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BCN → Barcelona · head to head

Aerobús A1 and A2orBus 46?

The short answer

These do not go to the same place, so price is not the comparison. The Aerobús A1 and A2 reaches Plaça de Catalunya and Passeig de Gràcia, with Barcelona Sants as the main station; the Bus 46 does not. It ends at Plaça Espanya, at the foot of Montjuïc on the western edge of the Eixample, not in the center. L1 and L3 continue to Catalunya from there — on a second single, or on the same T-casual or T-familiar ride.

Both are listed at 35 min.

Aerobús A1 and A2: Runs all night. Bus 46: 05:30–23:50.

Priced against each other

Whole-party totals · adult fares
What each costs for the whole party, in EUR. The cheaper of the two is marked on every row.
TravelersAerobús A1 and A2Bus 46Difference
1€7.75€2.90€4.85
2€15.50€5.80€9.70
3€23.25€8.70€14.55
4€31€11.50€19.50
5€38.75€11.50€27.25
6€46.50€11.50€35
7€54.25€11.50€42.75
8€62€11.50€50.50

Side by side

Where each one leaves you
shuttle · UTE Servicio Aerobús, Monbus groupAerobús A1 and A2
From
A1: Terminal 1 arrivals, level 0. A2: Terminal 2B, and the T2C stop on the internal road
To
Plaça de Catalunya, calling at Plaça Espanya, Gran Via–Borrell and Plaça Universitat on the way
Luggage
A coach with luggage racks; the single covers one person and their luggage.
Runs
All night
Journey
35 min

A1 and A2 are not interchangeable. The A1 serves Terminal 1 and the A2 Terminal 2; both end at Plaça de Catalunya. Check which terminal you are at before boarding to go back.

It runs 24 hours a day, every day. From T1: every 5 minutes 07:15–22:30, every 10 minutes early morning and late evening, every 20 minutes 01:05–05:35. From T2: every 10 minutes by day, every 20 between 23:00 and 05:35.

Nothing from the integrated fare system works on it: not a T-casual, not a T-dia, not a T-usual. Pay the operator, online, at the stop machines by card, or in cash on board with change given only up to EUR 20.

For one person it is the cheapest fully priced way to the center; from two people, one T-familiar on the train costs less than two Aerobús singles.

The operator's "35 minutes from start to finish" is its own figure for the whole route by road; Gran Via traffic can stretch it.

Aerobús A1 and A2: price for every party size →

Fares and tickets from the operator
bus · TMBBus 46
From
Terminal 1 arrivals, level 0; Terminal 2B and T2C; also the long-stay car park
To
Plaça Espanya, via El Prat de Llobregat, Bellvitge and the Gran Via through L'Hospitalet
Luggage
An ordinary city bus with no racks and no luggage rule.
Runs
05:30–23:50
Journey
31–43 min

The cheapest way off the airport for one person, at EUR 2.90, and the slowest: 31 to 43 minutes to Plaça Espanya on TMB's own scheduled times between the two stops, then a metro to the center.

Accepts every ticket the airport metro refuses, including a shared T-familiar; the TMB single works here and not on the L9 Sud from the airport.

It serves both terminals directly and does not need the shuttle.

TMB does not publish a journey time for it; the range here is its scheduled departure at Aeroport T1 against its scheduled passing time at Paral·lel – Plaça Espanya on the same day.

After 23:50 there is no bus 46 until 05:30. The night buses N17 and N18 take over from T1, but AMB does not publish their fare.

Bus 46: price for every party size →

See TMB's 2026 fares

This compares two of 5 options. See all of them ranked for your party size →

The other comparisons at El Prat