Arriving with kids: from the airport to the hotel without the stress
A holiday in Barcelona with small children starts not at the beach but on the stretch between the terminal and the hotel room. That's exactly where things tend to go wrong. After a long flight the little ones are worn out, parents haul heavy bags and a pushchair at once, and everyone just wants to get there.
El Prat airport is 14 km from the city centre, and the ride takes ~24 min. Half an hour isn't much, as long as it passes calmly.
Child seats
In Spain a child seat is mandatory for children 135 cm and under - that is article 117 of the traffic regulations. The only exemption is for taxis on city routes, and it does not extend to transfers: with us a seat is always required. The €200 fine falls on the adult travelling with the child, not on the driver.
The airport lies beyond the city boundary, so the exception does not apply on the road out of El Prat. Taxis on the terminal rank rarely carry seats, and you cannot order one ahead of time.
With us the seat is free in every class and mandatory for children 135 cm and under - tick the option when you book in the app. Then message the driver in the chat with your child's age. A seat for a one-year-old and one for a five-year-old are different things, and with that the driver brings the right one.
Luggage, the pushchair and the size of the car
An ordinary saloon rarely has room for several large suitcases plus a folding pushchair and everything else a small child needs. Count it this way: Comfort takes up to three passengers, and with a pushchair on board not much space is left. Van seats up to seven people and seven suitcases, and a pushchair goes in whole.
We covered this in detail, with photos of the boot: how much luggage really fits in a Comfort and a Van.
Where you will be met
Once you land, the driver messages you and names the exact meeting point. If you'd rather be met with a name board in the arrivals hall, that's a separate Meet & Greet option for €10.
For the meeting points in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, read where your driver meets you.
If your flight is delayed
With children a delay hits twice as hard. The driver watches the flight number: if the plane lands two hours late, the driver comes for the actual arrival time. There's no need to call or rebook anything, and the price stays the same.
At the airport you get one free hour of waiting from the moment you touch down - enough for passport control, the bags and changing the baby.
What to bring for the ride
Water and a snack within reach, not at the bottom of a suitcase. A light change of clothes in your hand luggage - after a flight it's handy more often than you expect. And that one familiar toy: in a strange place there's nothing better.
If you're heading further along the coast, the drive is longer, so take more water and food: Sitges is ~31 min away, Lloret de Mar ~1 hr 16 min.
In short
You know the price when you book, and neither traffic nor the time of day moves it. Seats are free. A Van takes up to seven passengers with luggage and a pushchair. You see the driver's name and the car number in the app in advance.
Book in the Let's GO app: enter the pickup address and the destination, and you see the price straight away, before you confirm. Toll roads are not included in the route price.
Frequently asked questions
Are child seats available for a transfer from Barcelona airport? Yes, and they are free in every class. In Spain they are mandatory for children 135 cm and under: tick the seat when you book, then message the driver in the chat with your child's age.
Do Barcelona taxis have child seats? Usually not, and you cannot order one in advance. The taxi relaxation applies inside the city only; on the route from the airport the law requires a seat. The €200 fine falls on the adult, not on the driver.
How much does a transfer from Barcelona airport to the centre cost? From €58 for the whole car, not per person. The ride takes ~24 min over a distance of 14 km.
Will a pushchair fit in the car? Yes. A folding pushchair fits in a Comfort, though it does not leave much space. Van takes up to seven passengers, and a pushchair goes in whole.
What happens if our flight with children is delayed? The driver watches the flight number and comes for the actual landing time, at no extra charge. At the airport you get one free hour of waiting from the moment you touch down.
Do I need to give my child's age when booking? In the app it is a simple "child seat" switch, and no age is chosen there. Message your child's age to the driver in the chat, though: different ages need different seats, and with that hint the driver brings a suitable one.
Will the driver meet us right in the arrivals hall? Once you touch down, the driver messages you and names the exact meeting point. Being met with a name board in the arrivals hall is a separate option for €10.