Avinguda Meritxell · Escaldes · Customs
A shopping trip to Andorra from Barcelona
Andorra has a lower tax regime than Spain and a long tradition of shopping tourism. Before you go, it helps to know where the shops are, how customs work on the way back and how to travel without driving.
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- Secure payment
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- from Barcelona
- ≈ 3 h
- when returning to Spain
- Allowances
- the price is shared
- Per vehicle
- Licensed private-hire vehicle
- Passenger insurance
- Fixed price, tolls included
- VAT invoice
- GPS on every ride
- 24/7 in 4 languages
A QuickPickups service
Live
The road right now
The status of each stretch of the route, from the open data of the Catalan Traffic Service (SCT) and Mobilitat Andorra. We check it too before every departure.
Route El Prat → AndorraChecking…
- 0–45 km
Leaving Barcelona
C-31 · B-23 · AP-7 · C-16Checking… - 45–135 km
Manresa, Berga and the Cadí
C-16 · Cadí tunnelChecking… - 135–186 km
Cerdanya and La Seu d’Urgell
C-16 · N-260 · N-145Checking… - 186–228 km
Inside Andorra
CG-1 · CG-2 · CG-3 · CG-4Checking…
Guidance from official sources; it may lag behind reality. From 1 November to 15 May, winter equipment is compulsory on every road in Andorra. Sources: Catalan Traffic Service (SCT) · Mobilitat Andorra
Where the shops are
The main shopping axis runs through the centre of Andorra la Vella along Avinguda Meritxell and continues into Escaldes-Engordany along Avinguda Carlemany. Department stores, electronics, perfume, fashion, sports gear and many hotels are concentrated there, within walking distance.
Choose Andorra la Vella or Escaldes-Engordany as your destination and we will drop you at your hotel; from there you can do everything on foot. Without a car you avoid looking for parking in the busiest part of the country.
Planner
What time will you reach your hotel?
Tell us when you land and where you are going. We tell you when you will leave the airport and the window in which you arrive, allowing for the Cadí route, the border and the day’s traffic.
Estimated arrival
15:40 – 16:25
- Driving: 163 to 187 min (192 km).
- Border and traffic margin: 0–15 min.
An estimate based on driving times without traffic plus a careful margin. Not official data: no public source publishes waiting times at the Andorran border.
Opening hours and public holidays
Many large shops in Andorra la Vella and Escaldes open every day, Sundays included, but hours vary from shop to shop and on public holidays. On national holidays such as 14 March (Constitution Day) and 8 September (Meritxell), opening depends on what the government authorises each year: in 2026, opening on Constitution Day was voluntary. Check the calendar before choosing your dates.
Customs on the way back
Andorra is not part of the EU customs union. When you return to Spain, Spanish customs at La Farga de Moles check what you carry, and there are duty-free allowances for tobacco, alcohol, perfume and other goods. The allowances in force are summarised further down this page, with the link to the official source; check them before you buy.
On Sunday afternoons and at the end of bank holidays the queue at the border can be long. If you are returning for a flight or a train, leave with plenty of margin.
Going as a group
The price of a transfer is per vehicle, not per person, so a group of friends or a family shares it. Each vehicle carries up to 8 passengers; larger groups travel in several vehicles. Remember to leave space for what you buy: enter one suitcase more if you plan to come back with bags. For the way home, see Andorra to Barcelona city.
The border
Entering Andorra and coming back: what to know
Andorra is not in the European Union: there is a customs post on the CG-1 (Riu Runer, 848 m), between La Seu d’Urgell and Sant Julià de Lòria. Going in is usually quick; coming back, there are queues on Sunday afternoons and at the end of long weekends.
Going in
- A valid ID card or passport for every passenger, children included.
- If you need a Schengen visa, it must be double or multiple entry: you re-enter the EU on the way back.
- Minors travelling without their parents: their own document and a signed authorisation.
- From 1 November to 15 May, winter equipment is compulsory on every road in Andorra; with snow, colour phases set speed limits.
Coming back to Spain (allowances per person)
Under-17s have no tobacco or alcohol allowance. Anything above the allowance must be declared at customs.
| Tobacco | 300 cigarettes, or 150 cigarillos, or 75 cigars, or 400 g of rolling tobacco |
|---|---|
| Alcohol | 1.5 l over 22%, or 3 l under 22%, or 5 l of wine |
| Coffee and tea | 1 kg of coffee; 200 g of tea |
| Perfume | 75 g of perfume and 375 ml of eau de toilette |
| Other goods | Up to €900 (manufactured) and €300 (agricultural) |
Source: official 2026 allowances leaflet from Andorra Turisme · checked on 27-10-2026
No small print
What the price includes
Cancelling between 24 hours and the minimum notice (3 hours; 8 hours at weekends, on public holidays and their eves) may incur a charge; below the minimum, the booking can no longer be cancelled. Extras requested on the spot (more waiting, more luggage, stops) are agreed with the driver before setting off. The service is provided by QuickPickups; card payment takes place on the bank’s secure page.
- Fixed priceYou see it before paying, tolls included, and it does not change with traffic, the route or the border.
- Meet and greetYour driver waits at arrivals or at your door, with a sign showing your name.
- Flight trackingIf your flight lands early or late, we move the pick-up without you having to tell us.
- Free waiting time60 minutes at the airport from the actual landing time and 15 minutes at hotels and other addresses.
- Your luggage, countedThe suitcases you enter when booking. Ski bags are added as special luggage, with their price shown.
- Child seatsOn request, for a small supplement. Compulsory below 135 cm; your driver brings them.
- Free cancellationWith 24 hours’ notice or more, with a full refund.
- Online payment and invoiceYou pay by card on the secure payment page and receive a VAT invoice.
- Licensed and insuredAuthorised vehicle with driver (VTC) and mandatory passenger insurance.
- Instant prices for groupsVehicles for up to 8 passengers. Up to 32 people with an instant price: groups of more than 8 travel in several vehicles leaving at the same time; larger groups, message us.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best shopping in Andorra?
In the centre of Andorra la Vella, along Avinguda Meritxell, and in Escaldes-Engordany along Avinguda Carlemany.
Are shops in Andorra open on Sundays?
Many large shops in the centre open on Sundays, but hours vary by shop and on public holidays. Check before you go.
How much can I bring back to Spain?
There are duty-free allowances for tobacco, alcohol, perfume and other goods. Check the current limits in the official source linked on this page before you buy.
Can we travel there and back on the same day?
You can book an outbound and a return transfer for the same day, but it is about three hours each way, so a night in Andorra is usually more comfortable.
All routes
Routes and guides
Getting to Andorra
Skiing
Andorra all year
Leaving Andorra
Included in your fixed price
- Fixed price per vehicle, no meter, no surprises
- Tolls and parking included
- Free waiting: 60 min at the airport, 30 min at the cruise port and Sants station, 15 min at any other address
- Real-time flight tracking
- Meet & greet: driver with a name sign at arrivals
- Luggage help, no card surcharge
Shall we talk?
We answer 24 hours a day, every day, in English, Spanish, French and Catalan. For large groups or special journeys, we prepare the price for you.