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Counterwise

No. 19 of 19 at BCN

Drivalia

at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport

Shuttle
Counterwise Score 2.0 out of 10, rated Poor.Medium consensusCheck prices ↓

At a glance

  • Drivalia at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport is ranked No. 19 of 19 car rental desks at the airport, with a Counterwise Score of 2.0/10 (Poor).
  • The Drivalia desk is off-site, reached by shuttle from Barcelona Airport (ride time not confirmed yet).
  • A credit card in the main driver's name is required; the deposit amount is not confirmed yet.
  • Fuel policy: same to same. Opening hours: 08:00–21:59 daily.
  • Main red flag from travellers: A large number of reviews, many from the last two months, say that arriving 30 minutes to a few hours late (often because of flight or luggage delays or a late shuttle) led to the prepaid booking being cancelled. They then had to pay roughly 60-300 EUR extra, or double, to get a car, or lost the booking..

Based on 271 reviews analysed · Last updated · How scores work

The short version

Based on about 270 Google reviews after removing 29 (duplicates and mainly staff-praise posts), roughly 230 of which have usable text, this off-site Drivalia desk is rated poorly by most reviewers. The most frequent complaints are cancelled or repriced bookings after a late arrival, disputed damage charges, card rejections that lead to buying the desk's cover, very long queues in busy months, and a hard-to-find, hard-to-reach shuttle. A minority report smooth rentals and newer cars, especially off-peak, and web evidence is largely consistent but mostly from review sites.

AI-assisted summary of 271 recent Google reviews and web reports, reviewed by our editor on 12 November 2026. How we do it

Score breakdown

Each sub-score is out of 10. Higher is always better for you. How the weights work

Deposit & damage disputes(30% of score)

Poor2.0/10

How often travellers report surprise damage charges, slow deposit refunds or disputed scratches. Based on 70 reports · high confidence.

Counter upselling(20% of score)

Poor2.5/10

Pressure to buy extra insurance, upgrades or add-ons at the desk. Higher means less pressure. Based on 45 reports · high confidence.

Booking honoured(20% of score)

Poor1.5/10

Whether you get the car category and the price you booked, without new fees at the counter. Based on 70 reports · high confidence.

Queue time(15% of score)

Poor2.0/10

Typical wait from reaching the desk (or shuttle stop) to holding the keys. Based on 65 reports · high confidence.

Car condition(15% of score)

Poor4.0/10

Cleanliness, mileage and mechanical state of the cars handed out. Based on 45 reports · high confidence.

How this score was built

  • AI analysis of reviews and web reports (the sub-scores above, weighted): 2.3 · counts 70%
  • Star ratings on review platforms, rescaled against all desks we rate: 0.4 · counts 30%
  • 29 of 300 recent reviews excluded as unreliable (solicited staff praise, duplicates). How we clean reviews
  • Pulled 7% toward the airport average, because recent reviews are few (194 after weighting by age).

Medium consensusOur independent signals mostly agree, with some differences.

What travellers flag

Red flags (5)

  • A large number of reviews, many from the last two months, say that arriving 30 minutes to a few hours late (often because of flight or luggage delays or a late shuttle) led to the prepaid booking being cancelled. They then had to pay roughly 60-300 EUR extra, or double, to get a car, or lost the booking.uk.trustpilot.comtrustpilot.comallplane.tv
  • Reviewers frequently report charges of roughly 200-800 EUR at return for marks they say were already on the car, typically small scratches or underbody, rim or bumper-bottom damage not recorded at pickup. Many say cars were handed over in a dark garage with incomplete damage sheets.ie.trustpilot.comtrustpilot.com
  • About 25 reviews say the desk rejected credit cards (online-bank, Revolut, Amex, cards without printed numbers, debit/credit combination cards) or asked for a 1,200-2,000 EUR hold. Travellers then felt forced to buy the desk's own cover, with the cover or breakdown add-on costing roughly 30-350 EUR.
  • Around 50 reviews report very long waits at the office, commonly 1-3 hours with only two staff on duty, plus long waits on return, especially in May-September.
  • Many recent reviews say the shuttle stop is hard to find, the shuttle came 30-70 minutes late or not at all, and the contact phone line was unanswered or cut off. Some travellers paid for a taxi or walked a long way to the off-site office.allplane.tv

Green flags (4)

  • Some recent reviews describe quick, uneventful pickups and returns with no upselling, particularly outside peak season (late October) and on return.
  • Several reviewers praise the free shuttle to and from the terminals, saying the return transfer was fast and the drivers were friendly.
  • A number of reviews report newer, clean cars in good condition, sometimes with a small paid upgrade.
  • Several customers who photographed or filmed the whole car at pickup (including underbody and wheels) say disputed damage claims were dropped at return.

Practical facts

LocationOff-site, by shuttle (ride time not confirmed yet)source
Opening hours08:00–21:59 dailysource
Credit card requiredYes, in the main driver’s namesource
Typical depositNot confirmed yet
Fuel policySame to samesource
Shares the desk withNo other brands

“Not confirmed yet” means we have not verified that fact yet. We never guess.

Sources

Web pages behind this rating’s facts and flags, found through search APIs. The review analysis also used 271 recent Google reviews of this desk, which we do not republish.

Before you go

Tick these off at the counter. (Nothing is saved; it's just for you.)

Drivalia at other airports and stations

Same brand, different counter. We rate each location on its own.

Drivalia at Barcelona Airport: questions and answers

Is Drivalia at Barcelona Airport any good?

Drivalia at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport has a Counterwise Score of 2.0/10 (Poor) and is ranked No. 19 of 19 desks at the airport. Main green flag: Some recent reviews describe quick, uneventful pickups and returns with no upselling, particularly outside peak season (late October) and on return.. Main red flag: A large number of reviews, many from the last two months, say that arriving 30 minutes to a few hours late (often because of flight or luggage delays or a late shuttle) led to the prepaid booking being cancelled. They then had to pay roughly 60-300 EUR extra, or double, to get a car, or lost the booking..

Do I need a credit card to rent from Drivalia at Barcelona Airport?

Yes. Drivalia at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport requires a credit card in the main driver's name for the deposit.

How much is the deposit at Drivalia at Barcelona Airport?

The deposit amount at Drivalia at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport is not confirmed yet. Check the rental terms when you book. The lowest confirmed starting deposit at this airport is at Goldcar T1 (€0–€950).

Where is the Drivalia desk at Barcelona Airport?

The Drivalia desk is off-site, reached by shuttle from Barcelona Airport (ride time not confirmed yet).

What are the opening hours of Drivalia at Barcelona Airport?

Drivalia at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport is open 08:00–21:59 daily. Fuel policy: same to same.

Other desks at Barcelona Airport

Ranked by Counterwise Score. Compare all 19 desks side by side