Arriving in Barcelona with your bike

Bring your bike or rent one?

Rent if your trip is short. For 1 to 3 days, the cost and hassle of flying with a bike are often more than the rental. A good rental gravel or mountain bike costs around €80 a day, and we can book one sized for you, ready at the start.

Bring yours if you are staying longer, ride a very specific setup, or are adding the route to a longer holiday. Then plan these four things before you fly.

1. Flying with a bike

• Book the bike as sports equipment with your airline when you buy the ticket. It is cheaper than at the airport and the space is limited.
• Pack it in a box or a padded bag. Let some air out of the tyres, protect the derailleur and take the pedals off.
• Pack a small kit to rebuild it: the tools you need, tape and zip ties.

2. From the airport to the city

Barcelona–El Prat is about 15 km from the centre. You have three options:

• Ride. Build the bike at the airport and ride in. Cycle lanes and quiet roads link the airport with the city through El Prat de Llobregat and the Llobregat delta. Plan the route the day before and avoid the motorways.
• Take a large taxi. Ask for a minivan at the rank, or book one in advance, so the box fits.
• Train. The R2 Nord line runs from Terminal 2 to the city. A bike box on a busy train is hard work, so this is best outside rush hour.

3. Where to keep your bike in Barcelona

Bike theft is common in Barcelona. Do not leave a bike locked in the street overnight.

• Choose a hotel that keeps bikes indoors. Ask before you book: a locked room or garage is best. Every hotel in our route packs confirms secure bike storage.
• During the day, if you stop to visit something, lock the frame and both wheels to something solid, in a busy place, and do not leave it for long.
• The metro does not take bikes on weekdays from 7:00 to 9:30 and from 17:00 to 20:30. Riding across the city is usually quicker anyway.

4. Your bike box while you ride

Most of our routes end somewhere else and come back by train, so you will not pass the start again on the way. Before you set off, arrange for the box:

• Ask your hotel in Barcelona to keep it until you return. Many will, especially if you sleep there again on the last night.
• Use a luggage storage service. Check that they take large items like bike boxes before you go.
• If you rent through us, there is no box to worry about.

Sources

• Bikes on Barcelona public transport, 3Cat
• How to fly with a bike box or bag, Tom’s Bike Trip
• Airport and train information: aena.es and rodalies.gencat.cat