Paris’s Eiffel Tower and Barcelona’s La Sagrada Familia: two brilliantly designed structures that feel worlds apart from an architectural perspective. But the distance between them on a map? Deceitful.
Getting from the Iron Lady to the Expiatory Temple is easier than it looks, thanks to a direct train route from the French capital to the Catalonian capital.
Image Credit: Getty Images, portostock. Image Location: Spain
At a glance: train from Paris to Barcelona
- Paris’s station: Paris Gare de Lyon
- Barcelona’s station: Barcelona Sants
- How far is Paris Gare de Lyon to Barcelona Sants by train: 516 miles
- Fastest duration for high-speed trains: 6h 45m
- Average duration for general trains: 11h 46m
- Number of trains per day: 6
- Ticket prices: As low as $55.48 when you book in advance
- Earliest departure: 09:42 AM
- Latest departure: 21:40 PM
Is a weekend trip to Barcelona from Paris worth it?
Yes, a weekend trip to Barcelona from Paris is worth it. Barcelona isn’t a city you can see in a single weekend, but you can make the best of two or three days with little effort. A few hours at the beach, La Sagrada Familia, and the Picasso Museum (and also surrounded by fans at an FC Barcelona match) is a perfect itinerary; especially if you fill the gaps between each item with tapas and sangria. Alternatively, you can roll into Barcelona for a festival like Primavera Sound or Le Merce to immerse yourself in local culture without stressing about doing as many “must-do” things as possible in a single weekend.
How far is Barcelona from Paris by train?
Barcelona is 516 miles from Paris. It’s a bit of a stretch from the Seine to Spain — not an impossible or impractical one, but a stretch, nonetheless. But, trust us when we say that tackling a Barcelona trip won't be a waste of time. We also advise anyone traveling such a distance across borders to keep tabs on train strikes to make sure your vacation doesn’t roll too far off the rails.
How long is the journey from Paris to Barcelona by train?
The journey from Paris to Barcelona by train can take as little as 6h 45m. Don’t rush to the nearest train station just yet though — some of these routes can take 10 to 12 hours. We don’t recommend a Paris to Barcelona two-day trip for last-minute planners.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Alexander Spatari. Image Location: Barcelona, Spain
How often is the train from Paris to Barcelona?
Trains run from Paris to Barcelona six times a day, if not more depending on which station you’re scoping out. You might want to get creative with your search; since many routes require connections, you could potentially take advantage of the stops to plan your lunch or dinner around a mini stopover in Port-Bou or Montpellier St-Roch.
How much is a train ticket from Paris to Barcelona?
Train tickets from Paris to Barcelona start as low as $55.48. Not too shabby if you ask us; the gas bill on a rental car alone would top that, not to mention keep you cramped behind the wheel. Enjoy the ride on a comfortable train and download the Trainline app so you can snag the cheapest Paris to Barcelona train tickets possible before prices go up.
Which train station is best from Paris to Barcelona?
Gare de Lyon is the best train station to connect you from Paris to Barcelona. This station offers a direct train from the French capital to the Catalonian capital. When you’re taking a short break trip to Barca, every minute counts so put yourself on the Gare de Lyon platform and waste as few precious seconds as possible.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Pol Albarrán. Image Location: Barcelona, Spain
Is the train journey from Paris to Barcelona pretty?
Taking the train journey from Paris to Barcelona is a great idea for window watchers of all ages. As you leave Paris and ride through the French countryside, you’ll count clouds until the Pyrenees Mountains and Mediterranean Sea wave you goodbye as you cross the border into the Spanish Gold Coast.
Is there a sleeper train from Paris to Barcelona?
Yes and no. You can take a train overnight from Paris to Barcelona, but not a direct one. There are only a few direct trains from Paris in the daytime. However, you can take a night train from Paris Austerlitz to Toulouse Matabiau, then change trains at sunrise and head to Perpignan before changing once more to arrive at Barcelona by lunch.
So, there you have it — start planning your globetrotting trip from Paris to Barcelona with the Trainline app now.
Header Image Credit: Getty Images, Alexander Spatari. Image Location: Barcelona, Spain
