Why Visit Andorra?
Straddled between France and Spain, the Principality of Andorra is Europe’s highest capital city and doesn’t have it’s own international airport. It’s reliant on tourism and duty free for over 80% of its GDP, 84k people call this home, and it boasts one of the highest life expectancies in the world.
Andorra was one of the last few European countries I had left to visit, and that ‘country tick’ was honestly, the only reason I was here. I’ve taken similar trips to San Marino and Vatican City. Other reasons people tend to come to Andorra in peak season are for world-class ski resorts, hiking trails in the surrounding mountains, and of course – the duty free.
Barcelona or Toulouse — Which Airport Should You Use for Andorra?
In typical Touch The World Travel fashion, I over-researched this topic, so you don’t have to.
Even though Toulouse Blagnac Airport and Barcelona-El Prat are a similar distance away from Andorra – as far as connections are concerned – Toulouse doesn’t offer the accessibility of Barcelona. You’ll find the likes of Ryanair, Wizz Air, Vueling, and EasyJet frequenting Barcelona not just from the United Kingdom, but all over Europe.
This means there’s a lot more choice and affordable options. My flights cost £60 return with Wizz Air from London Luton (using its highly recommended Wizz Air Discount Club). I booked just a month before travelling, and this was over a weekend. With a bit more planning and flexibility you’ll get even lower prices.
Buses from the two airports take between 3-4 hours, but again Barcelona is much better connected by public transport as Toulouse only has 4-6 bus departures to Andorra each day. My advice would be to utilise the lower cost, better flight, and bus connections from Barcelona Airport… if you’re deciding which airport to use.
Getting from Barcelona El Prat Airport to Andorra: Quick Overview
Before I get into the details, here’s a quick summary of your options. Prices are one-way and were correct at the time of writing, but always double check before booking as these things change.
The good news is all three serve both T1 and T2 directly, so there’s no need to travel into Barcelona city centre just to catch a bus transfer to Andorra. I’ll come onto why you might want to do that anyway a bit later.
A few things worth knowing before you book, there are basically three bus :
- You might also see Andorra Direct Bus tickets listed on FlixBus when you search. *They’re the same tickets for the same buses*. FlixBus is just listing them through their website. I had a voucher code for FlixBus, which is why I used them, but book directly unless you specifically have a reason to use FlixBus like I did.
- Andbus (Andorra Bus) is the other main option and honestly the one most people end up going with. Good frequency, reasonable price, and it does the job. I used this one myself in one direction and ‘Andorra Direct Bus’ the other. I’ll cover it in more detail in the next section.
- Autocares Julià is the priciest option of the three. It’s not bad, but at €42 I found it hard to justify when cheaper options are leaving from the same terminal.
One thing I will say regardless of which coach service you go with, the signage at the airport for these buses is terrible. I spent 15-20 minutes at T2 making sure I was in the right place, so I’ll cover exactly where to go at T1 and T2 in the next section so you don’t have the same problem.
The Direct Bus from Barcelona Airport to Andorra
I landed into T2 as this is used by most budget airlines, but I also have some information relating to T1 below, in case that’s where you arrive.
Terminal 1:
- When you come out of arrivals, follow the signs for public buses heading down to the ground floor.
- Turn left at the bottom following signs for parking B and Inter-urbanos.
- The bus stops are at platforms 7 to 12, opposite parking zone B. There’s a board showing the companies and departure times. Give yourself a few minutes to find it as the signage getting there isn’t great.
Terminal 2:
- Once at the arrivals hall, immediately exit the terminal and turn left.
- You’ll walk along the terminal building past a Burger King and Pret A Manger before coming to a building on your right hand side called “Bloc Technic.” Directly next to this building are the bus stops for Andorra, with a notice board showing all the companies and departure times.
- Note: Several people asked me if this was the correct location, so it’s not the best signposted and a few taxi drivers were hanging around trying to convince some tourists to go with them – so be wary of that.
I booked my ticket in advance as I was on a tight schedule, but you do have the option of paying on the bus if tickets are available using a card. Even though there are plenty of buses operating from the airport I recommend booking in advance to secure your seat reservation and avoid potential delays. Other transport options would include a rental car or taxi.
Would I have done anything differently?
Short answer: Yes. If I’d known passport control was going to be so quick, I’d have booked a bus from Barcelona Sants Train Station instead. I couldn’t change to an earlier bus and this meant I spent just under two hours sitting at the airport… which was fine, but having the option of exploring Barcelona or more affordable dining options would have been nice.
However, things could have gone the other way; if my flight was delayed I may have struggled to get there on time. So, it’s swings and roundabouts.
The Two Bus Companies — What’s the Difference?
I used the two main companies for each leg of my trip, Andbus and Andorra Direct Bus. To be honest, there was very little between the two. Both took a similar amount of time and cost the same, within a few euros, and both buses were nearly identical.
I’d say base what bus company you use on the most suitable departure time, and the most convenient departure location. Both buses stopped at Barcelona Sants Train Station, so you have complete flexibility where you want to board the bus from.
Important note: neither bus had USB charging facilities.
Arriving into Andorra — What to Expect
There’s no border passport check per se, but don’t be alarmed if a few people get off at the border. Andorra sits outside the Schengen area so anyone on a 90-day Schengen visa needs an exit stamp here to keep their entry and exit record straight. I did check with someone on the bus why this happened, to make sure I didn’t miss a step in the process.
All bus companies terminate at Andorra la Vella Bus Station, which is within reasonable walking distance to the centre of the city and most hotels. There is the option to take a taxi if you have a lot of luggage to carry. The bus station has staffed booths where you can buy tickets, and basic facilities like toilets, indoor seating and vending machines.
Is Andorra Worth Visiting?
Andorra isn’t the kind of place that throws you any curve balls – which let’s face it, is sometimes nice! For me, it felt like a European city should. A lively river flows through its centre, it has a central old town area with restaurants, bars, and shops, and plenty of well-hidden little quirks.
I guess I came to Andorra with an ulterior motive, ticking off a European country, and in a way that’s exactly what it felt like. The old town cobbled streets offered some charm and were nice to wander in the evening. I love to sit and people watch! I also enjoyed what was one of my favourite meals (I’ll write about that another time), so it could be a must-visit for the foodies among you.
If you visit Andorra in future, or have been there already… let me know what you think in the comments!