Barcelona to Mallorca Ferry

Three ferry companies sail from Barcelona to Palma de Mallorca: Baleària, Trasmed and GNV. Every Palma sailing is an overnight conventional ferry. They leave between about 21:30 and 23:00 and take roughly 7 to 8 hours, and promotional seat fares start at about €13. If you want to cross by day, Baleària's high-speed Margarita Salas goes to Alcúdia, in the north of the island, in about 3 hours 30 minutes from about €74. The thing a first-timer should know is the arrival time: many overnight boats dock in Palma between 05:30 and 06:00, so a cabin is worth considering and your first morning starts early.

Ferry options compared

The main choice is between an overnight ferry to Palma and a daytime fast ferry to Alcúdia.

Overnight ferry to Palma

This is the classic Barcelona Mallorca ferry route and it runs all year. Direct Ferries counts about 17 weekly sailings: 6 from Baleària, 6 from Trasmed and 5 from GNV, which means two or three departures most nights.

• Trasmed sails the Ciudad de Palma, which on a sample night in September 2026 left at 22:30 and docked at 05:30. Trasmed is the company formerly known as Trasmediterránea, now part of the Grimaldi group.
• Baleària usually leaves between 22:15 and 22:30, for example on the Hypatia de Alejandría, arriving around 05:30. See our Baleària guide.
• GNV leaves around 21:30. Its crossing times vary most by ship, from GNV's own figure of 6 hours 15 minutes to 8 hours 30 minutes on some sailings. GNV often has the lowest fares.

All three are large ships with amenities such as a restaurant or self-service, bars, seats and cabins; GNV also lists Wi-Fi and children's areas. On a ship this size the journey is usually smoother than on a small fast boat, although strong wind can still make it rough.

Fast ferry to Alcúdia

Baleària's Margarita Salas is a high speed ferry that crosses from Barcelona to Alcúdia in about 3 hours 30 minutes. Ferryhopper lists a 15:45 departure arriving around 19:15. It runs in the summer season rather than every day of the year, and fares start at about €74, often over €100 in July and August. It has standard and premium seating, an exclusive lounge, cafés and a pet area. It makes most sense if you are staying in the north of the island, around Alcúdia, Pollença or Can Picafort. From Alcúdia to Palma is about an hour by road.

Which to choose

• Cheapest trip: GNV or a promotional seat on Trasmed or Baleària to Palma.
• Best sleep: a cabin on the overnight ferry.
• Fastest trip: the fast ferry to Alcúdia, if the dates work.
• With a car: any overnight ferry to Palma, or the fast ferry to Alcúdia for a daytime drive-off.

Timetable and season

The overnight ferry from Barcelona to Palma runs all year, typically 6 to 7 days a week per operator for most months. In summer barcelonamallorca.com counts up to 7 daily departures across Palma and Alcúdia; in winter it is typically 2 to 3 overnight sailings a day.

Departure times from Barcelona are consistent: roughly 21:30 for GNV, 22:15–22:30 for Baleària and around 22:30 for Trasmed. From Palma to Barcelona there are overnight sailings and daytime sailings too, with Ferryhopper listing daytime departures between about 10:00 and 11:30. Departure times vary depending on the day of the week and the season, so check the sailing date before you book. In peak weeks, check availability for your travel dates well ahead, because cabins go first.

Getting to Barcelona ferry port

Balearic ferries leave from the ferry terminals at the southern end of Barcelona's old port, below Montjuïc. According to the Port de Barcelona, Baleària uses terminal F1, and terminal F2 is shared by Trasmed, GNV and Baleària. Your ticket shows the terminal. More detail is on our Barcelona ferry port guide.

