Barcelona by Train?

[Marmora Man]

Has anyone done this trip?

Looks less hassle and probably more fun than "Sleazy Jet" altho' clearly more expensive. Eurostar to Paris, overnight sleeper - with dinner & breakfast included - Paris to Barcelona. Go to sleep in France wake up in Spain.

Man at Seat 61 - Advice tells all about it - but I'd prefer some EDF feedback if poss?

[Alan Medic]

I guess it depends what you want to pay for. My OH and son went from Lille to Cannes overnight and shared a compartment. Don't think they particularly enjoyed it. Not the same route I know but fairly similar distance. I like train journeys because of what you can see, not to sleep.

I happen to notice on a trip last Summer to an interesting place called Carcassonne in the south of France that you could get a train from there to Barcelona. Might be an interesting alternative, to going all the way by train.

[Salsaboy]

I've done London to the South of France with a change at Lille and it was fantastic. No getting to the airport 4 hours before departure. Nice comfy seat. Fantsatic views out the window. Would defo do it again.

[jimmyraj]

I've not done the overnight to Barcelona but I've taken the train to the south of France a few times - mostly Eurostar to Lille or Paris then changing to TGV. Great way to travel. Also used the direct ski train to the Alpes which is amazing - get on at St Pancras and seven hours or so later get off at Moutiers at the foothills of the Alpes and half an hours drive from loads of resorts. Train travel wins hands down over air travel - it's the cost which makes it slightly annoying...

[david_carnell]

Again, I've not done this route but did London to Florence via Eurostar.

Very relaxing and a great way to begin a holiday. The biggest downside (excluding price) was that we woke early in Florence but with no shower on the train you feel a little grubby. But at 8am none of the hotels are open for check-in as the rooms are not ready so you have to spend 5 or 6 hours wearing the same clothes you travelled/slept in the previous day. Not ideal.

If you could overcome that issue and price isn't a factor then I'd never fly again in Europe.

[Bellenden Belle]

Just to add to David's comments above as well - the food was diabolical. If you could eat supper before boarding the train I would heartily recommend that as an option - otherwise you do feel somewhat like a sitting duck.

But otherwise - yes, a very relaxing way to travel. There is nothing quite like waking up from a dream in a new country!

[El Pibe]

and Carcassone is as amazing as it looks!

There's a lovely little restaurant in the old walls that does great foie gras.

...

Wrong thread?

[Marmora Man]

The top cost trip includes a double room with ensuite shower & WC, plus a silver service meal in nrestaurant car and breakfast in the morning - which covers many of the downsides mentioned.

This version looks as if it would come out at about ?250 per person round trip - which if we look at it as part of the holiday is not a huge premium to pay to avoid the plane given that it includes two nights accomodation and two nights meals. I'm investigating returing during the day so as to reduce cost and take in the scenery.

[Twirly]

I've not done a sleeper train in Europe (well, not for over 25 years anyway), but I took the Caldeonian sleeper a while back, but it didn't really live up to it's name in terms of the sleep! Can you sleep through noise and bumps etc? If so then I would have thought you'd be fine. I was far too tired afterwards and it rather spoilt the long weekend, and it was a mistake to be going straight into work after the return journey! I'd rather do the journey during the day next time to take a look at the scenery tbh, whether in the UK or Europe. So maybe fly one way and travel via train the other?

[Marmora Man]

Twirly,

I've slept in worse places than a train and usually manage a decent night's sleep - maybe I'm just lucky?

[Twirly]

Then enjoy your trip - I'm a light sleeper, so know it doesn't suit me despite liking the idea. It's weird, as if I'm sat in a seat on a train, I inevitably doze off. Even on the 10 minute journey from London Bridge to East Dulwich!

[MrBen]

Do it.

I'm a regular visitor to Collioure which is a beautiful and still relatively unspoiled Cotes Vermeille town on the coast south of Perpignan.

Ryanair started flying there in 2002 which was handy but this year the Irishman is running summer flights only. So my route is now train: Eurostar to Lille then the newly extended TGV straight to Perpignan. And as of last year it's extended onto Barcelona. Total journey time (to Perpignan) door to door is about 8 hours from Kings Cross which is only slightly longer than the travel to Stansted, wait + flying time + cab in total.

