Madrid Atocha station.  This page covers journeys starting in Madrid, Malaga, Granada, Cordoba, Seville, Alicante, Valencia To buy train tickets in Spain, the official Spanish Railways website is www.renfe.com, see this advice, but It's much easier to use www.raileurope.com (in €, £ or $) or www.petrabax.com (US$).

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This page explains how to travel by train from Madrid, Malaga, Granada, Cordoba, Seville, Alicante, Valencia to other European cities, and how to buy tickets the cheapest way.  Information current for 2021, some timings subject to confirmation.

Before you buy your tickets...

Take a moment to read these tips for buying European train tickets.  It answers all the usual questions, "Do I need to book in advance or can I just buy at the station?", "Can I stop off?", "Are there Senior fares?" and that old favourite, "Should I buy an $800 railpass or just buy a €35 point-to-point ticket online?".  Click here to understand how far ahead you can buy train tickets.

European train travel FAQ...

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Buy train tickets for Spain:  See the train travel in Spain page...

• All Spanish long-distance trains and even many regional trains require seat reservation and have variable pricing, so yes, trains can 'sell out' although although outside busy periods it's easy to buy tickets at the station on the day of travel if you want.

• Renfe (Spanish national railways) has airline-style fares, so tickets will be much more expensive bought on the day, much cheaper booked in advance with a cheap Promo or Promo+ fare.  So pre-book if possible.

• How to buy tickets...

  The easiest way to buy Spanish train tickets is online at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.  These connect directly to Renfe's ticketing system to sell Renfe's cheap fares with Renfe's print-your-own tickets, but in plain English without any of Renfe's confusing translations or credit card rejection problems.  There's a small booking fee, but it's worth it.

  Babies & infants:  Although infants under 4 go free, for journeys on any Renfe mainline long-distance train wholly within Spain, you'll need to obtain a free infant ticket at a Renfe ticket office before boarding, see the advice here.

• You can also book Spanish trains online in US$ in plain English with no payment problems at www.petrabax.com,  a US-based agency that also links to the Renfe ticketing system, so has the same trains and cheap prices, although they add a small mark-up.  It issues the same print-at-home tickets as renfe.com, so anyone from any country worldwide can use it, including the United States, Canada & Australia.

• Alternatively, you can of course buy tickets direct from Spanish Railways at www.renfe.com with no booking fee, but it has more than its fair share of quirks, so please read my advice on using Renfe.com.  The quirks include some odd English translations and a reputation for rejecting a significant proportion of overseas credit cards with various error messages.  Although I have to say it has always worked OK with my credit card and now accepts PayPal.

• NEW FROM 10 MAY 2021:  Barcelona to Madrid by lo-cost Ouigo train. Spanish railways are being opened up to competition, and from 10 May 2021, open-access operator Ouigo (www.ouigo.com, a subsidiary of SNCF French Railways) will operate up to 10 trains per day between Barcelona Sants & Madrid Atocha, competing with the AVE trains run by state-owned operator Renfe.  These Spanish Ouigo trains are a version of France's double-deck 300 km/h TGV Duplex Ouigo trains, but unlike the French Ouigo trains they have two classes (standard with seats arranged 2+2 across the car width and XL with larger seats arranged 2+1 across the car width) and there will be a cafe-bar.  Fares start at just €9, check times & buy tickets at www.ouigo.com.  Be warned that this lo-cost operation has airline-style baggage limits and extra fees for large bags, so check carefully when booking.

Ferries to Ibiza & Mallorca...

• Comfortable ferries sail from Valencia and Barcelona to Ibiza and Mallorca.  First look up a suitable ferry at the Direct Ferries website as this covers all ferry operators.  You'll find ferries run by Acciona Trasmediterranea (www.trasmediterranea.es and Balearia (www.balearia.com). 

• Now add a train connection, using www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.  Allow plenty of time to transfer between station and ferry terminal in Valencia or Barcelona, and for the ferry check-in.

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Madrid to Gibraltar...

• Step 1, travel from Madrid to Algeciras by Intercity train, leaving Madrid Atocha twice a day, usually at 08:35 & 15:05, journey time 5h25.

  The air-conditioned Intercity train is an articulated Talgo train with cafe-bar.  There's great scenery both on the high-speed line between Madrid and Cordoba through the mountains and on the classic line twisting through the hills to Algeciras, the Spanish town across the bay from Gibraltar.  See a video of the journey here.

  Fares start at €25 in Turista or €38 in Turista Plus.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee, or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see this advice on using it first).  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  You print your own tickets.

• Step 2, take a bus or taxi from Algeciras to la Linea & walk into Gibraltar.

  A taxi from Algeciras railway station to La Linea costs €24.75 and takes about 22 minutes.  Taxis don't use the meter on this run, and aren't normally allowed to cross the border into Gibraltar.

  To go by bus, cross the roundabout outside Algeciras railway station and enter the San Bernado bus station, then take bus M-120 to La Linea for around €2.50.  Bus M-120 runs every 30 minutes Mon-Fri at xx.00 and xx.30 past each hour or every 45 minutes at weekends, journey time about 45 minutes to La Linea, for bus information see siu.ctmcg.es.

  La Linea is the Spanish town outside the border crossing to Gibraltar, and La Linea's bus stop and taxi rank are right outside the entrance to Gibraltar.  Walk through the Spanish then UK passport checkpoints into Gibraltar (5-10 minutes).  Then either (a) keep walking straight ahead of you into Gibraltar town, it's takes about 15 minutes to the centre or (b) take a frequent local Gibraltar bus from the border into town or (c) look for the taxi stop on the right just after the passport check and wait for a taxi to your hotel for a few pounds - Gibraltar taxis will accept euros.  The walk from the border to Gibraltar's Main Street takes you across Gibraltar airport's runway, though they stop cars and pedestrians when an aircraft is landing or taking off!   Map of Algeciras - La Linea - Gibraltar area.A

• Alternative via San Roque-La Linea station:  The closest station to Gibraltar is actually San Roque-La Linea, and all trains to Algeciras call here around 20 minutes before arriving at Algeciras.  So if you prefer, you can get off here and take a taxi to La Linea, or walk the 1.6 km (1 mile) to the Bar La Redonda bus stop on the main road on the M-120 bus route from Algeciras to La Linea.  Buses run to La Linea every 30 minutes weekdays, every 45 minutes weekends.  Taxis are usually available outside San Roque station, San Roque to the La Linea/Gibraltar border is about 16 km (10 miles) and it takes just over 30 minutes depending on traffic.

Other Spanish cities to Gibraltar...

• Step 1, take a train to Algeciras:  There are direct trains from Granada, Cordoba & Ronda to Algeciras.  From Malaga you can go by train with a change at Bobadilla or Antequera-Santa Ana, although it means a journey inland then a journey back to the coast.  There are also Malaga-Algeciras buses that use the coast road.

  Check times & buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee, or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see this advice on using it first).  You print your own tickets.

• Step 2, follow the bus & taxi instructions above to reach Gibraltar.

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Spain to London...

• See the London to Spain page for details.  The information on that page works for both directions.

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Spain to Paris...

Madrid to Paris by high-speed TGV...

Option 1, Madrid to Paris in a single day - early departure from Madrid, arrival in Paris after lunch...

• Step 1, travel from Madrid to Barcelona by AVE-S103 high-speed train, leaving Madrid Atocha at 06:20 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 09:34.

  Fares start at around €35.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex, leaving Barcelona Sants at 10:05 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 16:46.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.  There should be no problem with the 30 minute connection in Barcelona as Spain's AVEs are very punctual.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Book from Madrid to Paris at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  Booking for the Barcelona-Paris TGVs opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own tickets.

  Alternatively, you can book from Madrid to Barcelona at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see this advice on using it first) then book the Barcelona-Paris TGV at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no fee).

Option 2, Madrid to Paris in a single day - mid-morning departure from Madrid, evening arrival in Paris.

• Step 1, travel from Madrid to Barcelona by AVE-S103 high-speed train, leaving Madrid Atocha at 10:30 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 13:15.

  By all means take an earlier train and have lunch in Barcelona.

  Fares start at around €35.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 14:00 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 20:48.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Book from Madrid to Paris at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  Booking for the Barcelona-Paris TGVs opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own tickets.

  Alternatively, you can book from Madrid to Barcelona at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see this advice on using it first) then book the Barcelona-Paris TGV at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no fee).

Option 3, Madrid to Paris with overnight stop in Barcelona...

• Step 1, travel from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants on any evening AVE-S103 high-speed train you like.

  It takes as little as 2h30 and fares start at around €35.  There are departures almost every hour, pick any that suits.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com or www.renfe.com.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex, leaving Barcelona Sants at 10:05 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 16:46.  From late June to late August there's usually an earlier 06:00 TGV to Paris, but 2021 dates not known.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• To buy tickets, go to www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, book from Madrid to Barcelona and add to basket, book from Barcelona to Paris for the following day and add to basket, then check out.  Both sites are easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  Booking for the Barcelona-Paris TGVs opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own tickets.

  Alternatively, you can book Madrid to Barcelona at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see this advice on using it first) then book the Barcelona-Paris TGV at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no fee).

Option 4, Madrid to Paris with overnight stop in San Sebastian - a slower but cheaper route, San Sebastian makes a great stopover...

• Day 1, travel from Madrid to San Sebastian by Alvia train, leaving Madrid Chamartin at 16:05 and arriving San Sebastian Renfe station at 21:28.

  If you'd like an afternoon in San Sebastian, there's also a morning train leaving Madrid Chamartin at 08:00 and arriving San Sebastian at 13:24.

  These smart air-conditioned Alvia trains have a cafe-bar and power sockets at all seats, a pleasure to travel on.  They have an interesting party trick:  After travelling at up to 250km/h on the standard gauge high-speed line from Madrid, they slow right down and pass through a shed where axles adjust from standard gauge (4'8½") to Iberian gauge (5'6").  They then complete the second half of the journey over classic lines, with great scenery winding up into the Pyrenees approaching San Sebastian.

  Fares start from €17 in 2nd class (turista) or €22 in 1st class (preferente).  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  You print your own ticket.

• Stay overnight in San Sebastian - it's a lovely city, well worth a longer stop.  The Pension San Ignacio Centro is just 10 minutes walk from San Sebastian Renfe station and gets great reviews.  If you want somewhere in the old town try the Pension Garibai or Pension Alameda.

• Day 2, transfer from San Sebastian to Hendaye on the French border by Euskotren (www.euskotren.eus).

  These metro trains leave San Sebastian Amara station (10 minutes walk from the Renfe station) every 30 minutes all day, journey time 37 minutes, fare around €2.75, buy at the station and hop on the next train.  In Hendaye the Euskotren station is in the station forecourt of the mainline SNCF French Railways station, but obviously make sure you get to Hendaye in good time for your train to Paris.  See the Euskotren photos & information on the Paris to San Sebastian page.

• Day 2, travel from Hendaye to Paris by TGV Duplex Océane, for example leaving Hendaye at 09:28 and arriving Paris Montparnasse 14:08.

  By all means spend some time in San Sebastian and book a later one, they leave every few hours through the day.  The TGV Duplex is usually of the latest Océane type with a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a bit more fiddly, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your smartphone.

• Or travel from Madrid to Paris in a single day using this route...

  You'd take the 08:00 Alvia train from Madrid Chamartin to San Sebastian Renfe station, then transfer from San Sebastian Amara to Hendaye by Euskotren and take the 15:28 TGV to Paris.  Or, daily except Saturdays, have lunch in San Sebastian and take the later 18:28 TGV to Paris.

Malaga, Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Alicante, Valencia to Paris...

Option 1, Spanish cities to Paris in a single day...

• Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take a morning EuroMed train to Barcelona, leaving Alicante at 07:25 or Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 09:15 arriving Barcelona Sants at 11:55.

  Step 1 from Malaga, Cordoba, Seville or Granada:  Unfortunately, no same-day journey is possible unless you're travelling between late May & late August when a later TGV usually operates from Barcelona to Paris, this is shown as option 3 below.

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 14:00 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 20:48.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• To buy tickets, go to www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, and book from Spain to Paris as one transaction.  Both sites are easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  Booking for the Barcelona-Paris TGVs opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own tickets.

  Alternatively, you can book the Spanish train at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see this advice on using it first) then book the Barcelona-Paris TGV at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no fee).

Option 2, Spanish cities to Paris with overnight stop in Barcelona - breaks the trip up nicely, recommended...

• Step 1 from Malaga, Seville or Cordoba:  Take the afternoon AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:35, Seville Santa Justa at 14:50 or Cordoba at 15:42, arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:22, with fares from around €46.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com or www.renfe.com.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Take the once-daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take an afternoon or evening EuroMed train from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona.  On Mondays-Fridays a fast EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 17:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 19:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 21:55.  On Saturdays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 16:20 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 18:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 20:55.  On Sundays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 18:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 20:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 22:55.  Or there are earlier trains, of course.  Check train times at www.raileurope.com or www.renfe.com and book any train you like.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex, leaving Barcelona Sants at 10:05 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 16:46.  There's usually also an earlier 06:00 TGV Duplex to Paris from late June to late August, but 2021 dates not known.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• To buy tickets, go to www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.  Book the Spanish train and add to basket, then book from Barcelona to Paris for the following day, add to basket and check out.  Both sites are easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  Booking for the Barcelona-Paris TGVs opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own tickets.

  Alternatively, you can book the Spanish train at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see this advice on using it first) then book the Barcelona-Paris TGV at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no fee).

Option 3, in a single day.  Was due to run from 29 May to 30 August 2020, 2021 dates not known.

• Step 1 from Seville, Cordoba:  Take the morning AVE-S112 high-speed train at 08:50 from Seville, 09:43 from Cordoba, arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25, fares from around €46.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Take the daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take a morning EuroMed train to Barcelona, leaving Alicante at 09:25 or Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 11:15, arriving Barcelona Sants at 13:55.  By all means take an earlier train and have lunch in Barcelona.

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 16:10, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 22:46.  This train was due to run from 29 May to 30 August 2020, but 2021 dates not known.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• To buy tickets, go to www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, and book from Spain to Paris as one transaction.  Both sites are easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  You print your own tickets.

  Alternatively, you can book the Spanish train at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see this advice on using it first) then book the Barcelona-Paris TGV at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no fee).

Vigo, A Coruna & Santiago de Compostela to Paris...

Option 1, with overnight stop in San Sebastian.

• Day 1, travel from Vigo, A Coruna or Santiago de Compostela to Vitoria by Alvia train. 

  On Mondays, Thursdays & Saturdays it leaves Vigo Guixar at 07:42 arriving Vitoria/Gasteiz 16:33.

  On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays & Sundays it leaves A Coruna at 08:05 & Santiago de Compostela at 08:34, arriving Vitoria/Gasteiz 16:33.

  An Intercity train (an articulated Talgo train) provides a guaranteed connection to San Sebastian every day, leaving Vitoria/Gasteiz at 16:45 and arriving San Sebastian (Renfe station) at 18:20.

