It's imperative to check over your car when you pick it up, both for any damage and to make sure everything works properly. Make sure this is recorded as pre-existing by the hire company to avoid getting charged for it later. Always return the car with the same level of fuel as when you hired it, again to avoid an extra charge which would be more than the cost of the petrol at the garage.
Understand the road laws of your destination and respect these. You should always drive responsibly just as you would at home - stay off the phone when behind the wheel, no drinking and driving, and take regular breaks, especially if driving long distances.
Five car hire providers have branches in El Prat, located in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2B near the arrivals. While you can hire a car on the spot, much time and money can be saved by making an advance booking online.
Car Hire Companies at Barcelona-El Prat Airport see below
Company | Telephone Number |
---|---|
Avis | +34902108495 |
Enterprise Atesa | +34 935219095 |
Europcar | +34 902105055 |
Hertz | +34 902011959 |
Sixt | +34 902491616 |
The average price of unleaded petrol in Spain is €1.45 per litre. Using a medium-priced vehicle such as the Smart for Two, which gives 67 miles to the gallon, the approximate fuel cost per 10 miles would be €2.17.
Destination | Distance | Journey time | Directions | Video |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sagrada Familia | 19.8 km | 27 minutes | https://goo.gl/NcEJzh | https://goo.gl/X3F375 |
Barri Gotic | 17.4 km | 26 minutes | https://goo.gl/0fbJGQ | https://goo.gl/kyrwzH |
Park Güell | 20.8 km | 26 minutes | https://goo.gl/YT9xiV | https://goo.gl/2M4zz5 |
Mercat de Sant Josep | 15.3 km | 27 minutes | https://goo.gl/XVQzHW | https://goo.gl/6BLPAC |
La Pedrera | 15.9 km | 25 minutes | https://goo.gl/Plxwlo | https://goo.gl/og3ICv |
Catedral of Barcelona | 16.2 km | 28 minutes | https://goo.gl/mMhRlo | https://goo.gl/tHrmCf |
Montjuïc | 15.9 km | 19 minutes | https://goo.gl/KyHQjc | https://goo.gl/JtPgyc |
Ciutadella Park | 16.7 km | 20 minutes | https://goo.gl/wVFS5p | https://goo.gl/LDM9LV |
Mercat del Encants | 19.7 km | 25 minutes | https://goo.gl/uzCELc | https://goo.gl/LHvcvz |
Los Tarantos | 16 km | 18 minutes | https://goo.gl/13nTUj | https://goo.gl/aA2Qht |
You'll need show certain documents and meet a few conditions when picking up your car. Normally, you need to be 22 to hire a car, and 25 for some vehicles. Companies also usually have an upper age limit, say around 65. You need to produce a valid licence from your home country and, if from outside the EU, an International Driving Permit. The hire agreement must have all the drivers' names on it.
When hiring a car in Spain, you'll usually get some sort of provision such as a Collision Damage Waiver or Theft Cover. This might be an extra cost on top of the basic price. Furthermore, it will not truly cover you in case of an accident as you would still have to pay a hefty excess. It's worth considering purchasing excess insurance from an outside company such as insurance4carhire.com. Other extra costs might be airport tax, roof rack, and air conditioning (essential in summer). Extra insurance might be required if you plan to drive to France or Portugal.
El Prat is Barcelona's only international airport and is one of the busiest in the world, seeing a record 37.5 million passengers through its gates in 2014. It is located within easy reach of the city at just 12km (7.5 miles) southwest of the city centre. This makes it an ideal base from which to hire a car to head into the city or venture into the beautiful surrounding Catalan countryside. El Prat has a long history since first opening in 1918. Its first runway was built in 1948, still in use, followed by another in 1952. The airport had only one terminal until a further two were added with the influx of investment which came when Barcelona hosted the Olympics in 1992. A new control tower was also added but replaced in 2006. A huge new terminal opened in 2009 which now handles most traffic. This is known as Terminal 1 while the previous three now go by Terminals 2A, 2B and 2C. The terminals have a host of facilities for travellers including shops, cafes, currency exchange, a chapel, wi-fi, play areas and left luggage officers.
El Prat is well equipped with information points offering advice on both the airport and the surrounding area of Catalonia. Airport information offices are located in Terminal 2B next to check-in and between M2 and M3. They will give details of flights and other services. Tourist information points, located in Terminal 1 (Level 0, to the left of the arrivals gate) and Terminal 2B (at the front next to the ARS cafeteria), give advice on transport, car rental, hotels, foreign embassies, attractions, the Barcelona Card, and provide maps.
Contact numbers for Airport Information: at 90 240 4704 (Spain), +34 91 321 1000 (International)
Contact numbers for tourist information:Terminal 1: +34 93 378 8175, Terminal 2B: +34 93 378 8149
Lost property can be contacted at +34 93 298 33 49
General Enquiries: +34 91 321 10 00
Weapons Control Department: +34 93 297 11 88