Barcelona is an amazing city to explore - and very big too! Whilst it has excellent public transport, you will find it more convenient to hire a car from Rhino, especially if travelling with a family. Not only can you then explore the sights of the city in comfort and at your convenience but you'll have the safety of your vehicle when travelling around the city at night.
If you're worried about getting lost in the city we can arrange an optional sat-nav system with directions in English and other languages to help you find your way around. So don't delay, book with us today!
Barcelona Train Station Mini Guide
The Main Railway Hub of Barcelona
Sants Estacio or Sants Station is the main railway station of the city of Barcelona and is situated in the west of the city. As well as being the largest main line station for destinations outside Barcelona it is also a hub for the city's metro lines L3 and L5 which are used by thousands of locals and tourists every day. A relatively new addition to the Sants transport services is the AVE – a high speed train which can take you from Barcelona to
Madrid in 2 hours 40 minutes on the direct service or up to 3 hours 10 minutes with stops. To accommodate this, large parts of the station were remodelled. It also has a direct train link with Barcelona El Prat Airport with trains running every 15 minutes.
Public Information
There are several information offices around the station, depending on which particular service you are using.
Eating and Drinking
There are different eating establishments in the station according to how hungry you are, varying from McDonalds and cafes selling snacks, either to eat in or takeaway, to a full table service restaurant offering traditional Spanish food at lunchtime. Wi-Fii is currently available in McDonalds and the Ars cafe for you to keep in touch or look up information. There is even a hotel, the Hotel Barcelo Sants, above the station itself should you need an overnight stay and not want to venture too far.
Washrooms and Disabled Facilities
There are three different blocks of washrooms in Sants Station, one of which is normally closed on rotation for cleaning, thus ensuring they are kept clean round the clock, at each of these points you can also find at least one disabled toilet. Should you need assistance getting around the airport an aide may be provided, this should be booked at least 48 hours in advance by telephone, but if you turn up and need help just go to the Customer Services Desk and ask for assistance – you may have to wait a little while, but it will be provided. All platforms at the station have lifts which can accommodate wheelchairs.
Left Luggage and Baggage Storage
There are lockers available for luggage you may not want to take around the city with you, these are in two sizes – 80x60x40 cm and 90x60x50cm costing usually less than €5 for a 24 hour period. This is payable in change via a machine, however, there is also a change machine nearby if you do not have the correct money. Remember you must use cash for these – no cards!
Car Hire
There are several car hire companies with an office in the station, they are all located in the same area at the back of the station, to the right of McDonalds.
Useful Links:
- If you don't want to hire a car at the station but want to wait until later in your stay, you can get to most places within the city via the metro. There's a metro station in the Sants Station so you won't have far to walk with your luggage.