Official Address for @ Barcelona :

Please note we've changed address. From August 2005, this is the new one :

Old address below...

           How to reach Microsoft:

 - By Plane

        Barcelona has only one airport, located at a nearby village called 'El Prat'.

        The airport has three terminals, not too large -but growing-. All of them have their own taxi stand. There are usually queues, but not too long. (There are buses and a train, cheaper but really slower)

  (some tricks if the queue is tooooo long... one, change terminal. Two : if you're in terminal C, ring the bell available outside (at the beginning of the queue). Three : walk away from the airport; some of the taxis bringing people to the airport don't wait at the taxi queue, but instead fetch people directly. Illegal but practical in emergencies...)

        The directions for the taxi driver are listed below, both in Spanish and English. You can print them and take them with you.

        There are permanent works on all streets in Barcelona and whereabouts. There's a Spanish law :  the major of a city can have 1% for the amount of all works done during his nomination. And the companies doing these works belong to the government. (In fact, the government belongs to these companies). Speculation is another issue... well, the same issue.

       ... so the trip from the airport to MS Office can vary, depending on the works, and the driver's ability (to drive and to get your money). However, things are not so bad : most of the taxi drivers are honest (funny, strange, but honest), and MS is more or less at the same side of the city as the airport. The trip can cost around 20 € and 30 minutes, maybe a bit less, under normal conditions.

       Critical hours : Sundays from 17:00 to 23:00 in Summer. Many people returning from the beach !

       Approximate map :

 Sources for other maps :   http://www.bcn.es/guia, http://barcelona.lanetro.com, AutoRoute 2005.

- By Train

   There are some train stations, generally depending on where you come from.

   To go to MS : 

     - Only for programmers :  take a taxi, go to the Airport, follow previous procedure.

      (More expensive and time consuming, but the algorithm is simpler and more elegant :-)

      (Hey, that was a joke, don't do it !)

     - From Sants Station :

       - Take Metro line 3 (green), from the hall of Sants station. Buy a T-10 card (10 trips), or a single ticket. Beware of pickpockets ! Follow direction 'Zona Universitaria, go out at 'María Cristina', only 3 stops away. Back to surface following the first stairs out to the right. You will find 4 black large buildings belonging to 'La Caixa'. Once you've identified them, follow this order : 1. Large Black Tower, 'La Caixa'. 2. Medium Black Tower, 'La Caixa'. 3. Semaphore and other square. 4. 'El Corte Inglés', department store. Gypsies asking for money and semaphore. 5. Two square black buildings, together. (Only one of them at Diagonal Avenue;  'Pans & Company' below). 6. Small park with submarine below it. 7. Edificio Testa/Herón, that's it !!  ('Lavinia' below, good but expensive wine shop). Entry to the building past the corner (really in Gandesa st)

       - By taxi (if you have lots of luggage)

     There's two taxi stops at both sides of Sants Station. I personally recommend avoiding the rear one (Joan Peiró Square, weirdo-taxi-drivers) and going directly to the front one (Països Catalans). Take them to go to the below address, by Galileo Street   (it goes directly from the station to MS). Generally cheap fare (less than € 10).

     - From Passeig de Gracia / Paseo de Gracia Station. 

                 By Metro : Use the same green line (3), from the hall of the station. Same procedure than from Sants, but this time there are around 12 stops.

                By taxi : once in the street, stop a taxi at any corner, and ask the driver. Recommended way, following Aragon st, Sants station, and Galileo.

     - From Estación de Francia :

        Take a taxi . Taking the Metro from there is complicated and slow.

 By ship :

   If you've come to Barcelona by ship, my congratulations, you are not coming to the MS office for work. So during your holidays you'll learn calmly how to use the green (3) line...

      4. Hotels around

      5. Restaurants

      6. Banks

      7. From MS to Barcelona center... and back

      8. TechEd 2002/2003   ... Obsolete :-)

      9. Entertainment

      10. Shopping

Old MS address... used until August 2005.