• Stay overnight in San Sebastian.  The Pension Regil is close to the old town with great reviews, 10 minutes walk from the Renfe station, 7 minutes walk from the Amara Euskotren station.  If you want something in the old town itself, try the Pension Garibai or Pension Alameda.  If you want to push the boat out, San Sebastian's most venerable hotel (which I can recommend personally, having stayed there) is the Hotel de Londres y Inglaterra, on the sea front.

• Day 2, take the 08:15 Euskotren metro from San Sebastian Amara station to Hendaye next morning.  These metro, trains run every 30 minutes, journey time 37 minutes, buy a ticket at the station and hop on the next train.  You can check times at www.euskotren.eus.

• Day 2, travel from Hendaye to Paris by TGV Duplex Océane, leaving Hendaye daily at 09:28 and arriving Paris Gare Montparnasse at 14:08.

  The TGV Duplex Océane has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  I recommend an upper deck seat for the best views.  By all means take an earlier or later TGV, check times from Hendaye to Paris for your date of travel at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

  Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• To buy tickets, go to www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.  Book the train from Galicia to Hendaye and add to basket, then book from Hendaye to Paris for the following day, add to basket and check out.  Both sites are easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  Booking for French trains opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own tickets.

  Alternatively, you can book the Spanish train at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see this advice on using it first) then book the Hendaye-Paris TGV at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no fee).

Option 2, with overnight stop in Barcelona...

• Day 1, travel from Galicia to Barcelona by high-speed air-conditioned Alvia-S130 train.

  On Mondays, Thursdays & Saturdays it leaves Vigo Guixar at 07:42 and arrives Barcelona Sants at 21:35.

  On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays & Sundays it leaves A Coruna at 08:05 & Santiago de Compostela at 08:34, arriving Barcelona Sants at 21:35.

  The Alvia-S130 train is comfortable, air-conditioned with cafe-bar and power sockets at all seats.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Day 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex, leaving Barcelona Sants at 10:05 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 16:46.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• To buy tickets, go to www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.  Book the Spanish train and add to basket, then book from Barcelona to Paris for the following day, add to basket and check out.  Both sites are easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  Booking for the Barcelona-Paris TGVs opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own tickets.

  Alternatively, you can book the Spanish train at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see this advice on using it first) then book the Barcelona-Paris TGV at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no fee).

Option 3, by sleeper train to Barcelona, day there, then late afternoon TGV to Paris...

• Day 1, travel from Galicia to Barcelona on the luxurious overnight trenhotel sleeper train, arriving Barcelona Sants at 08:49 on Day 2.

  It runs daily except Saturday nights.  There's a change or train at A Coruna if you're coming from Santiago.  This modern sleeper train has private 1 & 2 bed compartments with shower & toilet, a cafe-bar and reclining seats (= butacas in Spanish).  Check fares online.  Check that this sleeper train is running, in 2020 it was suspended, and may take a while to come back post-pandemic...

• Day 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex, leaving Barcelona Sants at 10:05 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 16:46.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.  If you'd like a morning in Barcelona, you can take the later 14:00 TGV Duplex from Barcelona arriving Paris at 20:48.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• To buy tickets, go to www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.  Book from Galicia to Barcelona and add to basket, then book from Barcelona to Paris for the following day, add to basket and check out.  Both sites are easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  Booking for the Barcelona-Paris TGVs opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own tickets.

  Alternatively, you can book the Spanish train at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see this advice on using it first) then book the Barcelona-Paris TGV at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no fee).

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Spain to Bordeaux...

Option 1, Madrid to Bordeaux in a single day.  Lunch in San Sebastian?

• Step 1, travel from Madrid to San Sebastian by Alvia train, leaving Madrid Chamartin at 08:00 & arriving San Sebastian Renfe station at 13:24.

  This is an interesting journey - the train has adjustable axles, it runs over the standard-gauge high-speed line to Burgos at up to 250 km/h (155 mph), then passes slowly through a changeover shed which switches axles to Iberian broad gauge for the rest of the journey over classic lines.  There's then great scenery as the train snakes its way up into the foothills of the Pyrenees to San Sebastian.

  Fares start from €17 in 2nd class (Turista) or €22 in 1st class (Turista Plus).  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly to use, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it).  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  You print your own ticket.

• Step 2, walk from San Sebastian Renfe station to San Sebastian Amara station (850m, 10 minutes).  Then take the little local Euskotren from San Sebastian Amara station to Hendaye, this runs every 30 minutes, journey time 37 minutes.  The fare is €2.75, buy at the station from the ticket machines or staffed counters.  See www.euskotren.eus.  At Hendaye, the Euskotren station is adjacent to the mainline SNCF station.

• Step 3, travel from Hendaye to Bordeaux St Jean by mainline train.  These leave every hour or two, some TGVs that require pre-booking and have dynamic pricing, some TER regional trains with no pre-booking and fixed prices that can be paid on the day.  Allow about 2h from arrival at San Sebastian to departure from Hendaye.  But by all means have lunch in San Sebastian and take a later train!

  For example, there's usually a TGV at 15:28 arriving Bordeaux St Jean 17:58, or a TER around 16:37 arriving Bordeaux St Jean at 19:14.

  The fare is €36 by TER or €38 for TGV paid on the day, or from €24 by TGV if booked in advance.

  Check times & buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly, no booking fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.

Option 2, Madrid to Bordeaux with overnight stop in San Sebastian.  A morning to explore San Sebastian?

• Day 1, travel from Madrid to San Sebastian by Alvia train, leaving Madrid Chamartin at 16:05 and arriving San Sebastian Renfe station at 21:28.

  This is an interesting journey - the train has adjustable axles, it runs over the standard-gauge high-speed line to Burgos at up to 250 km/h (155 mph), then passes slowly through a changeover shed which switches axles to Iberian broad gauge for the rest of the journey over classic lines.  There's great scenery as the train snakes its way up into the foothills of the Pyrenees to San Sebastian.

  Fares start from €17 in 2nd class (Turista) or €22 in 1st class (Turista Plus).  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly to use, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it).  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  You print your own ticket.

• Stay overnight in San Sebastian.  If your budget will stretch, the Hotel de Londres y Inglaterra is a classic, with great character perfectly located right on the sea front, a few minutes walk from the old town and 10 minutes walk from Amara station.  For something cheaper but still with great reviews in the old town, try the Pension Garibai or Pension Alameda.

• Day 2, spend as little or as long as you like in San Sebastian, then go to San Sebastian Amara station and take the little local Euskotren to Hendaye.  This runs every 30 minutes, journey time 37 minutes, fare €2.75, buy at the station from the ticket machines or staffed counters.  See www.euskotren.eus.  At Hendaye, the Euskotren station is adjacent to the mainline SNCF station.

• Day 2, travel from Hendaye to Bordeaux St Jean by mainline train in around 2h30.  These leave every hour or two, some are TGVs which require pre-booking and have dynamic pricing, others TER regional trains with no pre-booking and fixed prices that can be paid on the day.

  The fare is around €36 by TER or €38 for TGV paid on the day, or from €24 by TGV if booked in advance.

  Check times & buy tickets at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, no fee).  Booking for French trains opens up to 4 months ahead.

From Valencia. Alicante, Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Malaga you'd take a fast train to Madrid Atocha, transfer to Madrid Chamartin by suburban train, then travel Madrid to Bordeaux as above.  Check times at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com or renfe.com.

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Spain to Toulouse...

• Step 1, travel from Madrid Atocha, Alicante, Valencia, Seville, Cordoba, Malaga to Barcelona Sants.

  Check times & buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $ with a small booking fee) or the Spanish Railways website  www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly to use, may reject some overseas payment cards).  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  You print your own ticket. 

  I'd allow at least 40 minutes between trains in Barcelona.

• Step 2, from late March to late September there's a direct high-speed AVE S100 train from Barcelona to Carcassone & Toulouse every day, leaving Barcelona Sants at 18:30, see the photos on the AVE S100 page.  There are a variety of other daily departures all year round with one easy change at Narbonne.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Check times and buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no booking fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.

• Alternatively, consider catching an afternoon train to Barcelona and staying there overnight.  Next morning, either take a high-speed train to Toulouse usually with one simple change at Narbonne or use the cheap and scenic local train route from Barcelona to Toulouse through the Pyrenees via Latour de Carol explained here.

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Spain to Lyon...

Option 1, in a single day...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Travel from Madrid to Barcelona by AVE-S103 high-speed train, leaving Madrid Atocha at 10:30 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 13:15.  Fares start at around €35.  By all means take an earlier train and have lunch in Barcelona.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Travel from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona by EuroMed train, leaving Alicante at 07:25 or Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 09:15 arriving Barcelona Sants at 11:55.  Fares start at around €35.

  No same-day connection is possible from Malaga, Cordoba or Seville, so see other options.

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Montpellier by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 14:00, arriving Montpellier Saint-Roche at 17:16.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €39 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Step 3, travel from Montpellier to Lyon by TGV, leaving Montpellier Saint-Roche at 17:57 and arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 19:53.

  Times and even the interchange point may vary, so check online for your date.  TGVs have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee).  Try booking the whole journey in one go, if this doesn't work try booking the Spanish train to Barcelona, add to basket, then Barcelona to Lyon, add to basket & check out.

  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  Booking French trains opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own tickets.

  Alternatively, more work and usually the same prices, book the Spanish train at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly to use, may reject some overseas payment cards) and the Barcelona-Lyon journey at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no booking fee).

Option 2, with overnight stop in Barcelona...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Travel from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants in as little as 2h30 by AVE-S103 high-speed train.  You can leave in the evening, but trains leave almost every hour so why not travel earlier and have a pleasant evening in Barcelona.  Fares start at around €35. 

  Step 1 from Malaga, Seville or Cordoba:  Take the afternoon AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:35, Seville Santa Justa at 14:50 or Cordoba at 15:42, arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:22, with fares from around €46.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Take the once-daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take any afternoon or evening EuroMed train you like from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona.  On Mondays-Fridays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 17:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 19:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 21:55.  On Saturdays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 16:20 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 18:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 20:55.  On Sundays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 18:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 20:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 22:55.  Or there are earlier trains, for a pleasant evening in Barcelona.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Lyon by AVE-S100 high-speed train, leaving Barcelona Sants at 08:15 and arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 13:20.

  The AVE train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  You'll get great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Narbonne & Montpelier, and Béziers cathedral, see the photos, tips & information here.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• How to buy tickets...

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee).  First book the Spanish train to Barcelona and add to basket, then book from Barcelona to Lyon for the following day, add to basket & check out.

  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  Booking for the Barcelona-Lyon train opens up to 4 months ahead. 

  Alternatively, more work and usually the same prices, book the Spanish train at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly to use, may reject some overseas payment cards) and the Barcelona-Lyon train at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no booking fee).

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Spain to Avignon, Marseille, Cannes & Nice...

• Step 1 from Seville & Cordoba:  Travel to Barcelona by AVE high-speed train, leaving Seville Santa Justa at 08:50 or Cordoba at 09:43, arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.  Fares start at around €53.

  Step 1 from Malaga:  Travel to Madrid by AVE high-speed train, leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 09:00 and arriving Madrid Atocha at 11:50.  Fares start at around €28.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Travel to Barcelona by AVE high-speed train, leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.  Fares start at around €53.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Travel to Barcelona by EuroMed train, leaving Alicante at 09:25 or Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 11:15, arriving Barcelona Sants at 13:55.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it).  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  You print your own tickets.

• Step 2, travel from Madrid or Barcelona to Avignon or Marseille by AVE-S100 train, leaving Madrid Atocha at 13:25 or Barcelona Sants at 16:36 and arriving Avignon TGV at 20:50 and Marseille St Charles at 21:33.

  The AVE train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In summer when it's light you'll get great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Narbonne & Montpelier, and Béziers cathedral, see the photos, tips & information here.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own tickets.

• Stay overnight in Marseille.  Suggested inexpensive hotels with good reviews just outside Marseille St Charles station:  Ibis Marseille Centre Gare St Charles, Holiday Inn Express Marseille St Charles.

• Step 3, travel from Marseille to Cannes or Nice on any suitable train, check times & buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or en.oui.sncf.

  For example, the 07:58 TER local train from Marseille St Charles arrives Nice Ville 10:39, or an 08:28 TGV arrives Nice 11:07, and so on.   But why not spend a morning in Marseille?  It's a wonderful city, well worth a look around, see the Marseille page.

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Spain to Brussels from €68...

Option 1, Madrid & Valencia to Brussels in a single day...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Take the 06:20 AVE-S103 high-speed train from Madrid Atocha arriving Barcelona Sants at 09:34, fares from around €35.

  Step 1 from Valencia:  Take the 07:05 EuroMed train from Valencia Joaquin Sorolla to Barcelona Sants, arriving 09:45, Mondays-Fridays only.

  No same-day connection is possible from Alicante, Malaga, Cordoba or Seville, or from Valencia at weekends, so see other options.

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 10:05 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 16:46.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Allow at least 60 minutes to change trains & stations in Paris from the Gare de Lyon to the Gare du Nord.

• Step 3, travel from Paris to Brussels by Thalys train, there's usually one leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 18:25 arriving Brussels Midi 19:47.

  Thalys trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see the Thalys information page.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €55 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, as you can then buy all your tickets together in one place, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem.

  Try booking from Madrid or Valencia to Brussels as one transaction, if you have any problems, book each train separately, adding each to your basket and checking out at the end.  You print your own tickets.  Booking for the TGV & Thalys opens up to 4 months ahead, but booking only opens 60 days ahead for Spanish trains.  There's a small booking fee.

  Tip:  If booking the whole trip in one go, I recommend clicking More options, entering Paris (any station) as a via station, with a stopover duration of 1 hour (or longer, if you'd like more time in Paris).  This gets you a more robust connection, by default the SNCF ticketing system allows cross-Paris connections as short as 40 minutes, which I consider far too tight for comfort.

  Tip: I recommend an upstairs seat on the TGV Duplex for the best views.  Raileurope.com shows you your seat number before you confirm & pay, and any seat number over 60 is on the upper deck.  If you don't get an upper deck seat, simply leave it in your basket & try again until you get an upstairs seat, then delete the tickets you don't want from your basket.

  Alternatively, you can book each train separately, although it's more effort and unlikely to make it materially cheaper, other than avoiding a small booking fee:  Book the Spanish trains with Renfe at www.renfe.com, but see advice on using it here. Book from Barcelona to Paris at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf, then book the Thalys at en.oui.sncf.

Option 2, Spanish cities to Brussels with overnight stop in Barcelona...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Travel from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants in as little as 2h30 by AVE-S103 high-speed train.  You can leave in the evening, but trains leave almost every hour so why not travel earlier and have a pleasant evening in Barcelona.  Fares start at around €35.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com

  Step 1 from Malaga, Seville or Cordoba:  Take the afternoon AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:35, Seville Santa Justa at 14:50 or Cordoba at 15:42, arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:22.  Fares start at around €46.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Take the once-daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take any afternoon or evening EuroMed train you like from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona.  On Mondays-Fridays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 17:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 19:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 21:55.  On Saturdays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 16:20 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 18:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 20:55.  On Sundays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 18:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 20:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 22:55.  Or there are earlier trains, of course.  Check train times at www.raileurope.com or www.renfe.com and book any train you like, why not have a pleasant evening in Barcelona?

