Landing in Barcelona After 23:00: What Still Runs and What Doesn't
The plane touched down at half past eleven. Passport control, the baggage belt, the hunt for the right exit, and it is already past midnight. By day half a dozen routes lead from El Prat airport (BCN) into the city; by night some of them close. What is left depends on three things: the day of the week, the terminal you landed in and where you are going.
We checked the timetables and fares on the operators' own sites in September 2026.
What still runs after 23:00
| Option | When it runs | From | How far it takes you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rodalies R2 Nord train | last train at 23:38 | T2 only | Sants, Passeig de Gràcia |
| Metro L9 Sud | until 24:00, until 2:00 on Friday, all night from Saturday into Sunday | T1 and T2 | Zona Universitària, then a change |
| Aerobús A1 and A2 | around the clock | A1 from T1, A2 from T2 | Plaça de Catalunya |
| Night buses N17 and N18 | the NitBus night network | N17 from T1, N18 from T1 and T2 | Plaça de Catalunya |
| Taxi | around the clock | ranks outside both terminals | your address |
| Transfer | around the clock | outside the terminal, the driver messages you the meeting point | your address |
The train leaves before you can reach it
The last R2 Nord train leaves the airport at 23:38 and reaches Sants at 23:56. It runs the same way on Sunday: the timetable is identical all week. The station sits by terminal T2. From T1 the free inter-terminal shuttle takes you there: every 7 minutes until midnight, every 10 after.
Landing at T1 on an evening flight? Don't count on the train. Passports, luggage, the shuttle stop, the ride to T2, the platform: that rarely fits into the time you have left. After 23:38 the next train is in the morning.
The metro: check the calendar first
Line L9 Sud starts inside the airport itself and has two stations, Aeroport T1 and Aeroport T2. From Monday to Thursday and on Sunday the metro runs until midnight, until 2:00 on Friday, and from Saturday into Sunday all night without a break. Those are the times the last trains leave the end stations, and Aeroport T1 happens to be one of them.
The catch is that L9 Sud does not reach the centre. You change at Zona Universitària, and the other lines close at the same hour. So on a Wednesday, if the plane landed at half past eleven, the metro is no longer any help. On a Friday or the night into Sunday you stand a chance.
The airport ticket costs €5.90 and loads onto a T-mobilitat card, which you buy from a machine first. We went through how that works in our article on the five ways into the centre.
The Aerobús and night buses: all night, but only as far as Plaça de Catalunya
The Aerobús runs around the clock, 365 days a year. Line A1 leaves from T1, A2 from T2, and both run via Plaça d'Espanya and Plaça Universitat to Plaça de Catalunya. A ticket is €7.75. From T1 buses leave every 10 minutes until 1:05, then every 20. From T2 after 23:00 it is every 20 minutes.
The NitBus night buses go to the same place: N17 from T1, N18 from T1 calling at T2. AMB publishes the intervals for the night lines on each line's page, and they are worth checking before you fly.
And then you are at Plaça de Catalunya at one in the morning with the last few hundred metres to the hotel ahead of you. With a rucksack that is a pleasant ten-minute walk. With two suitcases over the cobbles of the Gothic Quarter the same walk feels rather different.
Taxis: the night tariff and a €21 minimum
Barcelona's official taxis are black and yellow. The ranks sit opposite the arrivals areas: floor 0 at T1, opposite sectors T2A, T2B and T2C at T2. Aena warns that there are no other official taxis in the city. If someone approaches you in the arrivals hall offering a ride, turn it down: more often than not that is an unlicensed driver. In the summer of 2026 the police even added patrols in the arrivals area.
At night the meter runs on tariff T-2. It applies on weekdays from 20:00 to 8:00, and on Saturdays and public holidays: €2.80 to start, €1.66 per kilometre, plus €4.60 for a trip from the airport. To Plaça de Catalunya on a clear road that comes to around €32. A trip from the airport never costs less than €21, even if you are going somewhere very close.
If there are more than four of you and you need a five- to eight-seat minivan, add another €4.60. And on three nights of the year, 23 to 24 June, 24 to 25 December and 31 December to 1 January, a separate holiday supplement applies, also €4.60. The AMB Taxi Institute fares run until 17 January 2027.
A transfer: at night everything works as it does by day
For a transfer the night changes nothing. You see the price and fix it when you book, before you even fly: to the centre that is from €58 per car, and at one in the morning it is the same as at noon.
The worst part of a night arrival is not the hour but the delay. You were due to land at midnight and landed at two. Your driver follows the flight number and comes for the actual landing time at no extra charge, and the first 60 minutes of waiting are free. After you land the driver messages you in the chat to say where you will be met. We covered how the meeting works in a separate article.
The further your hotel is from the centre, the more sense a car makes: the Aerobús, N17 and N18 only reach Plaça de Catalunya, and after that there is little choice at night. A transfer to Sitges takes ~31 min, to Salou ~1 hr 9 min. Landed at night with a ship to board in the morning? You can book a car straight to the cruise port.
If you are flying with a child, tick the child seat when you book. It is free in every class and will be in the car when you walk out of the terminal. In Spain a seat is mandatory for children 135 cm and under, and nobody wants to go looking for one at midnight. Message the driver in the chat with your child's age.
The amount is held on your card when you book and charged after the trip. If your flight is moved to another day, you can cancel a booked transfer with no penalty. Toll roads are not included in the route price. You can book in the Let's GO app or on the route page.
Frequently asked questions
How late does the metro run from Barcelona airport? Until 24:00 from Monday to Thursday and on Sunday, until 2:00 on Friday, and from Saturday into Sunday it runs all night. Line L9 Sud does not reach the centre; you change at Zona Universitària.
What time does the last train leave Barcelona airport for the city? At 23:38 from the station by terminal T2, reaching Sants at 23:56. The timetable is the same all week, Sunday included. From T1 the free inter-terminal shuttle takes you to the train.
Does the Aerobús run from Barcelona airport at night? Yes, around the clock and 365 days a year. After 1:05 from T1 and after 23:00 from T2 buses leave every 20 minutes, terminating at Plaça de Catalunya. A ticket is €7.75.
How much does a taxi from Barcelona airport cost at night? Around €32 to Plaça de Catalunya on a clear road. At night tariff T-2 applies: €2.80 to start, €1.66 per kilometre and €4.60 for the airport. A trip from the airport never costs less than €21. With more than four passengers another €4.60 is added.
Is there a night surcharge on a transfer from Barcelona airport? No. The price is fixed when you book and stays the same at night as it is by day. To the centre of Barcelona it is from €58 per car.
What happens to my transfer if the flight is delayed? Your driver follows the flight number and brings the car for the actual arrival time, with no delay surcharge. The first 60 minutes of waiting from the moment you land are free.