I'd recommend it! Trains are just way more civilised....I can work/sleep/read better and anything to avoid airports. Another tip - I found the food on the Eurostar really good. Thankfully the French are in charge of the catering. The catch is you have to travel in Leisure Select class (basically off loading Business Class seats they haven't sold). If you book in advance and are travelling on an off peak day you can pick these up for not much more than Economy. And you get served at your seat and a glass of champagne to start.

They even served claret with some steak and a crisp salad last time. Better than a plastic sachet of vodka, scratchcards and a ?2 kit kat.

[Marmora Man]

Just back from Barcelona - which was much colder than we had planned for.

However, the journey was excellent. No. 63 bus to King's X. 15.01 Eurostar from St Pancras to Paris, arriving 18.30. Metro to Gare De Austerlitz and time for a relaxing glass of wine in Paris before catching the 20.23 Elipsos sleeper to Barcelona. Dinner on the train with complimentary Cava and as much wine & aperitifs as we wished, all n the ticket price. Dinner was good.

We had splashed on out a sleeper compartment with en-suite for two - comfortable night's sleep for me (no worse that being at sea) but Mrs MM not quite so comfortable. Shower & WC were small but worked fine. We woke at 7.00am to have breakfast watching the Spanish countryside pass by and arrived in Barcelona at 08.30.

Returning we left at 08.13 by train to Figeures then the 10.20 TGV to Paris. SNCF didn't cover itself in glory - arriving 90 minutes late and providing a cold carriage & seating. To be fair the weather was against them. One tip - catering, to my surprise, on SCNF was worse than I've ever encountered in UK. If travelling on French railways - buy some decent bread, pate and wine - and have a picnic. Do not rely on over pieced, microwaved plastic tubs of risotto.

Our railway journey has persuaded us to go this way again - more expensive than Ryan Air / Easy Jet but infinitely more relaxing and comfortable (SNCF notwithstanding).

For the return journey we left at 08.15

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

That's lovely - so glad you enjoyed (mostly) the train. Since I'm petrified of flying and have let my passport lapse, I may reapply and start discovering Europe again.

[Loz]

Final cost, MM?

[Marmora Man]

Loz Wrote:

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> Final cost, MM?

Loz,

Well, it was a "special" holiday to celebrate my wife's birthday so didn't stint and went 1st class / premier class for much of the way. However, avoiding 1st class, the whole journey could be done for approx ?200 - ?250 pp - which as it effectively includes a night in an hotel is not bad. Think on Sleazy Jet costs: ?50 each way for flights, ?10 surcharge for using credit card, ?20 for taking baggage, parking at airport - another ?50. Add in and the safety demo, inflight sales patter, overpriced Easy Jet sandwiches, grim close up seating (I'm 6'5"), waiting for luggage at carousel, taxi / bus to city centre from god knows what obscure airport is theoretically close to you destination and so on.

By making the journey part of the holiday we avoided the hassle, felt relaxed and were happy with our perception of value for money.

We're considering railing to Florence of Venice next. Check out "Man at Seat 61" website for advice on railway travel - all over the world. My first trip was to Damascus on the true Orient Express nearly three years ago.

[MrBen]

Trains are the new planes. Air travel is no longer sexy.

[david_carnell]

MM - Glad you had a good time.

I've done London to Florence by train. I can offer the following advice:

- Go premium again. We didn't and found wandering around Florence for 5 hours in the clothes we travelled in without having had a shower to be unpleasant. Arriving early in the morning is fab but if you can't check-in has its downsides.

- Buy your own food. Much like SNCF, the food on board (considering it travels from Paris to Florence) is appalling and very expensive. Use the time you have between the Eurostar and the onward journey for Gare d'Est to buy bread and wine.

- Try and visit Bologna whilst you're there. I much preferred it to Florence and the food is probably the best I've ever eaten over two days. We flew home from there but you can easily do the train in reverse.

If you'd like tips on restaurants and sites etc then I'm happy to offer them but I expect you'll be well prepped.

[Marmora Man]

For info - the Elipsos Sleeper Train dining car.