Costa Brava What to do

Airport to Costa Brava: fly to Girona (GRO) or Barcelona (BCN)?

So coming to our land from afar, eh? We'll welcome you with open arms, don't worry.

If you have to get on a plane to come to the Costa Brava, your first question is probably which airport to choose. Do I go to Barcelona airport, which will have more connections? Do I choose Girona airport, which will be closer? The answer, as with so many questions in this life, is "it depends".

Why choose Girona-Costa Brava Airport (GRO) to travel to the Costa Brava?

With flights from most European countries and being one of the most important bases for the Ryanair airline, Girona airport passed the two million passenger mark in 2019.

But don't be fooled by its name: Girona-Costa Brava Airport is neither in the city of Girona nor on the coast. However, it is well connected to both.

Located just 13km south of the capital, in the town of Vilobí d'Onyar, its strategic location means that you can reach any point on the Costa Brava in, at most, an hour and a bit.

What services are available at Girona-Costa Brava Airport (GRO)?

Although it is a small airport compared to Barcelona airport, you will have all the essential services at your disposal.

Wi-Fi that works surprisingly well, information points and tour operators, assistance for travellers with reduced mobility and bars, restaurants or vending machines to kill your appetite when you get home. The shopping section may not be as impressive as in Barcelona, but you will find Duty Free, of course.

For all the information on the services of Girona-Costa Brava Airport, please visit the official AENA website.

How to get to the Costa Brava from Girona-Costa Brava Airport (GRO)?

It will depend on where you are going but we are going to make it as easy as we can: we are going to divide the section between the various transport options offered by Girona-Costa Brava Airport and you will only have to choose the one that is most convenient for you.

Girona-Costa Brava Airport car rental

If you have been reading information about the Costa Brava you will surely have found several sources that tell you the same thing: having a car is the best option for discovering the Costa Brava. There are countless beautiful small villages where public transport is scarce or non-existent. Luckily, car hire at airports is usually one of the most economical options and at Girona-Costa Brava Airport there are up to 7 car hire companies offering their services.

15 minutes from Girona city; 27 minutes from Blanes, the southernmost point of the Costa Brava; 45 minutes from L'Estartit, which marks the line between Alt and Baix Empordà or one hour and 6 minutes from Portbou, literally the last village on the Costa Brava before crossing the French border.

Girona-Costa Brava Airport Buses

Two of the most important bus companies on the Costa Brava have stops at Girona-Costa Brava Airport: Sagalés and Moventis.

Yes, the Moventis website is perhaps the least intuitive in the world. There is little we can do but ask them for the PDFs of their timetables. They will save you headaches. We have already had them. You can download them here: [PDF horarios Moventis] You may not have found your destination in either of these two options, but there's a solution: from the city of Girona you can take a train or bus to wherever you're going. The connection from the capital to the rest of the province is excellent.

To see all the bus options from Girona, click here:

Girona-Costa Brava Trains

If you are heading to the northern part of the Costa Brava, perhaps the easiest option is to take a train first. In fact, you may only have to take the train.

With stops in Figueres, Llançà, Colera and Portbou, connections with the Alt Empordà are much easier.

You can consult the train timetables by following this link which will show you all the stations.

If you are going to the bay area of Roses, Sant Pere Pescador or L'Escala, passing through Figueres station and changing to the bus (they are 100m from each other) will be the easiest option.

Girona-Costa Brava Airport Taxi

Yes, combining public transport can be tedious. Or your flight may arrive at ungodly hours.

You have three telephone numbers from which you can order a taxi to pick you up at Girona-Costa Brava Airport:

  • Taxis Vilobí Onyar: +34 972 935 736
  • GiTaxi: +34 972 222 323
  • Radio Taxi: +34 972 203 377

There are several car rental companies at the airport itself and a bus line that connects the airport to the city quite frequently. If you prefer a taxi, the journey to the city centre usually costs around €28.

The bus station in Girona is quite central and is right in front of the train station. From there, you can take a train to the northern part of the Costa Brava, stopping at Portbou, Colera, Llançà or Figueres (the latter is the best option if your final destination is near the bay of Roses) or to the far south, changing trains at Maçanet-Massanes to take you to Blanes.

However, if you don't need to go through the city of Girona on your arrival, you could also go directly to Blanes on one of the lines operated from there by the Sagalés company.