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How to take the rail journey from Barcelona to Avignon
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Barcelona to Avignon by train
The direct train between Barcelona and Avignon had been suspended for a time on the 2023 timetable, but they have now resumed.
Though it arrives at a station on the edge of the city, so the other journeys options can be both more convenient and faster, for a city centre to city centre journey by train.
Routes you can take to go from Barcelona to Avignon
When travelling between most cities by train there is only one logical option, though on other journeys there is a choice between different trains or alternative routes. If different options are available you can use the info to decide which is best for you.
Choose one of the following options:
Looking for connections?
Route Information
Option 1 - by direct train
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
3hr 58min (approx)
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
1 x train per day
Purchase Tickets
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
Trainline Guide
Other Ticket Providers
SNCF Connect Guide
SNCF is the national rail operator in France and not so long ago it recently simplified both the range of tickets and the term and conditions of using them.
Therefore the cheapest tickets also become more flexible too.
Other improvements included a simple integration of travelling with bicycles and rail pass users being able to book reservations for national journeys, without paying booking fees.
And it also recently launched SNCF Connect as replacement for its Oui.SNCF booking service.
You can set up a low price alert to let you know when the cheapest price is available for a future journey.
Something else to look out for is that simplest way of travelling with tickets is to use the SNCF Connect App, as booked tickets can therefore be stored on your mobile device, which can then be shown to the train conductors as proof of purchase.
SNCF Connect in the App (Apple) store
SNCF also operates RailEurope, which is in effect a dedicated online booking service for making bookings from outside of Europe.
If you reside outside of Europe you may discover that SNCF Connect rejects phone numbers or card numbers, but RailEurope won't do so.
Though RailEurope will add booking fees when making a purchase
Renfe Guide
Renfe is the national rail operator in Spain and it has recently simplified the range of tickets it sells for express and regional train journeys in Spain.
Which is convenient as there are big savings to be made if you book ahead online.
Travel Information
Final Destination: Marseille St. Charles
This train also calls at: Montpellier and Nimes and Aix-en-Provence TGV
Departing from Barcelona:
This train is usually scheduled to depart from Barcelona Sants station daily at 16:36 - it is scheduled to arrive in Barcelona from Madrid around 14 mins prior to departure.
Aim to be at Barcelona Sants a minimum of 20 mins before departure, in order to allow time to pass through the security checks.
At Barcelona Sants station this train to France departs from the part of the station used by the Spanish high speed trains - vias (platforms/tracks) 1 - 6.
So when you're in the station follow the signs that are pointing the way to the ' Alta-Velocidad' trains.
Arriving in Avignon:
Around 50 mins after arrival a train will depart on to Avignon Centre station, where it is schedule to arrive after 21:40.
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
If you will be making this journey between April and October, so will be travelling by daylight, this is a journey of three distinct phases:
1:Between Barcelona and Perpignan the train travels at up to 280 km/h on a high speed line.
2. Between Perpignan and Montpellier the train follows the coast, don't expect incredible seascapes, but there are some nice views as the train threads through the marshes - particularly north of Perpignan.
- Between Nimes and Avignon the train switches back to the high speed line for the final 10 mins of the journey.
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 4 months ahead of the travel date
This direct train is usually scheduled to depart daily from Barcelona at 16:36, so target that time when looking up this journey
It can be worth comparing the prices between booking agents for this journey.
Reservations:
Seats will automatically be assigned when booking tickets for this journey.
Using rail passes:
Rail pass users will need to be pay a reservation fee prior to boarding, but these reservations cannot be booked on the ticket agent's websites.
If you want the peace of mind of reserving before arriving at a Spanish station, you will need to use the Eurail and InterRail booking services to reserve your seats; and pay the booking fee for doing so.
Though you can avoid a booking fee if you do reserve at a Spanish station.
Or if you will be travelling with a rail pass, you can avoid paying any reservation fees at all by taking a train from Barcelona to Cerbére - and then connecting there for a TER train to Avignon Centre station.
Route Information
Via stations: Nîmes-Pont-du-Gard
Option 2: making a connection to arrive in Avignon sooner
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
5hrs
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
1 x connection per day
Purchase Tickets
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
Trainline Guide
Other Ticket Providers
SNCF Connect Guide
SNCF is the national rail operator in France and not so long ago it recently simplified both the range of tickets and the term and conditions of using them.
Therefore the cheapest tickets also become more flexible too.
Other improvements included a simple integration of travelling with bicycles and rail pass users being able to book reservations for national journeys, without paying booking fees.
And it also recently launched SNCF Connect as replacement for its Oui.SNCF booking service.
You can set up a low price alert to let you know when the cheapest price is available for a future journey.
Something else to look out for is that simplest way of travelling with tickets is to use the SNCF Connect App, as booked tickets can therefore be stored on your mobile device, which can then be shown to the train conductors as proof of purchase.
SNCF Connect in the App (Apple) store
SNCF also operates RailEurope, which is in effect a dedicated online booking service for making bookings from outside of Europe.
If you reside outside of Europe you may discover that SNCF Connect rejects phone numbers or card numbers, but RailEurope won't do so.
Though RailEurope will add booking fees when making a purchase
Travel Information
The direct train doesn't typically arrive in Avignon until around 20:45, but an option is to depart Barcelona in the morning to arrive at around 14:30.
On this option, which departs Barcelona Sants at around 09:20, the time between trains at Nîmes Pont du Gard will be around 47 minutes, but this inconvenience is offset by an arrival at a city centre station.
The direct train arrives at a station to the south of the city, and around 50mins after its arrival a train will depart for the same Avignon Centre station.
So for a city centre to city centre journey, this combination of trains can be a good option.
At Nîmes Pont du Gard the train on to Avignon will depart from a lower level, but it is brand new station, so both elevators and escalators will be available.
This journey is made up of 1 change.
Train 1
Between Barcelona Sants and Nîmes-Pont-du-GardYou will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
Final Destination: Paris - Gare De Lyon
Between Barcelona and Perpignan the train travels on a high speed line.
Then between Perpignan and Nimes the train follows the coast, don't expect incredible seascapes, but there are some nice views as the train threads through the marshes - particularly north of Perpignan.
The videos were filmed from a train travelling in the opposite direction.
Train 2
Between Nîmes-Pont-du-Gard and Avignon CentreYou will be travelling on one of these trains...
Good to Know
Final Destination: Avignon-Centre
The connecting time between trains will typically be a little over 45 mins.
Tickets
Route Information
Via stations: Nîmes Centre
Option 3: making a connection at the main station in Nimes
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
5 hrs
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
1 x connection per daty
Purchase Tickets
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
Trainline Guide
Other Ticket Providers
Travel Information
The direct train arrives in Avignon at a station on the high speed line to the south of the city, and the 'connecting' train on from there doesn't arrive into Avignon Centre station until around 21:40.
Though on this option, which departs Barcelona Sants at around 13:25, the arrival into Avignon Centre station will be at around 18:25.
The time between trains at the main station in Nîmes should be around 35 minutes - and the train on to Avignon will typically depart from the same platform /track (voie) that the train from Barcelona will arrive at
This journey is made up of 1 change.
Train 1
Between Barcelona Sants and Nîmes CentreYou will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
Final Destination: Paris - Gare De Lyon
Between Barcelona and Perpignan the train travels on a high speed line.
Then between Perpignan and Nimes the train follows the coast, don't expect incredible seascapes, but there are some nice views as the train threads through the marshes - particularly north of Perpignan.
The videos were filmed from a train travelling in the opposite direction.
Train 2
Between Nîmes Centre and Avignon CentreYou will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
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