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 10:05 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 16:46.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Allow at least 60 minutes to change trains & stations in Paris from the Gare de Lyon to the Gare du Nord.

• Step 3, travel from Paris to Brussels by Thalys train, there's usually one leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 18:25 arriving Brussels Midi 19:47.

  Thalys trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see the Thalys information page.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €55 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, you can then buy all your tickets together in one place, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem.

  First book from any Spanish city to Barcelona, add to basket, then book from Barcelona to Brussels all in one go for the following day and add that to your basket, then check out.  You print your own tickets.  Booking for the TGV & Thalys opens up to 4 months ahead, but only 60 days ahead for Spanish trains.  There's a small booking fee.

  Tip:  When booking Barcelona to Brussels I recommend clicking More options, entering Paris (any station) as a via station, with a stopover duration of 1 hour (or longer, if you'd like more time in Paris).  This gets you a more robust connection, by default the SNCF ticketing system allows cross-Paris connections as short as 40 minutes, which I consider far too tight for comfort.

  Tip: I recommend an upstairs seat on the TGV Duplex for the best views.  Raileurope.com shows you your seat number before you confirm & pay, and any seat number over 60 is on the upper deck.  If you don't get an upper deck seat, simply leave it in your basket & try again until you get an upstairs seat, then delete the tickets you don't want from your basket.

  Alternatively, you can book each train separately, although it's more effort and unlikely to make it materially cheaper, other than avoiding a small booking fee:  Book the Spanish trains with Renfe at www.renfe.com, but see advice on using it here. Book from Barcelona to Paris at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf, then book the Thalys at en.oui.sncf.

Option 3, Spanish cities to Brussels with overnight stop in Paris...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Take the 10:30 AVE-S103 high-speed train from Madrid Atocha arriving Barcelona Sants at 13:15, with fares from around €35.  By all means take an earlier train and have lunch in Barcelona.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take a EuroMed train to Barcelona, leaving Alicante at 07:25 or Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 09:15 arriving Barcelona Sants at 11:55.

  No same-day connection is possible from Malaga, Cordoba or Seville, so see other options.

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 14:00, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 20:48.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Stay overnight in Paris, see suggested hotels near the station.

• Step 3, next morning take any Thalys you like from Paris to Brussels, the 06:13 from Paris Gare du Nord arrives Brussels Midi at 07:35, but by all means have a leisurely breakfast and take a later one, they leave every hour or so.

  Thalys trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see the Thalys information page.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €55 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, you can then buy all your tickets together in one place, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem.

  First book from any Spanish city to Paris, add to basket, then book from Paris to Brussels for the following day and add that to your basket, then check out.  You print your own tickets.  Booking for the TGV & Thalys opens up to 4 months ahead, but only 60 days ahead for Spanish trains.  There's a small booking fee.

  Alternatively, you can book each train separately, although it's more effort and unlikely to make it materially cheaper, other than avoiding a small booking fee:  Book the Spanish trains with Renfe at www.renfe.com, but see advice on using it here. Book from Barcelona to Paris at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf, then also book the Thalys at en.oui.sncf.

Option 4, by high-speed TGV with overnight stop in Paris, later departure due to run from 29 May to 30 August 2020, 2021 dates not known.

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Take the 12:30 AVE-S103 high-speed train from Madrid Atocha arriving Barcelona Sants at 15:30, with fares from around €35.  By all means take an earlier train and have lunch in Barcelona.

  Step 1 from Seville & Cordoba:  Take the morning AVE-S112 high-speed train at 08:50 from Seville or 09:43 from Cordoba, arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25, fares from around €46.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Take the daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take a morning EuroMed train to Barcelona, leaving Alicante at 09:25 or Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 11:15, arriving Barcelona Sants 13:55.  By all means take an earlier train and have lunch in Barcelona.

  Check times from any Spanish city to Barcelona at www.raileurope.com, allowing at least 40 minutes to change trains in Barcelona.

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 16:10, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 22:46.   This train was due to run from 29 May to 30 August 2020, 2021 dates not known.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Stay overnight in Paris, see suggested hotels near the station.  How to change stations by metro or taxi.

• Step 3, next morning, take any Thalys you like from Paris Gare du Nord to Brussels Midi, they leave every hour or so, journey time 1h20.  You can be in downtown Brussels by 08:00 if you like!

  Thalys trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see the Thalys information page.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €55 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, you can then buy all your tickets together in one place, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem.

  First book from any Spanish city to Paris, add to basket, then book from Paris to Brussels for the following day and add that to your basket, then check out.  You print your own tickets.  Booking for the TGV & Thalys opens up to 4 months ahead, but only 60 days ahead for Spanish trains.  There's a small booking fee.

  Alternatively, you can book each train separately, although it's more effort and unlikely to make it materially cheaper, other than avoiding a small booking fee:  Book the Spanish trains with Renfe at www.renfe.com, but see advice on using it here. Book from Barcelona to Paris at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf, then book the Thalys at en.oui.sncf.

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Spain to Amsterdam from €74...

Option 1, Madrid & Valencia to Amsterdam in a single day...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Take the 06:20 AVE-S103 high-speed train from Madrid Atocha arriving Barcelona Sants at 09:34, fares from around €35.

  Step 1 from Valencia:  Take the 07:05 EuroMed train from Valencia Joaquin Sorolla to Barcelona Sants, arriving 09:45, Mondays-Fridays only.

  No same-day connection is possible from Alicante, Malaga, Cordoba or Seville, or from Valencia at weekends, so see options 3 & 4.

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 10:05 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 16:46.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Allow at least 60 minutes to change trains & stations in Paris from the Gare de Lyon to the Gare du Nord.

• Step 3, travel from Paris to Amsterdam by Thalys train, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 18:25 and arriving Amsterdam Centraal 21:44.

  Thalys trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see the Thalys information page.

  Fares start at €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, you can then buy all your tickets together in one place, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem.

  Try booking from Madrid or Valencia to Amsterdam as one transaction, if you have any problems, book each train separately, adding each to your basket and checking out at the end.  You print your own tickets.  Booking for the TGV & Thalys opens up to 4 months ahead, but only 60 days ahead for Spanish trains.  There's a small booking fee.

  Tip:  If booking the whole trip in one go, I recommend clicking More options, entering Paris (any station) as a via station, with a stopover duration of 1 hour (or longer, if you'd like more time in Paris).  This gets you a more robust connection, by default the SNCF ticketing system allows cross-Paris connections as short as 40 minutes, which I consider far too tight for comfort.

  Tip: I recommend an upstairs seat on the TGV Duplex for the best views.  Raileurope.com shows you your seat number before you confirm & pay, and any seat number over 60 is on the upper deck.  If you don't get an upper deck seat, simply leave it in your basket & try again until you get an upstairs seat, then delete the tickets you don't want from your basket.

  Alternatively, you can book each train separately, although it's more effort and unlikely to make it materially cheaper, other than avoiding a small booking fee:  Book the Spanish trains with Renfe at www.renfe.com, but see advice on using it here. Book from Barcelona to Paris at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf, then book the Thalys at en.oui.sncf.

Option 2, Spanish cities to Amsterdam with overnight stop in Barcelona...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Travel from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants in as little as 2h30 by AVE-S103 high-speed train.  You can leave in the evening, but trains leave almost every hour so why not travel earlier and have a pleasant evening in Barcelona.  Fares start at around €35.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com

  Step 1 from Malaga, Seville or Cordoba:  Take the afternoon AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:35, Seville Santa Justa at 14:50 or Cordoba at 15:42, arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:22.  Fares start at around €46.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Take the once-daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take any afternoon or evening EuroMed train you like from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona.  On Mondays-Fridays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 17:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 19:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 21:55.  On Saturdays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 16:20 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 18:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 20:55.  On Sundays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 18:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 20:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 22:55.  Or there are earlier trains, of course.  Check train times at www.raileurope.com or www.renfe.com and book any train you like, why not have a pleasant evening in Barcelona?

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 10:05 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 16:46.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Allow at least 60 minutes to change trains & stations in Paris from the Gare de Lyon to the Gare du Nord.

• Step 3, travel from Paris to Amsterdam by Thalys, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 19:25 and arriving Amsterdam Centraal 22:44.

  Thalys trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see the Thalys information page.

  Fares start at €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, you can then buy all your tickets together in one place, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem.

  First book from any Spanish city to Barcelona, add to basket, then book from Barcelona to Amsterdam all in one go for the following day and add that to your basket, then check out.  You print your own tickets.  Booking for the TGV & Thalys opens 4 months ahead, but only 60 days ahead for Spanish trains.  There's a small booking fee.

  Tip:  When booking Barcelona to Amsterdam I recommend clicking More options, entering Paris (any station) as a via station, with a stopover duration of 1 hour (or longer, if you'd like more time in Paris).  This gets you a more robust connection, by default the SNCF ticketing system allows cross-Paris connections as short as 40 minutes, which I consider far too tight for comfort.

  Tip: I recommend an upstairs seat on the TGV Duplex for the best views.  Raileurope.com shows you your seat number before you confirm & pay, and any seat number over 60 is on the upper deck.  If you don't get an upper deck seat, simply leave it in your basket & try again until you get an upstairs seat, then delete the tickets you don't want from your basket.

  Alternatively, you can book each train separately, although it's more effort and unlikely to make it materially cheaper, other than avoiding the booking fee:  Book the Spanish trains with Renfe at www.renfe.com, but see advice on using it here. Book from Barcelona to Paris at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf, then book the Thalys at en.oui.sncf.

Option 3, Spanish cities to Amsterdam with overnight stop in Paris...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Take the 10:30 AVE-S103 high-speed train from Madrid Atocha arriving Barcelona Sants at 13:15, with fares from around €35.  By all means take an earlier train and have lunch in Barcelona.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take a EuroMed train to Barcelona, leaving Alicante at 07:25 or Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 09:15 arriving Barcelona Sants at 11:55.

  No same-day connection is possible from Malaga, Cordoba or Seville, so see other options.

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 14:00, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 20:48.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Stay overnight in Paris, see suggested hotels near the station.

• Step 3, next morning travel from Paris to Amsterdam on any Thalys you like.  The 06:25 from Paris Gare du Nord arrives Amsterdam Centraal at 09:44, but by all means have a leisurely breakfast and take a later one, they leave every hour or two.

  Thalys trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see the Thalys information page.

  Fares start at €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, you can then buy all your tickets together in one place, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem.

  First book from any Spanish city to Paris, add to basket, then book from Paris to Amsterdam for the following day and add that to your basket, then check out.  You print your own tickets.  Booking for the TGV & Thalys usually opens up to 4 months ahead, but only 60 days ahead for Spanish trains.  There's a small booking fee.

  Alternatively, you can book each train separately, although it's more effort and unlikely to make it materially cheaper, other than avoiding a small booking fee:  Book the Spanish trains with Renfe at www.renfe.com, but see advice on using it here. Book from Barcelona to Paris at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf, then also book the Thalys at en.oui.sncf.

Option 4, Spanish cities to Amsterdam with overnight stop in Paris, later departure 29 May to 30 August 2020, 2021 dates not known.

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Take the 12:30 AVE-S103 high-speed train from Madrid Atocha arriving Barcelona Sants at 15:30, with fares from around €35.  By all means take an earlier train and have lunch in Barcelona.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take a morning EuroMed train to Barcelona, leaving Alicante at 09:25 or Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 11:15, arriving Barcelona Sants 13:55.  By all means take an earlier train and have lunch in Barcelona.

  Step 1 from Seville & Cordoba:  Take the morning AVE-S112 high-speed train at 08:50 from Seville, arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25, fares from around €46.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Take the daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Check times from any Spanish city to Barcelona at www.raileurope.com, allowing at least 40 minutes to change trains in Barcelona.

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 16:10, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 22:46. This train was due to run from 29 May to 30 August 2020, 2021 dates not known.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Stay overnight in Paris, see suggested hotels near the station.

• Step 3, next morning travel from Paris to Amsterdam on any Thalys you like.  The 06:25 from Paris Gare du Nord arrives Amsterdam Centraal at 09:44, but by all means have a leisurely breakfast and take a later one, they leave every hour or two.

  Thalys trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see the Thalys information page.

  Fares start at €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, you can then buy all your tickets together in one place, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem.

  First book from any Spanish city to Paris, add to basket, then book from Paris to Amsterdam for the following day and add that to your basket, then check out.  You print your own tickets.  Booking for the TGV & Thalys opens up to 4 months ahead, but only 60 days ahead for Spanish trains.  There's a small booking fee.

  Alternatively, you can book each train separately, although it's more effort and unlikely to make it materially cheaper, other than avoiding a small booking fee:  Book the Spanish trains with Renfe at www.renfe.com, but see advice on using it here. Book from Barcelona to Paris at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf, then also book the Thalys at en.oui.sncf.

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Spain to Luxembourg...

Option 1, Madrid & Valencia to Luxembourg in a single day...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Take the 06:20 AVE-S103 high-speed train from Madrid Atocha arriving Barcelona Sants at 09:34, fares from around €35.

  Step 1 from Valencia:  Take the 07:05 EuroMed train from Valencia Joaquin Sorolla to Barcelona Sants, arriving 09:45, Mondays-Fridays only.

  No same-day connection is possible from Alicante, Malaga, Cordoba or Seville, or from Valencia at weekends, so see options 3 & 4.

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 10:05 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 16:46.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Allow at least 60 minutes to change trains & stations in Paris from the Gare de Lyon to the Gare de l'Est.

• Step 3, travel from Paris to Luxembourg by TGV, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 18:40 Sat & Sun arriving Luxembourg 20:52 or 19:40 Mon-Fri, arriving Luxembourg 21:52.  The TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, you can then buy all your tickets together in one place, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem.

  Try booking from Madrid or Valencia to Luxembourg as one transaction, if you have any problems, book each train separately, adding each to your basket and checking out at the end.  You print your own tickets.  Booking for the TGVs opens up to 4 months ahead, but only 60 days ahead for Spanish trains.  There's a small booking fee.

  Tip:  If booking the whole trip in one go, I recommend clicking More options, entering Paris (any station) as a via station, with a stopover duration of 1 hour.  This ensures a robust connection, by default the SNCF ticketing system allows cross-Paris connections as short as 40 minutes, which I consider far too tight for comfort.

  Tip: I recommend an upstairs seat on the TGV Duplex for the best views.  Raileurope.com shows you your seat number before you confirm & pay, and any seat number over 60 is on the upper deck.  If you don't get an upper deck seat, simply leave it in your basket & try again until you get an upstairs seat, then delete the tickets you don't want from your basket.

