
Driving in Barcelona is not the most enjoyable experience for foreigners. It is better to find parking at or near your accommodation and rely on the public transportation systems which are quite advanced.
Spain driving tips
● Be alert of the high concentration of scooters and motorbikes.
● Car rental companies often provide a mileage limit. Keep track of your limit.
● Print out directions in case your GPS loses signal.
Parking options at the Airport and downtown Barcelona
El Prat Airport has 10,900 parking spaces in terminal T1 car parks and 8,779 spaces in the terminal T2 car parks. You will be issued a parking ticket when you drive in. Keep it with you and do not lose it. The parking has security, but do not leave valuables in sight and be sure to lock the doors. Remember your parking space number. When retrieving your car you must pay the parking fee before removing the vehicle. There are automatic payment machines located in the terminal lobbies, at the pedestrian entries to the car park. After making the payment you have 20 minutes to leave the airport parking lot before the validated ticket expires.
Parking is difficult to find and often very expensive in Barcelona. Try to use public transportation within the city before heading out to see more of Spain in your rental car. Check out this parking map for parking spots in Barcelona.
Barcelona Airport Terminal Map
Barcelona-El Prat Airport (also known as Barcelona International Airport) is located 12km southwest of the city centre in Barcelona, Spain. The airport is the second largest in Spain after Madrid and handles a record 37.5 million passengers in 2014.
The airport consists of two terminals. Terminal one's facilities include 258 check-in counters, 60 jetways, 15 baggage carousels and 24,000 parking spaces (in addition to the 12,000 already in terminal 2). While Terminal 2 is divided into three linked sections - most of which are currently unused.
