A practical comparison
Car hire or private transfer to Andorra?
Many travellers landing in Barcelona wonder whether to hire a car for Andorra. It depends on how many of you there are, the season and what you plan to do there. Here are the points worth comparing.
- 4.723 reviews on Google
- Secure payment
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- El Prat to Andorra la Vella
- ≈ 200 km
- winter equipment required in Andorra
- 1 Nov–15 May
- transfer price
- 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
If you hire a car
It is about 200 km from El Prat, around three hours, with a mountain road at the end and the Cadí tunnel, which is tolled. Before booking, check that the rental contract allows you to take the car into Andorra, which is outside the European Union, and whether there are fees for returning it to a different office.
From 1 November to 15 May, Andorra requires winter equipment on its roads: ask the rental company whether the car has it. With snow, the Envalira pass towards Pas de la Casa is the trickiest stretch. And in Andorra la Vella and Escaldes, much of the central parking is paid.
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
16:30 – 17:15
- Pick-up around 13:45: about 45 min to get out of the airport (we wait 60 min free of charge).
- Driving: 169 to 194 min (200 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.
If you go by private transfer
Your driver meets you at arrivals, tracks your flight and drops you at your hotel door. The price is fixed per vehicle, tolls included, and you see it before paying; it depends on the day and time of the transfer. The vehicle is equipped for winter and the driver knows the route and the border.
You pay per journey, not per day: if you get around Andorra on foot, by bus or by gondola, you are not paying for a car parked all week.
When each option makes sense
A hire car makes sense if you want to tour the Pyrenees on your own, visit several places outside Andorra or move between parishes every day. A transfer works better when there are several of you, you travel with children or skis, you land late or in winter, or you simply do not want to drive three hours of mountain road after a flight.
To compare with the bus and other options, see how to get to Andorra and distances and times.
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
Can I take a Spanish hire car into Andorra?
It depends on each company’s contract. Check before booking, because Andorra is outside the European Union.
Do I need snow chains for Andorra in winter?
Andorra requires winter equipment on its roads from 1 November to 15 May. Our vehicles carry it.
Is the Cadí toll included in the transfer?
Yes, the fixed transfer price includes the tolls on the route.
Can you drive me between villages in Andorra?
No. Our service connects Catalonia and Andorra; journeys within Andorra are not part of it.
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.