  Alternatively, you can book each train separately, although it's more effort and unlikely to make it materially cheaper, other than avoiding a small booking fee:  Book the Spanish trains with Renfe at www.renfe.com, but see advice on using it here. Book from Barcelona to Paris at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf, then book Paris to Luxembourg at en.oui.sncf.

Option 2, Spanish cities to Luxembourg with overnight stop in Barcelona...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Travel from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants in as little as 2h30 by AVE-S103 high-speed train.  You can leave in the evening, but trains leave almost every hour so why not travel earlier and have a pleasant evening in Barcelona.  Fares start at around €35.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com

  Step 1 from Malaga, Seville or Cordoba:  Take the afternoon AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:35, Seville Santa Justa at 14:50 or Cordoba at 15:42, arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:22.  Fares start at around €46.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Take the once-daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take any afternoon or evening EuroMed train you like from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona.  On Mondays-Fridays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 17:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 19:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 21:55.  On Saturdays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 16:20 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 18:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 20:55.  On Sundays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 18:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 20:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 22:55.  Or there are earlier trains, of course.  Check train times at www.raileurope.com or www.renfe.com and book any train you like, why not have a pleasant evening in Barcelona?

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 10:05 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 16:46.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Allow at least 60 minutes to change trains & stations in Paris from the Gare de Lyon to the Gare de l'Est.

• Step 3, travel from Paris to Luxembourg by TGV, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 18:40 Sat & Sun arriving Luxembourg 20:52 or 19:40 Mon-Fri, arriving Luxembourg 21:52.  The TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, you can then buy all your tickets together in one place, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem.

  First book from any Spanish city to Barcelona, add to basket, then book from Barcelona to Luxembourg all in one go for the following day and add that to your basket, then check out.  You print your own tickets.  Booking for the TGVs opens up to 4 months ahead, but only 60 days ahead for Spanish trains.  There's a small booking fee.

  Tip:  When booking Barcelona to Luxembourg I recommend clicking More options, entering Paris (any station) as a via station, with a stopover duration of 1 hour .  This gets you a more robust connection, by default the SNCF ticketing system allows cross-Paris connections as short as 40 minutes, which I consider far too tight for comfort.

  Tip: I recommend an upstairs seat on the TGV Duplex for the best views.  Raileurope.com shows you your seat number before you confirm & pay, and any seat number over 60 is on the upper deck.  If you don't get an upper deck seat, simply leave it in your basket & try again until you get an upstairs seat, then delete the tickets you don't want from your basket.

  Alternatively, you can book each train separately, although it's more effort and unlikely to make it materially cheaper, other than avoiding the booking fee:  Book the Spanish trains with Renfe at www.renfe.com, but see advice on using it here. Book from Barcelona to Paris at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf, then book Paris-Luxembourg at en.oui.sncf.

Option 3, Spanish cities to Luxembourg with overnight stop in Paris...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Take the 10:30 AVE-S103 high-speed train from Madrid Atocha arriving Barcelona Sants at 13:15, with fares from around €35.  By all means take an earlier train and have lunch in Barcelona.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take a EuroMed train to Barcelona, leaving Alicante at 07:25 or Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 09:15 arriving Barcelona Sants at 11:55.

  No same-day connection is possible from Malaga, Cordoba or Seville, so see other options.

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 14:00, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 20:48.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Stay overnight in Paris, see suggested hotels near the station.

• Step 3, next morning travel from Paris to Luxembourg by TGV.  On Mondays-Fridays the 07:28 from Paris Gare du Nord arrives Luxembourg at 09:45.  On Saturdays, the 07:40 from Paris Gare du Nord arrives Luxembourg at 09:52.  On Sundays, the 10:29 from Paris Gare du Nord arrives Luxembourg at 12:52.  Or there are later trains.

  The TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, you can then buy all your tickets together in one place, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem.

  First book from any Spanish city to Paris, add to basket, then book from Paris to Luxembourg for the following day and add that to your basket, then check out.  You print your own tickets.  Booking for the TGVs opens up to 4 months ahead, but only 60 days ahead for Spanish trains.  There's a small booking fee.

  Alternatively, you can book each train separately, although it's more effort and unlikely to make it materially cheaper, other than avoiding a booking fee:  Book the Spanish trains with Renfe at www.renfe.com, but see advice on using it here.  Book from Barcelona to Paris at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf, then also book Paris-Luxembourg at en.oui.sncf.

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Spain to Geneva, Zurich & Switzerland from €59...

Option 1, by high-speed trains with overnight stop in Barcelona...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Travel from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants in as little as 2h30 by AVE-S103 high-speed train.  You can leave in the evening, but trains leave almost every hour so why not travel earlier and have a pleasant evening in Barcelona.  Fares start at around €35.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com

  Step 1 from Malaga, Seville or Cordoba:  Take the afternoon AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:35, Seville Santa Justa at 14:50 or Cordoba at 15:42, arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:22, with fares from around €46.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Take the once-daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take any afternoon or evening EuroMed train you like from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona.  On Mondays-Fridays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 17:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 19:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 21:55.  On Saturdays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 16:20 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 18:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 20:55.  On Sundays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 18:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 20:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 22:55.  Or there are earlier trains, for a pleasant evening in Barcelona.

  Buy tickets for any of these trains at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards).  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  You print your own tickets.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Lyon by AVE-S100 high-speed train, leaving Barcelona Sants at 08:15 and arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 13:20.

  The AVE train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  You'll get great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Narbonne & Montpelier, and Béziers cathedral, see the photos, tips & information here.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Step 3, travel from Lyon to Geneva by TER regional train, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 14:38 and arriving Geneva at 16:35.

  This is a lovely ride through the Jura mountains and along the Rhône.  The fare is a fixed-price €29.60.  2nd class only.

• Buy tickets from Barcelona to Geneva at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own tickets.

• Step 4, take an onward train from Geneva to anywhere in Switzerland.  Check times and buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch (in CHF).  If you buy in advance you may find Swiss Supersaver fares available, saving up to 70% off regular Swiss rail fares.  Booking for Swiss trains opens 60 days ahead.

Option 2, Madrid to Avignon or Marseille in the afternoon, overnight stop & morning free, then afternoon TGV to Geneva...

• This option is well worth considering as Avignon & Marseille are both great stopover cities.  Avignon town centre is 3 miles from Avignon TGV station, there is a shuttle train or plenty of taxis available.  Marseille St Charles station is in Marseille city centre a stroll from the Vieux Port.

• Step 1 from Seville & Cordoba:  Travel to Barcelona by AVE high-speed train, leaving Seville Santa Justa at 08:50 or Cordoba at 09:43, arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.  Fares start at around €53.

  Step 1 from Malaga:  Travel to Madrid by AVE high-speed train, leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 09:00 and arriving Madrid Atocha at 11:50.  Fares start at around €28.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Travel to Barcelona by AVE high-speed train, leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.  Fares start at around €53.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Travel to Barcelona by EuroMed train, leaving Alicante at 09:25 or Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 11:15, arriving Barcelona Sants at 13:55.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it).  You print your own tickets.  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  You print your own ticket.

• Step 2, travel from Madrid or Barcelona to Avignon or Marseille by AVE-S100 train, leaving Madrid Atocha at 13:25 or Barcelona Sants at 16:36 and arriving Avignon TGV at 20:50 and Marseille St Charles at 21:33.

  The AVE train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In summer when it's light, you'll get great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Narbonne & Montpelier, and Béziers cathedral, see the photos, tips & information here.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own tickets.

• Stay overnight in Avignon or Marseille.  Suggested inexpensive hotels with good reviews near Marseille St Charles station include the Ibis Marseille Centre Gare St Charles, Holiday Inn Express Marseille St Charles.

• Step 3, travel from Avignon or Marseille to Geneva, leaving Marseille St Charles at 09:44 or Avignon TGV at 10:25 by TGV high-speed train, change at Lyon Part Dieu onto a TER regional train, arriving Geneva at 14:35.

  By all means book a later train if you'd like a morning in Avignon or Marseille.

  Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €33 in 1st class for the TGV, fares vary like air fares.  The TER is a fixed-price €29.60.

  Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

  There's more great scenery up the Rhône Valley and through the mountains to Geneva.  There's a cafe-bar on board and power sockets at all seats.  Change in Geneva for onward trains to Lausanne, Montreux, Bern, Zurich, booking onward tickets at www.sbb.ch.

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Spain to Milan, Venice, Rome & Italy from €81...

Option 1, by high-speed train from Madrid to Marseille, overnight stop, Thello train from Marseille to Milan.

• Step 1 from Seville & Cordoba:  Travel to Barcelona by AVE high-speed train, leaving Seville Santa Justa at 08:50 or Cordoba at 09:43, arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.  Fares start at around €53.

  Step 1 from Malaga:  Travel to Madrid by AVE high-speed train, leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 09:00 and arriving Madrid Atocha at 11:50.  Fares start at around €28.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Travel to Barcelona by AVE high-speed train, leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.  Fares start at around €53.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Travel to Barcelona by EuroMed train, leaving Alicante at 09:25 or Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 11:15, arriving Barcelona Sants at 13:55.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it).  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  You print your own tickets.

• Step 2, travel from Madrid or Barcelona to Marseille by AVE-S100 train, leaving Madrid Atocha at 13:25 or Barcelona Sants at 16:36 and arriving Marseille St Charles at 21:33.

  The AVE train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In summer when it's light, you'll get great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Narbonne & Montpelier, and Béziers cathedral, see the photos, tips & information here.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own tickets.

• Stay overnight in Marseille and spend next morning exploring the city - see the Vieux Port, Eglise Notre Dame de la Garde, and maybe even take a ferry to the fearsome Chateau d'If, of Count of Monte Cristo fame.  Suggested inexpensive hotels with good reviews just outside Marseille St Charles station:  Ibis Marseille Centre Gare St Charles, Holiday Inn Express Marseille St Charles.

• Day 2, travel from Marseille to Italy by Thello train, leaving Marseille St Charles at 11:28, arriving Genoa at 17:05 & Milan Centrale at 18:53.

  This comfortable Thello train has a cafe counter and power sockets at all seats.  There's lovely scenery along the Italian Riviera, too.  There's more lovely scenery along the Italian Riviera.

  Fares start at €30 in 2nd class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy tickets from Marseille to anywhere in Italy at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.  For Thello & other Italian trains it's ticketless, you just quote the booking reference on board.

• Day 2 change at Milan for a Frecciarossa high-speed train leaving Milan Centrale at 19:25 and Rome Termini 22:40.  Another Frecciarossa leaves Milan Centrale at 19:10 and arrives Florence SMN 21:04.  Another Frecciarossa leaves Milan Centrale at 19:15 arriving Verona Porta Nuova at 20:28 & Venice Santa Lucia at 21:42.

  Fares from Milan to Florence or Venice start at €19.90, to Rome or Naples from €29.90.  Connections to Pisa & Rome are also possible changing at Genoa rather than Milan, see what the system suggests.

Marseille to Milan by Thello train...

Option 2, via Lyon, from the Pyrenees to the Alps with lunch in Lyon...

• Day 1 from Madrid:  Take an evening AVE-S103 high-speed train from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants in as little as 2h30 from around €35.  There are departures almost every hour, pick any that suits you.

  Day 1 from Malaga, Seville or Cordoba:  Take the afternoon AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:35, Seville Santa Justa at 14:50 or Cordoba at 15:42, arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:22, with fares from around €46.

  Day 1 from Granada:  Take the once-daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Day 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take any afternoon or evening EuroMed train you like from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona.  On Mondays-Fridays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 17:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 19:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 21:55.  On Saturdays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 16:20 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 18:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 20:55.  On Sundays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 18:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 20:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 22:55.  Or there are earlier trains, for a pleasant evening in Barcelona.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Day 2, travel from Barcelona to Lyon by AVE-S100 high-speed train, leaving Barcelona Sants at 08:15 and arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 13:20.

  The AVE train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  You'll get great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Narbonne & Montpelier, and Béziers cathedral, see the photos, tips & information here.

  Fares for this train start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Have lunch in Lyon (see suggested brasserie near Lyon Part Dieu), then transfer from Lyon Part Dieu to Lyon St Exupéry by Rhône Express tram, a tram runs every 15 minutes, journey time 30 minutes.  If you'd rather head of to St Exupéry sooner rather than later, there's a basic self-service restaurant as well as a waiter-service restaurant in the terminal building adjacent to St Exupéry TGV station and linked to it by walkway.

• Day 2, travel from Lyon to Turin & Milan by TGV, leaving Lyon St Exupéry 16:38 & arriving Turin Porta Susa 20:22 & Milan Porta Garibaldi 21:50.

  This is a lovely ride at low speed snaking through the Alps, see the photos & video here.  The train has a cafe-bar & power sockets at all seats, sit back and enjoy the ride.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €44 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Stay overnight in either Turin or Milan.  Personally I'd choose Turin, a lovely city even if you're not a fan of the 1969 Michael Caine film The Italian Job which was set there.  I'd allow some time for a look around next morning...

  In Turin I suggest the Hotel Torino Porta Susa or Hotel Diplomatic, Best Quality Hotel Dock Milano or small Al Porta Susa B&B, all right next to Turin Porta Susa station where the TGV arrives and where your onward train leaves next morning, with good or great reviews.  Alternatively, the excellent Turin Palace Hotel is in the centre right next to Porta Nuova station, a 7 minute taxi ride, 3-stop €1.50 metro ride or 20 minute walk from Porta Susa, but next morning you can board your train to Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples at Porta Nuova station where these trains start their journey.

  In Milan, the AC Milano Hotel (a Marriott Lifestyle Hotel) is 350 yards from Milan Porta Garibaldi and gets good reviews.

• Day 3, take a morning train to anywhere in Italy...

  For Florence, Rome or Naples take a 300 km/h (186 mph) Frecciarossa train from Turin Porta Nuova, Turin Porta Susa, Milan Centrale or Milan Porta Garibaldi to Florence SMN from €19.90, to Rome Termini or Naples Centrale from €29.90.  There are regular departures throughout the day, Turin-Florence takes 2h48, Milan-Florence takes 1h40, Turin-Rome 3h55, Milan-Rome 2h55.

  Alternatively, you can travel on a competing privately-run Italo train from Turin or Milan to Florence, Rome and Naples (www.italotreno.it).

  For Verona or Venice take a 186mph  Frecciarossa high-speed train from Turin Porta Nuova, Turin Porta Susa or Milan Centrale to Verona Porta Nuova or Venice Santa Lucia.  Milan to Venice takes 2h35 from €19.90.  Turin to Venice takes 3h25 from €19.90.  It's easier to change in Turin as that's a same-station change.  In Milan, a transfer from Porta Garibaldi to Centrale is a 25 minute walk or €6 10 minute taxi ride.

  For Cinque Terre take a train from Milan Centrale to Monterosso, some direct in as little as 2h57 from €19.90, or there are other departures involving a change.  There are also trains from Milan Centrale to Genoa (1h32) and Pisa (3h47).

• How to buy tickets...

