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Planning to travel from London to Barcelona by train? You've come to the right place!
The train from London to Barcelona usually takes 16h 36m, but can take 11h 31m on the fastest services. You'll need to make one change along the way during your journey, travelling with Eurostar and Renfe-SNCF. On board, you'll find comfortable seating, space for luggage and, on most services, free WiFi as standard.
It may be quicker to fly, but if you want to reduce your carbon footprint, admire the European countryside or even turn the journey into a bigger trip with a stop along the way, taking the train is a relaxing and interesting way to travel the 707 miles (1139 km) between these two cities.
After you’re whisked across France and over the border into Spain, you’ll arrive into Barcelona’s main station – Barcelona Sants. Centrally located, it won’t be long before you’re wandering Las Ramblas or taking in the iconic Sagrada Familia once you’ve alighted your train.
So, what are you waiting for? Search for cheap train tickets from London to Barcelona in our Journey Planner today or keep reading for:
It takes an average of 15h 33m to travel from London to Barcelona by train, over a distance of around 707 miles (1139 km). There are normally 8 trains per day travelling from London to Barcelona and tickets for this journey start from £399.27 when you book in advance.
First train | 07:04 | |
---|---|---|
Last train | 20:01 | |
Departure station | London | |
Arrival station | Barcelona | |
Journey time | From 9h 56m | |
Distance | 707 miles (1139 km) | |
Frequency | 8 trains per day | |
Changes | 1 change | |
Price | From £399.27 | |
Train and bus operators | BlaBlaCar Bus |
Most of the train companies across Europe release their tickets around three to six months in advance, many of which can be cheaper the earlier you book. If you know the dates you want to travel, you may be able to find some cheaper train tickets from London to Barcelona by booking early.§
Many of the train services in Europe are also popular commuter services, lots of train companies increase ticket prices during “peak hours” (generally between 06:00 – 10:00 and 15:00 – 19:00 on weekdays). If you can, consider travelling outside of peak hours to find lower priced tickets.
On some of the busier routes, you might also have the option to take a slower or connecting train. It may take a little longer than some high-speed or direct services, but if you have a little extra time on your hands, you might find a cheaper fare. Plus, you'll have more time to enjoy the view of the countryside!
Take a look at our handy guides to find out when train operators release their special deals and offers to see if you can find cheap European train tickets for your journey.
For specific information about how to get your hands on cheap tickets, check out our European train tickets hub.
If you’re hoping to reduce your travel days to a minimum, it is possible to take the train from London to Barcelona in one day. Bear in mind, though – it'll be a pretty long day!
Times accurate as of 11/12/23. Timetables are subject to change; please check our Journey Planner for the most up-to-date times and prices.
Before your journey to Paris, you’ll need to make your way to London St Pancras International station. Continue reading for more information on how to get there.
London St. Pancras International station is conveniently located in central London in the King’s Cross area and can be easily reached by National Rail, London Underground, bus services and car.
King’s Cross St Pancras Underground station is served by 6 Tube lines: Victoria (light blue line), Northern (black line), Metropolitan (purple line), Piccadilly (dark blue line), Circle (yellow line) & Hammersmith and City (pink line).
If you’re travelling into London by train, you can get to London St Pancras from Euston, Victoria, and Paddington stations in around half an hour.
If you’re driving to St Pancras International, you’ll find a Click and Park car park at the station – it has 315 spaces and is always open, with staff on hand 24/7. If you’re cycling to the station, there are plenty of cycle spaces where you can store your bike too.
Once you’ve arrived at London St Pancras International station, you’ll need to check in. Read on for more information on checking in, station facilities and First Class lounges.
During your journey from London to Paris, your train will travel across the English Channel via the Channel Tunnel.
Does the train from London to Paris go underwater?
Trains from London to Paris do go underwater. In fact, the Channel Tunnel (or “Chunnel” if you prefer its nickname) is just over 31 miles (50 km) in length and is the longest continuous underwater tunnel in the world. At a maximum speed of 100 mph (160 km/h) in the Chunnel, it takes a Eurostar train around 35 minutes to travel this underwater stretch.
How long is the Chunnel?
In length, the Channel Tunnel is 31.3 miles (50.56 km) and it takes a Eurostar train approximately 35 minutes to travel its full length. In total, the fastest journey time from London to Paris is 2 hours and 17 minutes.
After you’ve arrived in Paris, the final step in your journey is to catch a train to Barcelona.
Your Eurostar train from London will arrive in Paris at Paris Gare du Nord train station. As you go through security and passport control in London, you simply have to grab your luggage and get off the train once you’re here.
The final leg of your journey to Barcelona involves catching a train from Paris to Barcelona Sants train station. As trains to Barcelona depart do not depart from Paris Gare du Nord, you’ll need to take the RER train to Paris Gare de Lyon station.
Buying RER tickets
Your Eurostar ticket doesn’t include travel with RER, so you’ll need to buy a RER ticket at Paris Gare du Nord before continuing your journey to Barcelona.
