Barcelona-El Prat Airport: Terminal 1 (T1)
Terminal 1 at Barcelona-El Prat Airport is impressive on its own due to its size of approximately 550,000 m². It is ranked as the 5th largest terminal building in the world. Here you will find tips and information to help you find your way around despite this size.
Terminal 1 at Barcelona-El Prat Airport – modern architecture combined with comfort and service for travelers.
Terminal 1 – Orientation made easy
In a terminal building of this size, good signage and marking is essential. The huge terminal building is divided into 4 levels and 5 modules for better orientation for travelers.
Levels and modules in Terminal 1 at El Prat Airport
The modules indicate the 5 boarding areas, which are divided according to destinations and the associated gates. They are well-marked by letters A, B, C, D and E.
From level 0 to level 3, there are 4 levels:
Level 0: Arrivals Area (La Plaza)
Level 1: Departure area, boarding gates A, B and C. Automatic check-in machines for Air France, KLM, Lufthansa and Vueling.
On this level you will also find the entrances to the Puente Aéro, the Barcelona – Madrid Air Shuttle connection. The Spanish airline Iberia operates 50 flights daily between the two cities.
Level 2: On this level you will find automatic check-in machines for Air France, American Airlines, Lufthansa, KLM and Vueling, passport control.
Level 3: Automatic check-in machines for Iberia, Egyptair, Brussels Airlines, Air Canada, Royal Air Maroc and Aegean Airlines. Check-in counters 200 – 700. Level 3 is also where the Fast Lane is located. This is the preferred, free access to security checkpoints for passengers traveling with children under 15.
Good signage – easy orientation
Connection between the terminals + link to local transport
El Prat Airport (BCN) only has two terminals. However, these are separated by the runway. The distance is therefore too great to walk from one terminal to the other.
How do I get from one terminal to another?
There is a free shuttle bus for transfers between terminals (updated 2023). The shuttle bus runs 24/7.
Caution: it is not the same shuttle bus that goes to the center of Barcelona!
How is T1 connected to Barcelona’s public transport system?
By metro from Terminal 1 to the center of Barcelona
Terminal T1 has its own metro stop directly below the building. The metro offers a fast connection to the city center.
The Terminal 1 metro station is located directly below the terminal building (Image: 9pm, CC 4.0 license)
By shuttle bus (Aerobús) from T1 to downtown Barcelona
In front of the terminal building is an Aerobús stop. This airport shuttle bus also offers a good connection to the city center.
⇾ More information about the Aerobús airport → city center connection (journey time, stops, online tickets…)
Aerobús: The stop for the shuttle bus to the center of Barcelona is right at the terminal building.
By train R2 North to the center of Barcelona
There is a direct connection by train from El Prat Airport to the city center. However, the station is located at Terminal 2. The free airport shuttle bus will take you from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 and from there you can take the R2 North train to the center.
The R2 North train line takes you directly from the airport to the city center without changing trains (Image: © Luis Rentero Corral)
⇾ More information about the transfer by train (travel time, stops, online tickets …)
Shopping, duty free and restaurants at Terminal 1
Spending hours waiting at the airport is not pleasant. In the modern Terminal 1 at Barcelona-El Prat Airport, you can easily pass the waiting time with shopping and a visit to a restaurant.
This airport terminal has more to offer than many shopping malls. From fashion, jewelry, perfume and cosmetics, books and magazines to technology and electronics – the selection of stores and duty-free stores is huge.
What kind of stores are there in Terminal 1?
Stores and stores of well-known brands can be found on levels 1 and 3 in Terminal 1. Here is a small selection of these stores:
Adidas, Adolfo Dominguez, Barcelona Duty Free, Burberry, Chocolat Factory, FC Barcelona Boutique, Mango, Massimo Dutti, Relay, Swarovski, Victoria’s Secret, Zara … and much more.
There is also a pharmacy (Farmacia) on level 3.
FC Barcelona store at the airport – great selection for fans
Tasty Food & Drink in Terminal 1 at El Prat Airport
Restaurants and coffee shops in Terminal 1
You will find a good selection of restaurants in Terminal 1 at Barcelona-El Prat Airport. From pasta & pizza to the well-known burger chains to Argentinian cuisine, there is something for almost every taste. There are also various coffee shops.
Costa Coffee, Coffee Republic, Dots Bakery, illy, Häagen Dazs, Malvón, O Mamma Mia (Pasta & Pizza), McDonald’s, Burger King, Medas Grill, Pans&Company, Mediterranean Terrace, La Tramoia… and much more.
Services and facilities at T1
Lost & Found at El Prat Airport
The lost and found office for lost items is located in Terminal 1 (level 0). Here you can ask for items you have lost in the airport every day between 8:00 am to 10:00 pm. Items that you have forgotten inside the aircraft are not collected here. Please contact the respective airline directly.
Phone number: 932 596 440; Email: objetosperdidosbcn@aena.es
VIP Lounges
Three VIP lounges are available in Terminal 1. The Colomer VIP Lounge for passengers on the Barcelona-Madrid shuttle (level 1). For passengers outside the Schengen area, there is the Joan Miró VIP Lounge (level 2, gate area D and E). In 2013, Priority Pass named the Pau Casals Lounge on Level 2 as the world’s best airport lounge.
Service for travelers with children/families
3 play areas are available for children in Terminal 1 (level 1/3). As is usual everywhere in Spain, the airport building also has an extra room for nursing mothers (level 3).
Map: El Prat Airport – Barcelona City Center
More information, facts + figures about Terminal 1
Terminal 1, also known as T1, is relatively new. Star architect Ricardo Bofill designed it, and it was inaugurated by the Spanish Prime Minister in 2009.
A few numbers about Terminal 1:
- 1.3 billion euros in construction costs,
- 550,000 m² (55 ha) of building space,
- 250 check-in counters,
- 13,000 parking spaces,
- up to 90 flights per hour.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, up to 100,000 passengers per day were handled here. During the corona pandemic (2020/2021), Terminal T2 was temporarily closed. Operations ran through Terminal 1 only.
Expansion Plans – Terminal T1S
The next project will be the T1S terminal. This would allow the airport to handle 15 million additional passengers. It was originally scheduled to start operations in 2026. Due to the turbulence caused by COVID 19 in air traffic, this project will be delayed.
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