  The easiest way to buy tickets is to use www.raileurope.com, as you can buy all the tickets together in one place, in plain English, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  About Raileurope.

  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  Booking for the other trains opens up to 4 months ahead.

  Go to www.raileurope.com, book the Spanish train to Barcelona.  Then book the direct morning train from Barcelona Sants to Lyon Part Dieu for day 2 and add this to your basket.  Then book the direct afternoon train from Lyon St Exupéry to Turin or Milan and add that to your basket.  Then book a train from Turin or Milan to your final Italian destination for the following morning (day 3), add to basket and check out.  Raileurope.com can book both Trenitalia and Italo trains, you'll see both operators listed.

  For the TGV you can print your ticket or select a mobile ticket to show on your smartphone.  Italian high-speed trains are ticketless, you just quote the booking reference on board.

• How to buy tickets, advanced...

  You can of course book each train separately with the relevant operator, with no booking fee.  This means more work and it won't necessarily make it any cheaper.

  Step 1, book from Barcelona to Lyon at the French Railways website, en.oui.sncf.  Step 2, use en.oui.sncf again to book Lyon to Turin or Milan.  Step 3, now buy onward Italian train tickets online from Milan or Turin to anywhere in Italy at either www.italiarail.com (easy to use, in plain English, they'll refund seat61 users the €3.50 booking fee if you email seat61@italiarail.com with your PNR) or Trenitalia site www.trenitalia.com, but for that you'll need to use Italian-language place names and it has a few quirks so see this advice on using it.  Both sites sell the same tickets at the same prices and both usually offer ticketless travel, you simply quote your PNR on board the train.

Option 3, by TGV to Geneva & scenic train through the Alps to Italy...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Travel from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants in as little as 2h30 by AVE-S103 high-speed train.  You can leave in the evening, but trains leave almost every hour so why not travel earlier and have a pleasant evening in Barcelona.  Fares start at around €35.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com

  Step 1 from Malaga, Seville or Cordoba:  Take the afternoon AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:35, Seville Santa Justa at 14:50 or Cordoba at 15:42, arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:22, with fares from around €46.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Take the once-daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take any afternoon or evening EuroMed train you like from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona.  On Mondays-Fridays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 17:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 19:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 21:55.  On Saturdays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 16:20 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 18:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 20:55.  On Sundays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 18:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 20:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 22:55.  Or there are earlier trains, for a pleasant evening in Barcelona.

  Buy a ticket for any of these trains at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards).  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  You print your own ticket.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Lyon by AVE-S100 high-speed train, leaving Barcelona Sants at 08:15 and arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 13:20

  The AVE train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  You'll get great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Narbonne & Montpelier, and Béziers cathedral, see the photos, tips & information here.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Buy a ticket at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

• Step 3, travel from Lyon to Geneva by TER regional train, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 14:38 and arriving Geneva at 16:35.

  This is a pleasant journey through the Jura and along the Rhone.  The fare is a fixed-price €29.60.  2nd class only.

  Buy a ticket at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no fee).  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your smartphone.  You can usually book Barcelona to Geneva as one transaction.

• Step 4, travel from Geneva to Milan by EuroCity train, leaving Geneva at 18:39 and arriving Milan Centrale at 22:40.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Buy a ticket at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or www.italiarail.com (easiest, their €3.50 booking fee will be refunded if you email them afterwards at seat61@italiarail.com) or www.trenitalia.com.  It's ticketless, you just quote the booking reference on the train.

• Stay overnight in Milan.  Hotels near the station with good reviews: Made to Measure Business, 43 Station Hotel, Starhotel Echo or Starhotel Anderson.

• Step 5, take an onward train from Milan to Venice or Florence from €19.90, or to Rome or Naples from €29.90 booked at either www.italiarail.com or www.trenitalia.com.  There are many departures to choose from.  It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board the train.

• Alternatively, you could stay overnight in Geneva (hotels near the station with good reviews include Hotel Cornavin Geneve, Hotel Les Arcades, ibis Styles Geneva Gare) and travel from Geneva to Italy next day.  There's a direct 07:39 to Venice Santa Lucia arriving 14:40, with fares from €39 booked at either www.raileurope.com or www.italiarail.com or www.trenitalia.com.

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Spain to Lisbon & Portugal...

Madrid to Lisbon by sleeper train from €33...

• There's an excellent trenhotel sleeper train leaving Madrid Chamartin at 21:50 and arriving Lisbon Oriente at 07:20 and Lisbon Santa Apolonia at 07:30 called the Lusitania.  It runs every day, and will save a hotel bill too.

• It has 4-berth tourist class sleepers (Cama Turista), 1 & 2 berth Preferente class sleepers with washbasin, and 1 & 2 berth Gran Class sleepers with private shower & toilet.  There are also reclining seats (not recommended, always book a bed in a tourist sleeper), and a café-bar serving drinks, snacks & meals.  See photos & more information about the Trenhotel Lusitania.

• Fares start at €33 for you a comfortable bed in a safe and cosy shared 4-bed sleeper if you find a cheap Promo fare in advance, or it costs €84 full-price at short notice.  A bed in a private 2-bed Gran Clase sleeper with shower costs around €146 per person, see full details of the fares here.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  You print your own ticket.  Raileurope.com connects to the Spanish (Renfe) ticketing system to sell the same cheap prices as Renfe themselves, but in plain English with no credit card rejection problems.

  Tip:  Booking for the Lusitania opens 60 days before departure, you can't buy tickets before booking opens.  Raileurope.com defaults to Lisbon Oriente, so I recommend entering the specific Lisbon Santa Apolonia (for the city centre).

• You can also book at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com, in €, but see this advice on using renfe.com as it explains all the odd translations and types of fare and sleeper, with help if your credit card is rejected.  It's much easier to use www.raileurope.com.

Madrid to Lisbon by daytime trains...

Since 2017 it's once more possible to travel between Madrid and Lisbon by comfortable daytime trains, albeit with 2 changes.  Here's how:

• Step 1, travel from Madrid to Badajoz Mondays-Saturdays only by comfortable air-conditioned Media Distancia express, leaving Madrid Atocha Cercanias at 08:04 arriving Badajoz at 13:57.

  Cercanias simply means Atocha's suburban through platforms, as opposed to the terminus platforms used by AVEs.  The train is a smart air-conditioned series 599 train, Turista class only with power sockets at all seats, there are vending machines but no cafe-bar so bring your own food and drink.  Have lunch in Badajoz.

  The fare is €34.10 whether you book in advance or buy on the day, but as places are all reserved booking ahead is better even though there are usually places available right up until departure.

  Buy a ticket at www.raileurope.com.  You print your own ticket.

• Step 2, travel from Badajoz to Entroncamento by regional train, leaving Badajoz at 16:24 and arriving in Entroncamento at 18:25. 

  The train is a single-coach air-conditioned Allan railcar, built in 1954-55 but completely modernised in 2000.  There is no 1st class or catering on this train, so bring your own food and drink.

  The fare is a fixed-price €12.30.

  You can't book online or even buy a ticket at the station, simply get on the train & pay on board.  There are no reservations, it cannot sell out.

• Step 3, travel from Entroncamento to Lisbon by InterCity train leaving Entroncamento at 18:58 and arriving Lisbon Santa Apolonia at 20:00.

  Fares start at €6 in 2nd class or €12.50 if you book in advance at Portuguese Railways www.cp.pt and print your own ticket, or buy at the station on the day for around €13 in 2nd class or €17 in 1st class.

• Feedback or photos if you take this route would be appreciated!

Malaga, Granada, Cordoba or Seville to Lisbon...

• Step 1, trains link Malaga Maria Zambrano station with Seville Santa Justa in 1h55 several times through the day.  Trains also run from Granada & Cordoba to Seville Santa Justa.  Check times & buy a ticket at www.raileurope.com or www.renfe.com.

• Step 2, travel from Seville to Faro by bus, journey time 2h30 to 3h15, with a departure roughly every 2-3 hours.

  Several bus companies run on this route including Also, Damas, EuroLines and Iberobus.  Buses typically leave Seville at 08:30, 09:30, 11:30 & 16:00, but it varies so check online at Omio.com.  If you're starting in Malaga, look for buses that start from Seville Santa Justa station, so it's an easy same-station train-bus interchange.

  The fare is around €17-€21 each way. 

  Check times and buy tickets for all these companies at Omio.com and print your own ticket.

• Step 3, travel from Faro to Lisbon Oriente by train, various departures through the day, journey time 3h05-3h41.

  Fares start at €15 if you book ahead.

  Check times and buy a ticket at the Portuguese Railways website www.cp.pt.  You print your own ticket. 

  I'd allow at least 1 hour between bus and train in Faro.

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Spain to Porto...

Madrid to Porto...

Option 1, using the Madrid-Lisbon sleeper train - the most time-effective option...

• Step 1, travel from Madrid to Lisbon Oriente overnight on the sleeper train Lusitania as shown in the Madrid-Lisbon section above.

  Book this at www.raileurope.com and print your own ticket.

• Step 2, travel from Lisbon to Porto by Alfa Pendular tilting train or Intercity, you'll usually find an Alfa Pendular leaving Lisbon Oriente at 08:09 arriving Porto Campanhã at 11:05.  Fares start at €15 if you book ahead.

  Book from Lisbon Oriente to Porto Campanhã at Portuguese Railways website www.cp.pt.  Booking opens 60 days ahead.  You print your own ticket.

  Tip:  If you need to reach Porto sooner, it's possible to change from the sleeper train to a Porto-bound train at Coimbra B or Entroncamento very early in the morning, but as it's the same price whether you get off the sleeper in Coimbra, Entroncamento or Lisbon, I suggest getting a full night's sleep and changing in Lisbon.  Why go all the way to Lisbon Santa Apolonia near the city centre, have breakfast in Lisbon and take a later train north?

  Tip:  Trains from Lisbon arrive at Porto Campanhã, but tickets are valid for a free transfer by CP suburban train from Porto Campanhã to the beautiful Porto São Bento station which is right inside the old city and a city attraction in its own right.  Suburban trains link Campanhã & São Bento stations every 5-15 minutes taking 4 minutes.

Option 2, using a Madrid-Vigo daytime train - the alternative if you prefer daytime trains to sleepers...

• Step 1, travel from Madrid to Vigo by high-speed Alvia train, leaving Madrid Chamartin at 07:15 and arriving Vigo Guixar at 13:00.

  Alvia trains are comfortable and air-conditioned with a cafe-bar.  Have lunch and spend a pleasant afternoon in Vigo.

  Fares start at €33 in turista (2nd class) or €40 in turista plus (1st class).

  Buy a ticket at www.raileurope.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, in €, see this advice on using it).  Spanish trains normally open for booking 60 days ahead, but this varies.  You print your own ticket. 

• Step 2, travel from Vigo to Porto by regional express train, leaving Vigo Guixar at 19:56 and arriving Porto Campanhã at 21:18.

  The fare is €14.80, 2nd class only, buy a ticket at the station or at www.raileurope.com.

Malaga & Seville to Porto...

• Step 1, trains link Malaga Maria Zambrano station with Seville Santa Justa in 1h55 several times through the day.  Check times & buy a ticket at www.raileurope.com or www.renfe.com.

• Step 2, travel from Seville to Faro by bus, journey time 2h30 to 3h15, with a departure roughly every 2-3 hours.

  Several bus companies run on this route including Also, Damas, EuroLines and Iberobus.  Buses typically leave Seville at 08:30, 09:30, 11:30 & 16:00, but it varies so check online at Omio.com.  If you're starting in Malaga, look for buses that start from Seville Santa Justa station, so it's an easy same-station train-bus interchange.

  The fare is around €17-€21 each way. 

  Check times and buy tickets for all these companies at Omio.com and print your own ticket.

• Step 3, travel from Faro to Porto by train, usually with a change at Lisbon Oriente, but there's usually a late afternoon direct train.

  Fares start at €20.50 if you book ahead.

  Check times and buy a ticket at the Portuguese Railways website www.cp.pt.  Booking opens 60 days ahead.  You print your own ticket. 

  I'd allow at least 1 hour between bus and train in Faro.

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Spain to Faro & the Algarve...

Madrid to Faro...

Option 1, Madrid to Lisbon by sleeper train, Lisbon to Faro by Intercity train - the most time-effective option...

• Step 1, travel from Madrid to Lisbon Oriente overnight on the sleeper train Lusitania as shown in the Madrid-Lisbon section above.

  Book this at www.raileurope.com and print your own ticket.

• Step 2, travel from Lisbon to Faro by Intercity train, you'll usually find an Intercity leaving Lisbon Oriente at10:02 arriving Faro at 13:30.

  Fares start at €11 if you book ahead.

  Book from Lisbon Oriente to Faro at Portuguese Railways website www.cp.pt.  Booking opens 60 days ahead.  You print your own ticket.

Option 2, Madrid to Seville by high-speed train, Seville to Faro by bus - the daytime option...

• Step 1, trains link Madrid Atocha with Seville Santa Justa in 2h35 every couple of hours through the day.  Check times & buy a ticket at www.raileurope.com (easiest) or www.thetrainline.com (also easy) or www.renfe.com.  Booking opens 60 days ahead, though this varies.

• Step 2, travel from Seville to Faro by bus, journey time 2h30 to 3h15, with a departure roughly every 2-3 hours.

  Several bus companies run on this route including Also, Damas, EuroLines and Iberobus.  Buses typically leave Seville at 08:30, 09:30, 11:30 & 16:00, but it varies so check online at Omio.com.  If you're starting in Malaga, look for buses that start from Seville Santa Justa station, so it's an easy same-station train-bus interchange.  I'd allow at least 40 minutes between train & bus.

  The fare is around €17-€21 each way. 

  Check times and buy tickets for all these companies at Omio.com and print your own ticket.

Malaga, Granada, Cordoba or Seville to Faro...

• Step 1, trains link Malaga Maria Zambrano station with Seville Santa Justa in 1h55 several times through the day.  Trains also run from Granada & Cordoba to Seville Santa Justa.  Check times & buy a ticket at www.raileurope.com (easiest) or www.thetrainline.com (also easy) or www.renfe.com.

• Step 2, travel from Seville to Faro by bus, journey time 2h30 to 3h15, with a departure roughly every 2-3 hours.

  Several bus companies run on this route including Also, Damas, EuroLines and Iberobus.  Buses typically leave Seville at 08:30, 09:30, 11:30 & 16:00, but it varies so check online at Omio.com.  If you're starting in Malaga, look for buses that start from Seville Santa Justa station, so it's an easy same-station train-bus interchange.

  The fare is around €17-€21 each way. 

  Check times and buy tickets for all these companies at Omio.com and print your own ticket.

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Spain to Andorra...

• Step 1, take a train from anywhere in Spain to Barcelona Sants, there are direct trains to Barcelona Sants from Madrid Atocha, Malaga, Seville, Cordoba, Alicante and Valencia, to name just a few.

