Practical guide
Getting from Barcelona to the Costa Brava: a practical guide
Everything you need to know before you book: how long it takes, how the alternatives compare, where your driver meets you, how much waiting is free and what happens if your plans change.
- 60 / 30 / 15free minutes: airport / Sants & port / hotels
- 24 hfree changes and cancellation
- 1–14passengers per vehicle
- 24/7support in 4 languages
Why book with us
Licensed drivers
Vehicles authorised for passenger transport, driven by professional drivers.
Insurance included
Every transfer is covered by mandatory passenger insurance.
Invoice in your name
VAT invoice for individuals and companies, without having to ask twice.
GPS tracking
Every ride is logged with its real route and times.
Fixed price
You see it before booking and it does not change with traffic or route.
Drive times
How long it takes from El Prat
The Costa Brava starts about an hour north of Barcelona Airport and ends more than two hours away, at Cap de Creus. As a rough guide: Blanes about 70 minutes, Lloret 75 to 90, Tossa about 90, Sant Feliu and Platja d’Aro about an hour and a half, Palamós and Calella a little under two hours, Begur and L’Escala around two hours, Roses just over two, and Cadaqués around two hours and twenty minutes. Girona is about an hour and a quarter away and Figueres about an hour and three quarters.
Traffic matters more than distance. The slowest times are summer Friday afternoons leaving Barcelona and Sunday evenings coming back. The fixed price does not change with traffic, but your pick-up time for a flight should allow for it.
The coast
From Blanes to Cadaqués, one fixed price
We drive the whole coast and the towns inland, always with Barcelona at the other end of the trip. Door to door, straight to your hotel, villa or campsite. Tap a town to see its page.
- Blanes≈ 1 h 10
- Lloret de Mar≈ 1 h 20
- Tossa de Mar≈ 1 h 30
- Sant Feliu de Guíxols≈ 1 h 35
- Platja d’Aro – S’Agaró≈ 1 h 35
- Palamós≈ 1 h 45
- Calella de Palafrugell≈ 1 h 50
- Begur≈ 1 h 55
- L’Estartit≈ 2 h
- L’Escala≈ 2 h
- Girona city≈ 1 h 15
- Figueres≈ 1 h 45
- Empuriabrava≈ 2 h 05
- Roses≈ 2 h 10
- Cadaqués≈ 2 h 20
Schematic map, not to scale. Times from Barcelona Airport are approximate and depend on traffic.
Your options
Coach, train or private transfer
Coach
Direct coaches run from the airport and from Barcelona to the main resorts. The lowest-cost option for a solo traveller; fixed timetables, stops in other towns and a bus station at the end.
Train
Useful for Girona and Figueres, which have high-speed stations, and for Blanes. Most beach towns have no station, and from the airport you change in Barcelona.
Private transfer
One vehicle from the terminal to your door, at any hour, with luggage included. The price is per vehicle, so it is shared between everyone in it.
At the airport
Where your driver meets you
Your driver waits in the arrivals hall of your terminal, T1 or T2, with a sign showing your name. We track your flight in real time, so if it lands early or late, the pick-up moves with it. You have 60 minutes of free waiting from the actual landing time, enough for passport control and baggage reclaim on most flights.
If you cannot find your driver, do not leave: call us or write on WhatsApp straight away and we will put you in touch with the driver or send another vehicle as soon as possible.
Waiting, luggage and extras
What is included and what is extra
Free waiting is 60 minutes at the airport, 30 minutes at the cruise port or Sants Station, and 15 minutes at hotels and any other address, counted from the agreed pick-up time or from when the driver arrives, whichever is later.
The fixed price includes tolls and the luggage you book. Anything you ask for on the day, such as extra waiting, luggage beyond what you booked or an extra stop, has an extra cost that is agreed and paid to the driver before setting off. To avoid surprises, always book the real number of passengers and bags. Child seats are available on request for a small supplement.
Changes and cancellations
The rules, in plain words
- Changes and cancellations are free with 24 hours’ notice or more, with a full refund.
- Any change needs at least 3 hours’ notice, or 8 hours at weekends, on public holidays and the day before them.
- Between 24 hours and that minimum, a change or cancellation may carry a charge.
- Below the minimum the booking is last-minute and cannot be changed, cancelled or refunded.
- If your airline cancels your flight, tell us as soon as possible and we reschedule, subject to availability.
- If you do not appear and do not contact us after the free waiting time, the booking is a no-show and is not refunded.
Booking and payment
How booking works
Choose your trip in the widget and see the fixed price for each vehicle. When you click Book, you complete the booking and pay securely online on quickpickups.es, the QuickPickups platform that operates this service. You receive a confirmation by email and a VAT invoice in your name or your company’s name.
Before you book
What your price includes, and the rules in plain words
A fixed price, nothing hidden
The price you confirm includes tolls and the luggage you book, and it does not change with traffic. Only extras you ask for on the day, such as an extra stop or extra waiting, are agreed with the driver before setting off.
Meet and greet at arrivals
Your driver waits in the arrivals hall of Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 with a sign showing your name.
Flight tracking
We follow your flight in real time. If it lands early or late, the pick-up moves with it.
Free waiting time
60 minutes at the airport, 30 minutes at the cruise port or Sants Station, and 15 minutes at hotels and any other address.
Free changes and cancellation
Free with 24 hours’ notice or more, with a full refund. Changes need at least 3 hours’ notice, or 8 hours at weekends, on public holidays and the day before them.
Online payment and invoice
You pay securely online when you book, and you receive a VAT invoice in your name or your company’s name.
Child seats on request
Tell us the children’s ages when you book and the seats are fitted before pick-up, for a small supplement.
Up to 14 passengers per vehicle
From a saloon car to a 14-seat minibus. Larger groups travel in several vehicles that leave at the same time.
Customer reviews
Verified reviews from our customers are published on our Google Business Profile.
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to fly into Barcelona or Girona for the Costa Brava?
Both airports serve the coast. This site covers trips with Barcelona at one end, so if you land at El Prat, we drive you anywhere on the Costa Brava.
How early should I book?
As early as you can for July and August and for groups. You can change or cancel for free with 24 hours’ notice or more.
What happens if I land very late?
Nothing changes: we work 24 hours a day and track your flight. The waiting time counts from the actual landing.
Do I pay the driver?
No. The transfer is paid online when you book. You only pay the driver for extras you ask for on the day, agreed before setting off.
Can I book a child seat?
Yes, on request for a small supplement. Tell us the children’s ages when you book.
Who operates the service?
QUICKPICKUPS S.L., a Barcelona company with licensed vehicles, professional drivers and passenger insurance.
Ready when you are
Check the fixed price for your trip in a few seconds, or message us and a person will answer, 24 hours a day.
Would you rather talk to a person?
We answer 24 hours a day, every day, in English, Spanish, French and Catalan.