I was trying to setup an appointment for tests when we return from Spain in June and I had no idea the costs were so expensive, some places are wanting as mush as 200 Euros for a single test. Does anyone know where we could get a cheaper test in Barcelona? Can we just go to a pharmacy? I know they have a place at the Airport but I wanted to have one done a few days before leave so if we do test positive we can have more time to prepare for quarantining. Thanks!!
Posted by
Hudson Valley
2267 posts
I think I paid 30€ both times I went to a clinic for an antigen tests in Madrid. I’ve since switched to proctored self tests. This isn’t who I used, but I know these folks are all over Spain: https://democratest.com/
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1 posts
Posted by
Chicago
7804 posts
What company are you trying to set a 200 euro covid test with?
Either buy the proctored test from your airline all seem to offer them when you buy the ticket along with travel insurance or wait until you get to Spain. There is no way an Antigen test which is currently the one you need should cost 200 euros. There are a lot of opportunists trying to take advantage of the Covid test industry and people unaware. I paid 15 euros (a lot less than the proctored one) at a pharmacy in Italy today with results in 15 minutes and when travel opened up in 2021 it was 35 euros.
Posted by
357 posts
I paid E25 for text at Seville airport. J
Posted by
Alexandria, VA
771 posts
Contact your hotel. Most have arrangements with local laboratories to have the testing done for about 35 euros. The monitored Binax Now tests work also, especially if you watch one of the You Tube videos that explain the process.
Posted by
Virginia
597 posts
I just returned from Barcelona last Friday.
No, you can not go to a pharmacy to get a rapid test because they will not generate a QR code plus the paper will in Catalan language. You have to go to a lab that does it. We paid 35 euros per test. It is wise to set an appointment to be sure they take you. We walked in and were willing to wait till they took us (20 minutes or so). We did ours at Carrer de Fontanella# 20, 08010 Barcelona +34 005772825. If you stand in Plaza Catalunya looking at El Corte Ingles, it's the street that goes on the right of the building. It's in the 2nd story of the building on the same side as KFC and they only have one person working from 2:00-4:00.
NOTE: Look at the time your flight heading for the US is leaving. We left Barcelona at 3:00 stopping at Lisbon. Our flight from Lisbon to the US left at 6:00 PM Barcelona time.
Hope that helps. Enjoy your vacation.
Posted by
TX, USA
4029 posts
In March, I made an online appointment from here: https://democratest.com/test-antigenos/
I had to create an account in order to do so. I chose the location at Avenida diagonal 312, near Sagrada Familia, and paid online ahead of time (based on my records in dollars, I think it was €30).
They emailed the results quickly.
I would take a self-test, if you want time to prepare for a potential positive result. If the self-test is positive, then immediately get your official test for your official “start date”. Otherwise, you still have to go back and get a second official test the day before you leave. (Note you cannot do the official test “a few days before you leave”). Of course, the proctored test may be your other option but I myself have not used them.