• Metro. The nearest station is Drassanes on line L3 (green), at the bottom of La Rambla. From there it is a walk of roughly 5 to 20 minutes along the port depending on your terminal, or a short taxi ride.
• Bus. Line V13 stops at the WTC, near the Trasmed and GNV terminal. A seasonal Port Bus links the terminals.
• Taxi. About €10–15 from the city centre and €40–50 from El Prat airport.
• Car. Follow signs for the port and the ferry terminals from the Rondes ring roads.

Check-in times: foot passengers should arrive 60 minutes before departure (45 minutes for Trasmed), and passengers with vehicles 90 minutes before (2 hours for GNV). We recommend arriving early in summer, when car queues at the terminals get long.

Arriving in Palma de Mallorca

Ferries from Barcelona dock at the Estació Marítima on Muelle de Poniente, the west quay of Palma port. Baleària, Trasmed and GNV all use it. Your first view of Palma is the bay, the cathedral and the old town, though on an overnight crossing you may see it in the dark.

• On foot. The cathedral is about a 15-minute flat walk along the seafront, and Plaça d'Espanya about 20 minutes.
• Bus. EMT line 1 links the port with the city centre, Plaça d'Espanya (train and island bus station) and the airport. Airport lines cost more than the standard city fare, and you can pay by contactless card on board.
• Taxi. About €10–15 to the city centre and €25–30 to the airport.

Because many boats arrive around 05:30–06:00, cafés and hotel check-in may not be open yet. Ask your hotel about an early bag drop before you travel.

Travelling with a car, bike or pet

The Barcelona to Mallorca ferry is one of the most practical ways to bring your own vehicle to the Balearic Islands, since all three companies carry cars, motorcycles, campervans and bicycles. Vehicle fares start low off-peak, from about €18 for a car, but rise sharply in summer, and car decks on popular summer sailings fill before passenger seats. Book the vehicle as soon as your travel dates are fixed.

On the day, vehicles check in earlier than foot passengers: 90 minutes before departure with Baleària and Trasmed, and 2 hours with GNV. You drive on at the terminal in Barcelona and drive off at the Palma quay, so there is no need to carry luggage up to a cabin beyond an overnight bag.

Pets are welcome on all three operators. Trasmed offers pet cabins, and Baleària's Margarita Salas has a dedicated pet area. Rules differ by ship and cabin type, so choose the pet option when you book rather than at the port.

Tickets and prices

You can book ferry tickets directly with Baleària, Trasmed or GNV, or through comparison sites such as Ferryhopper and Direct Ferries, which show the main ferry companies operating on the route side by side. Prices change with demand, so booking early for summer usually means lower fares, especially for cabins and cars.

What drives the price:

• Seat type. Deck passage and basic seats are cheapest; Ferryhopper saw promotional fares from about €13, while numbered seats typically start around €40. On a sample night in September 2026, GNV and Trasmed were both listed at €23.50.
• Cabins. Roughly €70 to €500 per cabin, depending on size, windows and season.
• Vehicles. From about €18 for a car and €10 for a motorcycle off-peak. Summer car fares are far higher.
• Route. The fast ferry to Alcúdia starts at about €74 and can exceed €100.
• Residency. Residents of the Balearic Islands get a 75% discount on these routes.

Your e-ticket or booking reference is usually enough to check in; bring ID for every passenger.

Tips

• Book cabins early. On summer weekends and in August, cabins on this route sell out before seats.
• Take the right ferry for your base. Staying in the north? Consider the fast ferry to Alcúdia instead of a drive from Palma.
• Bring earplugs and an eye mask if you take a seat. Seat lounges are shared spaces, so a quiet night is not guaranteed.
• Keep a margin on arrival. Weather can delay or cancel sailings, especially in winter, so avoid planning a tight connection in Palma.
• Compare all three companies. Prices vary depending on demand, and the cheapest operator changes from night to night.

Going further? From Palma you can continue to Ibiza by ferry (see Palma to Ibiza ferry), and there are other mainland links on our Valencia to Mallorca and Barcelona to Menorca pages. For the whole island, see Mallorca ferries.