  Check times and buy a ticket at www.raileurope.com easiest, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, in €, see this advice on using it) or www.petrabax.com (in $, with small mark-up).  I'd allow at least an hour between train & bus in Barcelona.

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Andorra by bus.  6 or 7 buses leave Barcelona Sants station every day for Andorra La Vella, capital of Andorra, journey time 3 hours, fare around €29, see www.autocarsnadal.com.

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Spain to Cologne, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, Berlin & Germany from €79...

Option 1, Madrid & Valencia to Cologne or Frankfurt in a single day...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Take the 06:20 AVE-S103 high-speed train from Madrid Atocha arriving Barcelona Sants at 09:34, fares from around €35.

  Step 1 from Valencia:  Take the 07:05 EuroMed train from Valencia Joaquin Sorolla to Barcelona Sants, arriving 09:45, Mondays-Fridays only.

  No same-day connection is possible from Alicante, Malaga, Cordoba or Seville, or from Valencia at weekends, so see options 3 & 4.

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 10:05 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 16:46.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Allow at least 1 hour to change trains & stations from Paris Gare de Lyon to the Gare du Nord (for Cologne) or Gare de l'Est (for Frankfurt).

• Step 3 for Cologne, travel from Paris to Cologne by Thalys train, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 17:55 and arriving Cologne Hbf at 21:15. 

  Fares start at €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Step 3 for Frankfurt, travel from Paris to Frankfurt by ICE, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 19:06 and arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 22:58. 

  Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, you can then buy all your tickets together in one place, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem.

  Try booking from Madrid or Valencia to Germany as one transaction, if you have any problems, book each train separately, adding each to your basket and checking out at the end.  You print your own tickets.  Booking for the TGV & Thalys opens up to 4 months ahead, but only 60 days for Spanish trains.  There's a small booking fee.

  Tip:  If booking the whole trip in one go, I recommend clicking More options, entering Paris (any station) as a via station, with a stopover duration of 1 hour.  This gets you a more robust connection, by default the SNCF ticketing system allows cross-Paris connections as short as 40 minutes, which I consider far too tight for comfort.

  Tip: I recommend an upstairs seat on the TGV Duplex for the best views.  Raileurope.com shows you your seat number before you confirm & pay, and any seat number over 60 is on the upper deck.  If you don't get an upper deck seat, simply leave it in your basket & try again until you get an upstairs seat, then delete the tickets you don't want from your basket.

  Alternatively, you can book each train separately, although it's more effort and unlikely to make it materially cheaper, other than avoiding a booking fee:  Book the Spanish trains with Renfe at www.renfe.com (much m ore fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it here). Book from Barcelona to Paris at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf, then book the Thalys to Cologne at en.oui.sncf or the ICE to Frankfurt at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.

Option 2, with overnight stop in Barcelona...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Travel from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants in as little as 2h30 by AVE-S103 high-speed train.  You can leave in the evening, but trains leave almost every hour so why not travel earlier and have a pleasant evening in Barcelona.  Fares start at around €35.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com

  Step 1 from Malaga, Seville or Cordoba:  Take the afternoon AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:35, Seville Santa Justa at 14:50 or Cordoba at 15:42, arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:22.  Fares start at around €46.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Take the once-daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take any afternoon or evening EuroMed train you like from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona.  On Mondays-Fridays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 17:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 19:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 21:55.  On Saturdays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 16:20 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 18:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 20:55.  On Sundays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 18:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 20:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 22:55.  Or there are earlier trains, of course.  Check train times at www.raileurope.com and book any train you like, why not have a pleasant evening in Barcelona?

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 10:05 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 16:46.

  This impressive 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's a scenic journey, too, see the scenery photos here & watch the video here.  From late June to late August there's usually an earlier train, leaving Barcelona at 06:00.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Allow at least 1 hour to change trains & stations in Paris from the Gare de Lyon to the Gare du Nord (for Cologne) or Gare de l'Est (for Frankfurt).

• Step 3 for Cologne, travel from Paris to Cologne by Thalys train, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 17:55 and arriving Cologne Hbf at 21:15.  Fares start at €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class.

  Step 3 for Frankfurt, travel from Paris to Frankfurt by TGV Duplex or ICE, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 19:06 and arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 22:58.  Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.

• Step 4 for Hamburg, Berlin:  Stay overnight in Cologne and take any onward train you like next day.

• How to buy tickets...

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, you can then buy all your tickets together in one place, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem.

  First book from any Spanish city to Barcelona, add to basket, then book from Barcelona to Cologne or Frankfurt all in one go for the following day & add to your basket, also book any onward train from Cologne to Hamburg or Berlin, add to basket then check out.  You print your own tickets.  Booking for the TGV & Thalys opens up to 4 months ahead, but only 60 days ahead for Spanish trains.  There's a small booking fee.

  Tip:  When booking Barcelona to Germany I recommend clicking More options, entering Paris (any station) as a via station, with a stopover duration of 1 hour (or longer, if you'd like more time in Paris).  This gets you a more robust connection, by default the SNCF ticketing system allows cross-Paris connections as short as 40 minutes, which I consider far too tight for comfort.

  Tip: I recommend an upstairs seat on the TGV Duplex for the best views.  Raileurope.com shows you your seat number before you confirm & pay, and any seat number over 60 is on the upper deck.  If you don't get an upper deck seat, simply leave it in your basket & try again until you get an upstairs seat, then delete the tickets you don't want from your basket.

  Alternatively, you can book each train separately, although it's more effort and unlikely to make it materially cheaper, other than avoiding the booking fee:  Book the Spanish trains with Renfe at www.renfe.com, but see advice on using it here. Book from Barcelona to Paris at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf, then book Paris to Cologne by Thalys at en.oui.sncf or Paris to Frankfurt and other stations in Germany at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.

Option 3, with overnight stop in Paris...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Take the 10:30 AVE-S103 high-speed train from Madrid Atocha arriving Barcelona Sants at 13:15, with fares from around €35.  By all means take an earlier train and have lunch in Barcelona.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take a EuroMed train to Barcelona, leaving Alicante at 07:25 or Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 09:15 arriving Barcelona Sants at 11:55.

  No same-day connection is possible from Malaga, Cordoba or Seville, so see other options.

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 14:00, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 20:48.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Stay overnight in Paris, see suggested hotels near the station.

• Step 3, take onward high-speed trains to anywhere in Germany next morning.  Leaving Paris around 07:00 you could be in Frankfurt at 10:58, Cologne 11:15, Berlin at 15:25, Munich at 13:27.  Or by all means have a leisurely breakfast and take later trains.

  Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• How to buy tickets...

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, you can then buy all your tickets together in one place, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem.

  First book from any Spanish city to Paris, add to basket, then book from Paris to Germany for the following day and add that to your basket, then check out.  You print your own tickets.  Booking for the TGV & onward trains opens up to 4 months ahead, but only 60 days ahead for Spanish trains.  There's a small booking fee.

  Alternatively, you can book each train separately, although it's more effort and unlikely to make it materially cheaper, other than avoiding the booking fee:  Book the Spanish trains with Renfe at www.renfe.com, but see advice on using it here. Book from Barcelona to Paris at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf, then book Paris to Cologne by Thalys at en.oui.sncf or Paris to Frankfurt and other stations in Germany at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.

Option 4, with overnight stop in Paris, later departure due to run from 29 May to 30 August 2020, 2021 dates not known.

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Take the 12:30 AVE-S103 high-speed train from Madrid Atocha arriving Barcelona Sants at 15:30, with fares from around €35.  By all means take an earlier train and have lunch in Barcelona.

  Step 1 from Seville & Cordoba,:  Take the morning AVE-S112 high-speed train at 08:50 from Seville, 09:43 from Cordoba, arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.  Fares start at around €46.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Take the daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take a morning EuroMed train to Barcelona, leaving Alicante at 09:25 or Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 11:15 arriving Barcelona Sants at 13:55.  By all means take an earlier train and have lunch in Barcelona.

  Make sure you allow at least 30 minutes to change trains in Barcelona.

• Step 2, take a TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 16:10 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 22:46 - This train was due to run from 29 May to 30 August 2020, 2021 dates not known.

  This impressive 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's a scenic journey, too, see the scenery photos here & watch the video here.  From late June to late August there's usually an earlier train, leaving Barcelona at 06:00.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Stay overnight in Paris, see suggested hotels near the station.

• Step 3, take onward high-speed trains to anywhere in Germany next morning, from €39.  Leaving Paris around 07:00 you could be in Frankfurt at 10:58, Cologne 11:15, Berlin at 15:25, Munich at 13:27.  Or by all means have a leisurely breakfast and take later trains.

• How to buy tickets...

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, you can then buy all your tickets together in one place, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem.

  First book from any Spanish city to Paris, add to basket, then book from Paris to Germany for the following day and add that to your basket, then check out.  You print your own tickets.  Booking for the TGV & onward trains opens up to 4 months ahead, but only 60 days ahead for Spanish trains.  There's a small booking fee.

  Alternatively, you can book each train separately, although it's more effort and unlikely to make it materially cheaper, other than avoiding the booking fee:  Book the Spanish trains with Renfe at www.renfe.com, but see advice on using it here. Book from Barcelona to Paris at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf, then book Paris to Cologne by Thalys at en.oui.sncf or Paris to Frankfurt and other stations in Germany at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.

Option 5, with overnight stop in Marseille - avoids having to change station in Paris...

• Step 1 from Seville & Cordoba:  Travel to Barcelona by AVE high-speed train, leaving Seville Santa Justa at 08:50 or Cordoba at 09:43, arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.  Fares start at around €53.

  Step 1 from Malaga:  Travel to Madrid by AVE high-speed train, leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 09:00 and arriving Madrid Atocha at 11:50.  Fares start at around €28.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Travel to Barcelona by AVE high-speed train, leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.  Fares start at around €53.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Travel to Barcelona by EuroMed train, leaving Alicante at 09:25 or Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 11:15, arriving Barcelona Sants at 13:55.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it).  You print your own tickets.  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it varies.

• Step 2, travel from Madrid or Barcelona to Marseille by AVE-S100 train, leaving Madrid Atocha at 13:25 or Barcelona Sants at 16:36 and arriving Marseille St Charles at 21:33.

  The AVE train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In summer when it's light, you'll get great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Narbonne & Montpelier, and Béziers cathedral, see the photos, tips & information here.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own tickets.

• Stay overnight in Marseille.  Inexpensive hotels with good reviews just outside Marseille St Charles station:  Ibis Marseille Centre Gare St Charles, Holiday Inn Express Marseille St Charles.

• Step 3, travel from Marseille to Frankfurt by direct TGV Duplex leaving Marseille St Charles 08:10 and arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf 15:58.

  Change at Karlsruhe, Mannheim or Frankfurt for onward ICE & IC trains to Cologne, Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, www.bahn.de will give you train times from Marseille to anywhere in Germany on this departure.

  Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Book from Marseille to anywhere in Germany at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You can also book at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com at the same prices, which would keep all your bookings in one place with one retailer.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone.

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Spain to Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck & Austria from €88...

Option 1, Spain to Geneva by TGV, Zurich to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train - the most time-effective option...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Travel from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants in as little as 2h30 by AVE-S103 high-speed train.  You can leave in the evening, but trains leave almost every hour so why not travel earlier and have a pleasant evening in Barcelona.  Fares start at around €35.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com.

  Step 1 from Malaga, Seville or Cordoba:  Take the afternoon AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:35, Seville Santa Justa at 14:50 or Cordoba at 15:42, arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:22, with fares from around €46.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Take the once-daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take any afternoon or evening EuroMed train you like from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona.  On Mondays-Fridays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 17:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 19:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 21:55.  On Saturdays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 16:20 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 18:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 20:55.  On Sundays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 18:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 20:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 22:55.  Or there are earlier trains, for a pleasant evening in Barcelona.

  Buy tickets for any of these trains at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards).  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it varies.  You print your own tickets.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Lyon by AVE-S100 high-speed train leaving Barcelona Sants at 08:15, arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 13:20.

  The AVE train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  You'll get great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Narbonne & Montpelier, and Béziers cathedral, see the photos, tips & information here.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares very like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Step 3, travel from Lyon to Geneva by TER regional train, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 14:38 and arriving Geneva at 16:35.

  The fare is a fixed-price €29.60.  2nd class only.  There's some nice scenery as the train runs along the river Rhone.

  Book from Barcelona Sants to Geneva as one journey at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both sites easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

• Step 4, travel from Geneva to Zurich by Swiss Intercity train, leaving Geneva at 17:15 and arriving Zurich HB at 19:56.

  Buy this ticket at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch (in CHF) and print it out.  You may find a cheap supersaver fare if you pre-book.  Booking for Swiss trains opens 60 days ahead.

• Step 5, travel from Zurich to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Zurich HB at 21:40 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 07:55. 

  The train has modern double-deck sleeping-cars with 1 & 2 berth sleepers with washbasin, and 1 & 2-berth deluxe sleepers with en suite shower & toilet, and a few 3-berth sleepers with washbasin.  It also has couchettes (4-berth & 6-berth compartments) and ordinary seats.

  Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

Option 2, Spain to Geneva by TGV, overnight stop, Geneva to Austria next day - the scenic option...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Travel from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants in as little as 2h30 by AVE-S103 high-speed train.  You can leave in the evening, but trains leave almost every hour so why not travel earlier and have a pleasant evening in Barcelona.  Fares start at around €35.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com

  Step 1 from Malaga, Seville or Cordoba:  Take the afternoon AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:35, Seville Santa Justa at 14:50 or Cordoba at 15:42, arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:22, with fares from around €46.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Take the once-daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take any afternoon or evening EuroMed train you like from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona.  On Mondays-Fridays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 17:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 19:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 21:55.  On Saturdays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 16:20 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 18:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 20:55.  On Sundays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 18:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 20:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 22:55.  Or there are earlier trains, for a pleasant evening in Barcelona.

  Buy tickets for any of these trains at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards).  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it varies.  You print your own tickets.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Lyon by AVE-S100 high-speed train leaving Barcelona Sants at 08:15, arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 13:20.

  The AVE train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  You'll get great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Narbonne & Montpelier, and Béziers cathedral, see the photos, tips & information here.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares very like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Step 3, travel from Lyon to Geneva by TER regional train, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 14:38 and arriving Geneva at 16:35.

  The fare is a fixed-price €29.60.  2nd class only.  There's some pretty scenery as the train runs along the river Rhone.

  Book from Barcelona Sants to Geneva as one journey at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both sites easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

• Stay overnight in Geneva.  Suggested hotels with good reviews near the station include Hotel Cornavin Geneve, Hotel Les Arcades, ibis Styles Geneva Gare.  Hotels in Switzerland can be expensive, if you're on a budget you can book budget private rooms in a one-star hotel or backpacker hostel near the station using www.hostelworld.com.

• Step 4, next day, take a frequent Swiss domestic train from Geneva to Zurich HB then a smart Austrian railjet train from Zurich HB to Innsbruck, Salzburg, Linz or Vienna.  This is a lovely journey through the wonderful Arlberg Pass, see the photos & video on the Arlberg Railway page.

