Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat airport (BCN) Guide: Charter Bus Stops and Navigational Tips
This airport has gone through ups and downs according to the country’s history. It was first opened in 1918 as part of an expansion plan, gradually increased its operations, than stalled in the late 1970s. It went through a major expansion by 1992 because of the city’s Summer Olympics, then another one in 2009 with the inauguration of the entirely new Terminal 1.
This blog article contains important facts about the city’s airport. However, we can help you even further thanks to our coach hire Barcelona. Next time you visit the city, whether for corporate or touristic events, make sure to contact us!
BCN airport at a glance
- IATA code: BCN
- ICAO code: LEBL
- WMO code: 08181
- Location: El Prat de Llobregat
- Time zone: GMT+2
How to move in BCN airport?
Terminal 1 was inaugurated in 2009 and has an area of 548,000 m². It offer 13,000 parking spaces and 45 new gates, which makes it prepared to handle even large aircraft such as the Airbus A380. It has five modules with distinct operations; Module B is exclusively Schengen.
Terminal 2 is divided into sections 2A, 2B and 2C, which are interconnected. In fact, 2A and 2C were built to support 2B, which was first opened in 1968. This terminal used to be empty, but the airport authorities gradually made it more attractive especially for low-cost airlines.
You can reach the BCN airport by car, through the C-32B highway; by bus using the 46 public line or the Aerobús; by train using the Rodalies Barcelona station on line R2, and by subway using the line 9. All those alternatives connect the BCN airport to major regions in the city.
Navigating From Terminals to Charter Bus Stops at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat airport
Once you arrive at the BCN airport, it is very easy to meet your BCS driver:
- Terminal 1: There is a bus parking lot right in front of the terminal exit. After leaving the terminal, you can walk just a few meters to reach it.
- Terminal 2: There is another bus parking lot next to this terminal. Just like in the other case, all you have to do is walk a few meters to reach your bus.
BCN airport statistics
- 41,6 million passengers in 2022 in 283,394 aircraft movements.
- 155,600 tonnes of freight cargo handled in 2022.
- The Barcelona-Madrid air shuttle used to be the busiest in the world.
- This is the largest and busiest airport in the Catalonia region.
- The Barcelona airport features many seasonal flight destinations.
BCN airport trivia
- Architect Ricardo Bofill was responsible for designing Terminal 1 in 2009 and making Terminal 2 larger in 1992. The latter happened because of the Summer Olympics.
- The BCN airport had two accidents in 1998. In February, a plane crashed in a nearby region shortly after take-off. In July, another plane crashed on a surrounding fence.
- The only reason why the Barcelona–Madrid shuttle lost traffic was the opening of a high-speed rail line in February 2008. It covers the same distance in only 2.5 hours.