Getting Around Tarragona

Getting Around Tarragona

Tarragona is a compact city on the Mediterranean coast of Catalonia, and much of what a visitor wants to see — the Roman ruins of Tarraco, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the cathedral and the old town — sits within or close to the compact Old City. That makes getting around on foot the natural default, with buses, taxis and trains filling in the gaps for longer hops or day trips.

Walking the Old City

Many of Tarragona's sites are concentrated within or near the compact Old City, so a good pair of shoes will cover most of a typical visit. The ancient remains are scattered through the modern town rather than fenced off in a single park: the amphitheatre sits near the seashore, and portions of the Roman circus can still be traced in the area now called Plaça de la Font. Expect to move between sights on foot, with the occasional climb, since the historic core occupies a coastal hill.

Two of the most notable Roman monuments lie outside the centre and are best reached by bus, taxi or a longer walk: the Les Ferreres Aqueduct, which spans a valley north of the city, and the so-called "Tower of the Scipios" along the coast road east of the city.

Rail: Regional and High-Speed Trains

Tarragona has two stations serving very different purposes, and knowing which is which saves a lot of confusion.

• Tarragona Station (in the city) handles regional trains, with departures roughly every half hour from Barcelona's Estació de França, Passeig de Gràcia and Sants. Alternate trains continue onward to Reus and then fan out towards Salou, Caspe, Tortosa and Lleida. Note that Barcelona's Cercanías commuter network does not reach this far out.
• Camp de Tarragona Station, about 9 km north of town, is the high-speed rail stop. Trains from Barcelona Sants call here on their way to Madrid, and some services start further north or run international routes. For Barcelona and anywhere further north, it is usually simpler to change at Barcelona Sants onto the regional train. A bus links Camp de Tarragona Station with the city centre in about 20 minutes.

There is no metro or tram network in Tarragona; rail travel here means the regional and high-speed trains described above.

City Buses

EMT operates the local city bus network, with daytime routes covering the city and a smaller set of night routes. Buses are the practical option for reaching sights beyond easy walking range, such as the aqueduct, or for connecting the centre with the bus and rail stations. Tickets and passes are available from the operator; ask at your accommodation or check locally for the current fare options, since these change.

Intercity Buses

The Central Bus Station sits by Plaça de la Imperial Tàrraco, at the corner of Pere Martell and Av de Roma. It is modern but devoid of platform displays or other information, so it pays to confirm your departure point and time in advance rather than relying on signage at the station. Alsa runs services from Barcelona several times a day, taking around an hour and a quarter.

Taxis and Ride-Hailing

A dozen taxi firms operate in the city, so hailing a cab or finding a rank is generally straightforward. Taxis are a sensible choice for the outlying Roman monuments, for luggage-heavy station transfers, or late at night when bus services are sparse.

Getting In from the Airports

Tarragona is served by two airports, and the choice between them matters.

• Reus Airport (REU) is about 9 km northwest of the city. A bus runs to Tarragona's bus station a few times per day; otherwise, head into Reus town and pick up the hourly train.
• Barcelona El Prat (BCN), roughly 90 km northeast, offers a far better range of domestic and international flights. Bus Plana runs to Tarragona every two hours, taking about 80 minutes from Terminal 2 and 65 minutes from Terminal 1 via Barcelona city centre. Alternatively, make your way into Barcelona city centre and change there for the regional train.

Arriving by Road

Tarragona sits on the AP-7, the Autopista de la Mediterrània coastal motorway, with Barcelona to the northeast and Valencia to the south. The AP-27 runs inland to join the AP-2 towards Lleida and Zaragoza. Drivers therefore have direct motorway access in all directions, though the compact Old City is best explored without a car once you have parked.