If you’re unsure about which ticket to buy, head to one of the ticket counters available at the station and a member of staff will be able to assist you. Alternatively, you can buy your ticket from one of the automated ticket machines – they have multilingual interfaces and accept both cash and card payments.
Taking the RER train from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon
Once you exit the Eurostar platform, follow the signs to ‘RER D’ – this will lead you to the RER train station within Paris Gare du Nord. Go through the RER ticket gates, then follow the signs for ‘RER D Sud’ to Melun, Malesherbes or Corbeil-Essonnes – all these trains stop at Gare de Lyon.
The train ride from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon takes just 7 minutes. There's only one stop on the way – if it's Châtelet-les-Halles, you know you're on the right train!
As soon as you’ve arrived at Paris Gare de Lyon station, you can head to the platform. If you have a Business Première ticket or another eligible ticket, you can take advantage of the First Class lounge.
Once you get off your RER train at Paris Gare de Lyon, take the escalators to exit the RER station and follow the signs to the ‘Grandes Lignes’ (long-distance trains). Check the departure boards to find out which platform your train is travelling from and follow the signs to get there.
Once you get to the boarding area, simply scan your ticket at the ticket gates. Please note that with TGV INOUI, you can board up to two minutes before the departure time. After this time, you will be refused access to the train.
If you have a bit of time to kill at Gare de Lyon station, you can take advantage of the following services:
Grand Voyageur TGV INOUI lounges
If you have a Business Première ticket, a Carte Liberté (with a Première ticket) or the Grand Voyageur loyalty card, you can access the Grand Voyageur TGV INOUI lounge at Paris Gare de Lyon station. The Grand Voyageur TGV INOUI lounge is a premium space and is perfect for relaxing or working. Here, you can enjoy free WiFi, as well as a selection of complimentary newspapers and magazines, drinks and more.
At the end of your journey, you will arrive at Barcelona Sants station.
Over six hours later, your train will arrive at Barcelona Sants station, a short journey from the city centre.
Once you’ve exited the station, you’ll want to start soaking up the city’s atmosphere as soon as possible. The centre of Barcelona is easy to reach due to the city’s extensive public transport network. You can get there by:
If you need to catch a flight, you can simply catch the Renfe train from Barcelona Sants to Barcelona Airport, which takes around 20 minutes.
Barcelona is a sprawling city with many different areas, but it boasts a modern public transport system to help you navigate the city.
Taking the Metro in Barcelona
Consisting of 12 lines and 186 stations, the Metro is the simplest way to get around the city.
When buying tickets for the Metro, you’ll find various options available, including a Single ticket for just one journey and a T-Dia, for unlimited travel for a whole day. Running 365 days a year, the Metro operates from 05:00 am until 12:00 am, except on Friday when it closes at 02:00 am and Saturday when it does not close.
Taking the bus in Barcelona
If you’d like to enjoy picturesque views of the city, take the bus! In Barcelona, over 230 bus lines run from 05:00 am until 10:00 pm.
Taking the tram in Barcelona
Barcelona’s tram network is a quick and convenient way to get around the city. If you’d like to travel via tram, you can purchase tickets from the machines at tram stations.
Considering a journey to the Catalan capital? To help inspire your trip, here are some ideas for things to see and do in Barcelona:
If you’ve enjoyed your time in Barcelona and want to explore more of Spain and Europe, you can easily reach nearby towns and cities by train. To inspire your next trip, here are some of the most popular train journeys from Barcelona:
After visiting Barcelona, why not continue exploring Europe by train? With an Interrail Pass, you can travel across 33 European countries as much as you want on participating European train networks for a set amount of travel days.
You can use an Interrail Pass if you're a European citizen or a non-European who is an official legal resident of a European country (this includes UK citizens). If you’re not a European citizen or someone legally resident in Europe, such as an American or Canadian citizen, you can use a Eurail Pass instead.
Situated around 8 miles southwest of Barcelona’s city centre, Barcelona Airport is Spain’s second busiest airport. To get from central Barcelona to the airport, you can take the bus, metro, train or taxi.
The average journey time by train between London and Barcelona is 15 hours and 33 minutes, with around 8 trains per day. The journey time may be longer on weekends and holidays, so use our Journey Planner on this page to search for a specific travel date.
The fastest journey time by train from London to Barcelona is 9 hours and 56 minutes.
Train ticket prices from London to Barcelona can start from as little as £399.27 when you book in advance. The cost of tickets can vary depending on the time of day, route and class you book and are usually more expensive if you book on the day.
No, there are no direct train services from London to Barcelona. Travelling from London to Barcelona by train will require a minimum of 1 change.
The first train from London to Barcelona leaves at 07:04. Times and services may vary during weekends and holidays.
The last train from London to Barcelona leaves at 20:01. Trains that depart in the early morning hours or very late evening may be sleeper services, time and services may also vary during weekends and holidays.
Trains travelling from London to Barcelona cover a distance of around 707 miles (1139 km) during the journey.
If you’re looking for the return train journey, check out trains from Barcelona to London.