  Geneva to Innsbruck starts at €29.90, to Salzburg or Vienna at €39.90.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book from Geneva to Austria at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

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Spain to Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo & Scandinavia...

Option 1, with overnight stop in Marseille & Hamburg...

• Step 1 from Seville & Cordoba:  Travel to Barcelona by AVE high-speed train, leaving Seville Santa Justa at 08:50 or Cordoba at 09:43, arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.  Fares start at around €53.

  Step 1 from Malaga:  Travel to Madrid by AVE high-speed train, leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 09:00 and arriving Madrid Atocha at 11:50.  Fares start at around €28.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Travel to Barcelona by AVE high-speed train, leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.  Fares start at around €53.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Travel to Barcelona by EuroMed train, leaving Alicante at 09:25 or Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 11:15, arriving Barcelona Sants at 13:55.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it).  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it varies.  You print your own tickets.

• Step 2, travel from Madrid or Barcelona to Avignon or Marseille by AVE-S100 train, leaving Madrid Atocha at 13:25 or Barcelona Sants at 16:36 and arriving Avignon TGV at 20:50 and Marseille St Charles at 21:33.

  The AVE train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In summer when it's light, you'll get great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Narbonne & Montpelier, and Béziers cathedral, see the photos, tips & information here.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own tickets.

• Stay overnight in Marseille.  Inexpensive hotels with good reviews just outside Marseille St Charles station:  Ibis Marseille Centre Gare St Charles, Holiday Inn Express Marseille St Charles.

• Step 3, travel from Marseille to Hamburg, leaving Marseille St Charles at 08:10 by TGV Duplex, changing at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf and arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:30.

  Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book from Marseille to Hamburg at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  Tip:  Change Duration of transfer from standard to at least 30 minutes to avoid tight connections.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone.

• Stay overnight in Hamburg.  The Hotel Reichshoff Hamburg is just 200m from the station, features art deco-based design and gets great reviews.  Other hotels next to Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski.  If you're on a budget, private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf start at around £33 for one person or £49 for two people booked at www.hostelworld.com.

• Step 4, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by Danish IC3 intercity train leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:55 and arriving Copenhagen 13:33.

  Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  If you're only going as far as Copenhagen, book from Hamburg to Copenhagen at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or smartphone.

• For Stockholm, take an X2000 train from Copenhagen Stockholm, leaving Copenhagen at 14:19 and arriving Stockholm Central at 19:36.

  You should book from Hamburg to Stockholm as one transaction from €59.90 at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.  Book Hamburg to Stockholm departing 08:55 using this special link which I have set up with the necessary parameters.

• For Malmö or Gothenburg, Öresund Link trains run hourly from Copenhagen to Gothenburg in 3h53 and every half hour or better from Copenhagen to Malmö in 39 minutes.

  Book from Hamburg to Malmö or Gothenburg (= Göteborg Central) as one transaction from €39.90 at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.

• For Oslo & Norway, travel as far as Copenhagen, then take the overnight cruise ferry with bars, restaurants and en suite cabins to Oslo, She sails from Copenhagen daily around 16:30, arriving in Oslo around 09:45, see www.dfds.co.uk for times, prices & online tickets.

Option 2, with overnight stops in Barcelona & Cologne...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Travel from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants in as little as 2h30 by AVE-S103 high-speed train.  You can leave in the evening, but trains leave almost every hour so why not travel earlier and have a pleasant evening in Barcelona.  Fares start at around €35.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com

  Step 1 from Malaga, Seville or Cordoba:  Take the afternoon AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:35, Seville Santa Justa at 14:50 or Cordoba at 15:42, arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:22, with fares from around €46.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Take the once-daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take any afternoon or evening EuroMed train you like from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona.  On Mondays-Fridays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 17:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 19:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 21:55.  On Saturdays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 16:20 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 18:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 20:55.  On Sundays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 18:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 20:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 22:55.  Or there are earlier trains, for a pleasant evening in Barcelona.

  Buy tickets for any of these trains at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards).  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it varies.  You print your own tickets.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 10:05 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 16:46.

  This impressive 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's a scenic journey, see the scenery photos here & watch the video here.  From late June to late August there's usually also an earlier train, leaving Barcelona at 06:00.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (more fiddly, in €, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can select a mobile ticket to show on your smartphone.

  Change trains & stations in Paris by metro or taxi from the Gare de Lyon to the Gare du Nord.

• Step 3, travel from Paris to Cologne by Thalys train, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 17:55 and arriving Cologne Hbf at 21:15.

  Fares start at €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (more fiddly, in €, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can select a mobile ticket to show on your smartphone.

• Stay overnight in Cologne.  Suggested hotels near to Cologne Hbf with good reviews (and starting with the cheapest) include the Breslauer Hof Am Dom, Hotel Domspitzen, CityClass Hotel Europa am Dom, Hilton Cologne, Excelsior Hotel Ernst am Dom.

• Step 4 if you're going to Copenhagen...

  Travel from Cologne to Copenhagen, leaving Cologne Hbf at 08:09 arriving Copenhagen 17:33, or leaving Cologne Hbf  at 12:09 arriving Copenhagen 21:33. 

  Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €56.90 in 1st class. 

  Book from Cologne to Copenhagen at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or smartphone.

• Step 4 if you're going to Stockholm...

  It's just about possible to travel from Cologne to Stockholm in a day with changes at Hamburg, Copenhagen & Malmo, using a through ticket from €59.90 booked at www.bahn.de. 

  Depending on the day and date, you can leave Cologne at 08:09 and arrive at 23:41, see what bahn.de gives you.  There may be some tight connections but with a through ticket you're protected and will be taken forward by later trains if there's a delay and you miss the onward train. 

  Alternatively, stay overnight in Copenhagen and take an onward 125mph X2000 train to Stockholm on day 3, from around SEK 195 (€20) booked at www.sj.se (Swedish Railways) or Omio.com.

• Step 4 if you're going to Oslo & Norway...

  Travel from Cologne to Copenhagen, leaving Cologne Hbf at 08:09 arriving Copenhagen 17:33, or leaving Cologne Hbf  at 12:09 arriving Copenhagen 21:33.  Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €56.90 in 1st class.  Book from Cologne to Copenhagen at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or smartphone.

  Stay overnight in Copenhagen, then take a train from Copenhagen to Oslo with 1 change at Gothenburg, booked from €46 at www.sj.se (Swedish Railways).  Alternatively, spend a day exploring Copenhagen and take the overnight cruise ferry to Oslo with comfortable en suite cabins, bars and restaurants, see www.dfds.co.uk.

Hamburg to Copenhagen by Danish IC3...  This is the late afternoon Hamburg-Copenhagen IC3 leaving platform 5 at Hamburg Hbf on a busy summer day.  The yellow stripe above the windows indicates first class, located at one end of both 3-car units.  More information about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.

2nd class seats on a IC3 train.  Larger photo.		An IC3 train to Copenhagen at Hamburg.

Copenhagen to Stockholm by X2000 train seen here at Copenhagen main station...		2nd class seats on an X2000 train from Copenhagen to Stockholm.

X2000 bistro car...		X2000 bistro car seating area...		Bistro self-service...

Winter scenery from a train between Copenhagen & Stockholm. Courtesy of Radoslav Sharapanov

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Spain to Helsinki & Finland...

Option 1, using a Finnlines ferry from Germany to Helsinki - the easiest option...

• Day 1 from Madrid:  Travel from Madrid to Barcelona by AVE-S103 high-speed train, leaving Madrid Atocha at 10:30 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 13:15.  Fares start at around €35.  By all means take an earlier train and have lunch in Barcelona.

  Day 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Travel from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona by EuroMed train, leaving Alicante at 07:25 or Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 09:15 arriving Barcelona Sants at 11:55.  Fares start at around €35.

  No same-day connection is possible from Malaga, Cordoba or Seville, so travel the day before or use another option.

  Buy tickets for these trains at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly to use, may reject some overseas payment cards, see this advice on using it).  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it varies.  You print your own ticket.

• Day 1, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 14:00, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 20:48.

  From late May to late August there's usually also a later departure, leaving Barcelona Sants at 16:10, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 22:46.

  This impressive 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It's a scenic journey, too, see the scenery photos here & watch the video here.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or en.oui.sncf (more fiddly, in €, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can select a mobile ticket to show on your smartphone.

  Change trains & stations in Paris by metro or taxi.

• Stay overnight in Paris, see suggested hotels near the station.

• Day 2, travel from Paris to Hamburg, you'll usually find a departure from Paris Gare de l'Est at 09:06, changing at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf and arriving Hamburg Hbf at 17:54.

  Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Buy a ticket at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone.

• Day 2, transfer from Hamburg Hbf to the Travemünde ferry terminal by train+bus and sail from Travemünde to Helsinki with Finnlines, see the Trains from Hamburg page for full details of the transfer, check-in arrangements & ferry crossing.

  Finnlines sail from Travemünde in northern Germany to Helsinki every day, boarding from 22:30 to 24:00 and arriving Helsinki Vuosaari ferry terminal at 09:00 2 nights later (Day 4 from Spain).

  Check sailing dates, times & book the ferry at www.finnlines.com or using the Direct Ferries website.

• Book onward trains within Finland at the Finnish Railways website www.vr.fi.

One of Finnlines 3 star class ferries to Helsinki.  Courtesy of Finnlines.		Cabin on the ferry...

Option 2, by train to Stockholm, then ferry to Helsinki...

• Step 1, travel from Spain to Stockholm as shown above.

• Step 2, travel from Stockholm to Helsinki either by direct overnight cruise ferry, or by daytime or overnight ferry to Turku and connecting train to Helsinki as shown on the Trains & ferries from Stockholm page.

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Spain to Prague & the Czech Republic...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Travel from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants in as little as 2h30 by AVE-S103 high-speed train.  You can leave in the evening, but trains leave almost every hour so why not travel earlier and have a pleasant evening in Barcelona.  Fares start at around €35.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com

  Step 1 from Malaga, Seville or Cordoba:  Take the afternoon AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:35, Seville Santa Justa at 14:50 or Cordoba at 15:42, arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:22, with fares from around €46.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Take the once-daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take any afternoon or evening EuroMed train you like from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona.  On Mondays-Fridays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 17:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 19:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 21:55.  On Saturdays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 16:20 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 18:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 20:55.  On Sundays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 18:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 20:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 22:55.  Or there are earlier trains, for a pleasant evening in Barcelona.

  Buy tickets for any of these trains at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards).  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it varies.  You print your own tickets.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Lyon by AVE-S100 high-speed train leaving Barcelona Sants at 08:15, arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 13:20.

  The AVE train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  You'll get great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Narbonne & Montpelier, and Béziers cathedral, see the photos, tips & information here.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares very like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Step 3, travel from Lyon to Geneva by TER regional train, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 14:38 and arriving Geneva at 16:35.

  The fare is a fixed-price €29.60.  2nd class only.  There's some nice scenery as the train runs along the river Rhone.

  Book from Barcelona Sants to Geneva as one journey at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both sites easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

• Step 4, travel from Geneva to Zurich by Swiss Intercity train, leaving Geneva at 17:15 and arriving Zurich HB at 19:56.

  Buy this ticket at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch (in CHF) and print it out.  You may find a cheap supersaver fare if you pre-book.  Swiss trains open for booking 60 days ahead.

• Step 5, travel from Zurich to Prague by sleeper train, leaving Zurich HB at 21:40 and arriving Prague Hlavni at 10:57 (day 3 from Spain). 

  This train has an excellent modern Czech sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartment (choice of standard with washbasin or deluxe with shower & toilet) - there are no couchettes on this train, just a sleeping-car.  There's no restaurant car, so take you own picnic and bottle of wine.  The beds convert to seats for the daytime part of the journey, and there's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the standard sleepers.  The train arrives at Prague Hlavni, 15 minutes walk from Prague's historic old town.

  Fares start at €79 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €99 with a bed in a cosy 2-bed sleeper or €129 in a single-bed sleeper.

  Book the Zurich-Prague sleeper at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz.  Booking normally opens 90 days ahead.  You print your own ticket.  This is the only website where this sleeper can be booked online.

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Spain to Bratislava & Slovakia...

Option 1, by day trains to Switzerland then nightjet sleeper train.  The most time-effective option...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Travel from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants in as little as 2h30 by AVE-S103 high-speed train.  You can leave in the evening, but trains leave almost every hour so why not travel earlier and have a pleasant evening in Barcelona.  Fares start at around €35.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com

  Step 1 from Malaga, Seville or Cordoba:  Take the afternoon AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:35, Seville Santa Justa at 14:50 or Cordoba at 15:42, arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:22, with fares from around €46.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Take the once-daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take any afternoon or evening EuroMed train you like from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona.  On Mondays-Fridays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 17:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 19:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 21:55.  On Saturdays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 16:20 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 18:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 20:55.  On Sundays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 18:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 20:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 22:55.  Or there are earlier trains, for a pleasant evening in Barcelona.

  Buy tickets for any of these trains at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards).  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it varies.  You print your own tickets.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Lyon by AVE-S100 high-speed train leaving Barcelona Sants at 08:15, arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 13:20.

  The AVE train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  You'll get great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Narbonne & Montpelier, and Béziers cathedral, see the photos, tips & information here.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares very like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Step 3, travel from Lyon to Geneva by TER regional train, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 14:38 and arriving Geneva at 16:35.

  The fare is a fixed-price €29.60.  2nd class only.  There's some nice scenery as the train runs along the river Rhone.

  Book from Barcelona Sants to Geneva as one journey at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both sites easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

• Step 4, travel from Geneva to Zurich by Swiss Intercity train, leaving Geneva at 17:15 and arriving Zurich HB at 19:56.

  Buy this ticket at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch (in CHF) and print it out.  You may find a cheap supersaver fare if you pre-book.

• Step 5, travel from Zurich to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Zurich HB at 21:40 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 07:55. 

  The train has modern double-deck sleeping-cars with 1 & 2 berth sleepers with washbasin, and 1 & 2-berth deluxe sleepers with en suite shower & toilet, and a few 3-berth sleepers with washbasin.  It also has couchettes (4-berth & 6-berth compartments) and ordinary seats.

  Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

• Step 6, when you reach Vienna, simply buy a ticket for €11.20 and hop on the next hourly regional express train from Vienna Hbf to Bratislava Hlavna, no reservation necessary or possible, journey time 1h07, see the timetable here.  Check times at www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at.

Option 2, by day trains with overnight stop in Geneva.  The most scenic option...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Travel from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants in as little as 2h30 by AVE-S103 high-speed train.  You can leave in the evening, but trains leave almost every hour so why not travel earlier and have a pleasant evening in Barcelona.  Fares start at around €35.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com

  Step 1 from Malaga, Seville or Cordoba:  Take the afternoon AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:35, Seville Santa Justa at 14:50 or Cordoba at 15:42, arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:22, with fares from around €46.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Take the once-daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take any afternoon or evening EuroMed train you like from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona.  On Mondays-Fridays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 17:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 19:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 21:55.  On Saturdays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 16:20 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 18:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 20:55.  On Sundays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 18:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 20:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 22:55.  Or there are earlier trains, for a pleasant evening in Barcelona.

