Train to Barcelona?

[Beckiboo]

I'm going over to sunny Barcelona this NYE and I'm thinking of making it a bit more interesting by getting the train over there and having a mini trip to a couple of cities. I know you can get an overnight trani direct from Paris... has anyone done this? How much does it cost?

I thought about doing something like London - Paris - Barca - Madrid - Paris - London..... is that do-able? Do you think it would be possible to do in a week?

Not sure if I am squeezing too much into too little time and should just fly there andback

 

[Deano1974]

I'm going over to sunny Barcelona this NYE and I'm thinking of making it a bit more interesting by getting the train over there and having a mini trip to a couple of cities. I know you can get an overnight trani direct from Paris... has anyone done this? How much does it cost?

I thought about doing something like London - Paris - Barca - Madrid - Paris - London..... is that do-able? Do you think it would be possible to do in a week?

Not sure if I am squeezing too much into too little time and should just fly there andback

I don't know the answer regarding cost etc, and you may need longer than a week to really appreciate it but speaking from experience after doing Italy from top to toe (taking in 4 cities) a couple of summers back I can vouch for using the train, so much more enjoyable than plonking your arse on a plane. Changing landscapes, regions, scenary is much better to see from the land that 30k up in the air.

 

[madwhitegiant]

Definitely. I have travelled across Spain a few times by train and prefered it. Also travelled across Holland and Germany too watching England play. Much more fun and you get to see a bit rather than just clouds or the back of the headrest in front!

 

[Olly]

I'm going over to sunny Barcelona this NYE and I'm thinking of making it a bit more interesting by getting the train over there and having a mini trip to a couple of cities. I know you can get an overnight trani direct from Paris... has anyone done this? How much does it cost?

I thought about doing something like London - Paris - Barca - Madrid - Paris - London..... is that do-able? Do you think it would be possible to do in a week?

Not sure if I am squeezing too much into too little time and should just fly there andback

Hi, done the London-Paris-Barca leg many, many times since I was a kid and LOVE IT!

2 main routes: victoria/CX >dover>ferry>calais>gare du nord OR st pancras>gare du nord (eurostar) THEN get metro or the 65 bus to the gare d'austerlitz (runs past notre dame)where a SNCF sleeper express takes you to cerbere/port bou on the spanish border, and there, you get a RENFE train to Barcelona SANTS or Estacion de Francia

when planning the journey across Paris, ensure arrival and departure have at least an hour gap between them and make sure sleep compartment is booked as there are never any free ones, also check in winter as certain lines might not run (have only travelled in warmer months)

that journey is inevitably a lot more expensive than a flight and takes about a calendar day depending on when you leave - leaving London in the morning means you'll prob hit Spain by the following breakfast

best option is to contact STA to find out cheapest fares for young people - there is a "EURO-PASS" available to interrailers, which offers unlimited changes on specified routes

hope that helps

 

[zutalor]

we interailed around europe - great fun

remember to book you madrid tickets - you can't just jump on or off a train there, after the bombings.

 

[Emma_1983]

Definitely. I have travelled across Spain a few times by train and prefered it. Also travelled across Holland and Germany too watching England play. Much more fun and you get to see a bit rather than just clouds or the back of the headrest in front!

My other half did that to watch the football, he always goes on about how much fun they had just backpacking around not knowing what was coming next

 

[jjinit]

I'm going over to sunny Barcelona this NYE and I'm thinking of making it a bit more interesting by getting the train over there and having a mini trip to a couple of cities. I know you can get an overnight trani direct from Paris... has anyone done this? How much does it cost?

I thought about doing something like London - Paris - Barca - Madrid - Paris - London..... is that do-able? Do you think it would be possible to do in a week?

Not sure if I am squeezing too much into too little time and should just fly there andback

ask Dennis Bergkamp

 

[madwhitegiant]

ask Dennis Bergkamp

And Bad Attitude Baracuss

 

[Olly]

anything happening in Barca on NYE?

I'm there for xmas but not yet sure when to head back