  Buy tickets for any of these trains at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards).  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it varies.  You print your own tickets.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Lyon by AVE-S100 high-speed train leaving Barcelona Sants at 08:15, arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 13:20.

  The AVE train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  You'll get great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Narbonne & Montpelier, and Béziers cathedral, see the photos, tips & information here.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares very like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Step 3, travel from Lyon to Geneva by TER regional train, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 14:38 and arriving Geneva at 16:35.

  The fare is a fixed-price €29.60.  2nd class only.  There's some nice scenery as the train runs along the river Rhone.

  Book from Barcelona Sants to Geneva as one journey at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both sites easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

• Stay overnight in Geneva.  Suggested hotels with good reviews near the station include Hotel Cornavin Geneve, Hotel Les Arcades, ibis Styles Geneva Gare.  Hotels in Switzerland can be expensive, if you're on a budget you can book budget private rooms in a one-star hotel or backpacker hostel near the station using www.hostelworld.com.

• Step 4, travel from Geneva to Bratislava, leaving Geneva at 09:15 by Swiss Intercity train and changing onto the 12:40 railjet train from Zurich HB to Bratislava Hlavna, arriving 21:51.

  This direct Zurich-Bratislava train started running in December 2018, with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  The journey takes you through the beautifully scenic Arlberg Pass, see the photos & video on the Arlberg Pass page.  Have your camera to hand!

  Book from Geneva to Bratislava at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same fares).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

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Spain to Budapest & Hungary...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Travel from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants in as little as 2h30 by AVE-S103 high-speed train.  You can leave in the evening, but trains leave almost every hour so why not travel earlier and have a pleasant evening in Barcelona.  Fares start at around €35.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com

  Step 1 from Malaga, Seville or Cordoba:  Take the afternoon AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:35, Seville Santa Justa at 14:50 or Cordoba at 15:42, arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:22, with fares from around €46.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Take the once-daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take any afternoon or evening EuroMed train you like from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona.  On Mondays-Fridays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 17:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 19:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 21:55.  On Saturdays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 16:20 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 18:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 20:55.  On Sundays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 18:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 20:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 22:55.  Or there are earlier trains, for a pleasant evening in Barcelona.

  Buy tickets for any of these trains at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards).  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it varies.  You print your own tickets.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Lyon by AVE-S100 high-speed train leaving Barcelona Sants at 08:15, arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 13:20.

  The AVE train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  You'll get great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Narbonne & Montpelier, and Béziers cathedral, see the photos, tips & information here.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares very like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Step 3, travel from Lyon to Geneva by TER regional train, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 14:38 and arriving Geneva at 16:35.

  The fare is a fixed-price €29.60.  2nd class only.  There's some nice scenery as the train runs along the river Rhône.

  Book from Barcelona Sants to Geneva at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both sites easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

• Step 4, travel from Geneva to Zurich by Swiss Intercity train, leaving Geneva at 17:15 and arriving Zurich HB at 19:56.

  Buy this ticket at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch (in CHF) and print it out.  You may find a cheap supersaver fare if you pre-book.  Booking for Swiss trains opens 60 days ahead.

• Step 5, take the Hungarian sleeper train leaving Zurich HB at 21:40 and arriving Budapest Keleti at 09:19 (day 3 from Spain). 

  It has a comfortable air-conditioned Hungarian sleeping car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin) and Hungarian couchettes (4 berth & 6 berth compartments).  The sleeping-car is identical to the Hungarian sleeping-car shown in this video.  In sleepers, morning tea or coffee is included.

  Fares start at €49.90 with a couchette in a 6-berth, €59.90 with a couchette in a 4-berth, €69.90 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €88.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €129.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

  Tip:  There's no restaurant car, so have dinner before boarding your sleeper, see suggested restaurants on the Zurich HB station page.  That page also explains where you can stock up with snacks & a bottle of wine for that midnight feast in your sleeper.

  Tip:  If you like, you can check the consist for this train, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using the excellent www.vagonweb.cz.  Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Switzerland & click nj.

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Spain to Brasov, Bucharest & Romania...

• Step 1, travel from Spain to Budapest as shown above.

• Step 2. travel by sleeper train from Budapest to Brasov & Bucharest as shown here.

  Or if you prefer, stay overnight in Budapest and take a daytime train the following day.

• For example, you can travel from Madrid to Barcelona on day 1, Barcelona to Zurich on day 2, take the overnight sleeper from Zurich to Budapest, spend day 3 exploring Budapest, then take the overnight sleeper to Brasov & Bucharest arriving on day 4.

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Spain to Ljubljana, Zagreb, Belgrade & Sofia...

Option 1, using the Zurich-Zagreb sleeper...

• Step 1 from Madrid:  Travel from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants in as little as 2h30 by AVE-S103 high-speed train.  You can leave in the evening, but trains leave almost every hour so why not travel earlier and have a pleasant evening in Barcelona.  Fares start at around €35.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com

  Step 1 from Malaga, Seville or Cordoba:  Take the afternoon AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:35, Seville Santa Justa at 14:50 or Cordoba at 15:42, arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:22, with fares from around €46.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Take the once-daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take any afternoon or evening EuroMed train you like from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona.  On Mondays-Fridays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 17:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 19:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 21:55.  On Saturdays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 16:20 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 18:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 20:55.  On Sundays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 18:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 20:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 22:55.  Or there are earlier trains, for a pleasant evening in Barcelona.

  Buy tickets for any of these trains at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards).  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it varies.  You print your own tickets.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Lyon by AVE-S100 high-speed train leaving Barcelona Sants at 08:15, arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 13:20.

  The AVE train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  You'll get great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Narbonne & Montpelier, and Béziers cathedral, see the photos, tips & information here.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares very like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Step 3, travel from Lyon to Geneva by TER regional train, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 14:38 and arriving Geneva at 16:35.

  The fare is a fixed-price €29.60.  2nd class only.  There's some nice scenery as the train runs along the river Rhone.

  Book from Barcelona Sants to Geneva as one journey at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both sites easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

• Step 4, travel from Geneva to Zurich by Swiss Intercity train, leaving Geneva at 17:15 and arriving Zurich HB at 19:56.

  Buy this ticket at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch (in CHF) and print it out.  You may find a cheap supersaver fare if you pre-book.  Booking for Swiss trains opens 60 days ahead. 

• Step 5, travel from Zurich to Ljubljana & Zagreb by comfortable Croatian sleeper train as shown here, booked at www.thetrainline.com.

• Day 3, travel from Zagreb to Belgrade by train.

  Until 10 July 2021 it leaves Zagreb at 13:04 arriving Novi Beograd 20:17 & Belgrade Centar at 20:25.

  From 11 July 2021 it leaves Zagreb at 11:04 arriving Novi Beograd 18:04 & Belgrade Centar at 18:12.

  2nd class only, with two comfortable Serbian air-conditioned cars.  There's no catering, so bring your own food & drink.  This train cannot be booked online, just buy at the station or on the train for around €29.

• Day 4, travel from Belgrade to Sofia & Bulgaria as shown on the Belgrade to Sofia page.

Option 2, via Marseille & Venice...

• Day 1, travel from Malaga, Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Alicante, Valencia or Madrid to Barcelona, using any suitable morning train.  Allow at least 40 minutes in Barcelona, ideally more.  Then take the 16:36 AVE-S100 direct from Barcelona to Marseille.

• Stay overnight in Marseille.  Suggested inexpensive hotels with good reviews near Marseille St Charles station include the Ibis Marseille Centre Gare St Charles, Holiday Inn Express Marseille St Charles.

• Day 2, travel from Marseille to Nice, on to Milan and then Venice.

  See the Spain to Venice section for full details & how to buy tickets from Spain to Venice, and suggested hotels in Marseille.

• Day 3 early morning (Monday-Friday only), travel from Venice to Trieste then Trieste to Ljubljana by regional trains, then on to Zagreb, see the timetable & Venice-Ljubljana-Zagreb journey information here.  Alternatively, any day of the week, spend a morning & early afternoon in Venice then take the afternoon train Venice-Trieste-Ljubljana, see the timetable & journey information here.

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Spain to Warsaw, Krakow & Poland...

Option 1, Spain to Warsaw with overnight stop in Paris - the fastest option, runs Sunday to Thursday only...

• Day 1 from Madrid:  Travel from Madrid to Barcelona by AVE-S103 high-speed train, leaving Madrid Atocha at 10:30 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 13:15.  Fares start at around €35.  By all means take an earlier train and have lunch in Barcelona.

  Day 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Travel from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona by EuroMed train, leaving Alicante at 07:25 or Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 09:15 arriving Barcelona Sants at 11:55.  Fares start at around €35.

  No same-day connection is possible from Malaga, Cordoba or Seville, so see other options.

  Buy tickets for these trains at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly to use, may reject some overseas payment cards, see this advice on using it).  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it varies.  You print your own ticket.

• Day 1, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 14:00, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 20:48.

  This impressive 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It's a scenic journey, too, see the scenery photos here & watch the video here.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or en.oui.sncf (more fiddly, in €, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your smartphone.

  Change trains & stations in Paris by metro or taxi.

• Stay overnight in Paris, see suggested hotels near the station.

• Day 2, travel from Paris to Warsaw in a day.  Remarkably, high-speed trains have made it possible to travel from Paris to Warsaw in a single day, at least on Mondays-Fridays.  It's not possible at weekends.

  You'll usually find a journey leaving Paris Gare de l'Est around 07:08, changing Mannheim & Berlin Hbf, arriving Warsaw Centralna 23:04.

  It's a chill-out journey across Europe, using a 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex with cafe-bar & power sockets at all seats between Paris & Mannheim, a superb high-speed ICE train with bistro-restaurant, free WiFi & power sockets at all seats from Mannheim to Berlin, and a EuroCity train with restaurant car from Berlin to Warsaw.  In Berlin, you have time between trains to wander past the Reichstag to the Brandenburg Gate, just 15 minutes walk from Berlin Hbf.

  Paris-Berlin starts at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.

  Berlin-Warsaw starts at €27.90 in 2nd class or €37.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest fares.

  To buy tickets, first check your train times.  Go to the German Railways website www.bahn.de, enter Paris to Warsaw with departure time set to 07:00, but make sure you change Duration of transfer from Standard to at least 40 minutes.  If you don't do this you get unnecessarily tight connections which aren't advisable for such a journey, especially as you're going to book separate tickets either side of Berlin.  When you run this enquiry you'll see silly-money €240+ fares, just ignore these, just note down the trains you need.

  Now split the booking like this:  First use www.bahn.de to book the trains you want from Paris to Berlin, booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  Then use it again to book the train you want from Berlin to Warsaw, booking to Poland opens 60 days ahead.  You print your own tickets or can show them on your laptop or smartphone.

Option 2, using the Zurich-Vienna sleeper...

• Day 1 from Madrid:  Travel from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants in as little as 2h30 by AVE-S103 high-speed train.  You can leave in the evening, but trains leave almost every hour so why not travel earlier and have a pleasant evening in Barcelona.  Fares start at around €35.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com

  Day 1 from Malaga, Seville or Cordoba:  Take the afternoon AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:35, Seville Santa Justa at 14:50 or Cordoba at 15:42, arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:22, with fares from around €46.

  Day 1 from Granada:  Take the once-daily direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.

  Day 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Take any afternoon or evening EuroMed train you like from Alicante or Valencia to Barcelona.  On Mondays-Fridays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 17:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 19:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 21:55.  On Saturdays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 16:20 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 18:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 20:55.  On Sundays a EuroMed train leaves Alicante at 18:30 & Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 20:15 arriving Barcelona Sants 22:55.  Or there are earlier trains, for a pleasant evening in Barcelona.

  Buy tickets for any of these trains at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards).  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it varies.  You print your own tickets.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Day 2, travel from Barcelona to Lyon by AVE-S100 high-speed train leaving Barcelona Sants at 08:15, arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 13:20.

  The AVE train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  You'll get great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Narbonne & Montpelier, and Béziers cathedral, see the photos, tips & information here.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares very like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• Day  2, travel from Lyon to Geneva by TER regional train, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 14:38 and arriving Geneva at 16:35.

  The fare is a fixed-price €29.60.  2nd class only.  There's some nice scenery as the train runs along the river Rhone.

  Book from Barcelona Sants to Geneva at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both sites easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

• Day 2, travel from Geneva to Zurich by Swiss Intercity train, leaving Geneva at 17:15 and arriving Zurich HB at 19:56.

  Buy this ticket at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch (in CHF) and print it out.  You may find a cheap supersaver fare if you pre-book. Booking for Swiss trains opens 60 days ahead. 

• Day 2, travel from Zurich to Vienna by EuroNight sleeper train, leaving Zurich HB at 21:40 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 06:34. 

  The train has a Hungarian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 berth sleepers with washbasin, and a Hungarian couchette car with 4-berth & 6-berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  Its final destination is Budapest, see the Zurich to Budapest page for photos & tips.

  Fares start at €49.90 with a couchette in a 6-berth, €59.90 with a couchette in a 4-berth, €69.90 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €88.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €129.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

  Important:  Make sure you book the EuroNight (EN) train arriving Vienna at 06:34.  Another portion of the same train is a Nightjet (NJ) which detaches, runs slower, and arrives Vienna at 07:55, which is too tight a connection with the train to Krakow.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

• Day 3, travel from Vienna to Krakow by EuroCity train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 08:10 arriving Krakow Glowny at 13:51.

  This is a comfortable train with restaurant car.  Change at Katowice for Warsaw, arriving Warsaw Centralna at 15:24.

  Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Book this using www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at and print your own ticket.

Option 3, with overnight stops in Marseille & Berlin - if you prefer day trains & hotels to sleeper trains...

• Step 1 from Seville & Cordoba:  Travel to Barcelona by AVE high-speed train, leaving Seville Santa Justa at 08:50 or Cordoba at 09:43, arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.  Fares start at around €53.

  Step 1 from Malaga:  Travel to Madrid by AVE high-speed train, leaving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 09:00 and arriving Madrid Atocha at 11:50.  Fares start at around €28.

  Step 1 from Granada:  Travel to Barcelona by AVE high-speed train, leaving Granada at 08:15 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 14:25.  Fares start at around €53.

  Step 1 from Alicante or Valencia:  Travel to Barcelona by EuroMed train, leaving Alicante at 09:25 or Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 11:15, arriving Barcelona Sants at 13:55.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it).  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it varies.  You print your own tickets.

• Step 2, travel from Madrid or Barcelona to Avignon or Marseille by AVE-S100 train, leaving Madrid Atocha at 13:25 or Barcelona Sants at 16:36 and arriving Avignon TGV at 20:50 and Marseille St Charles at 21:33.

  The AVE train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In summer when it's light, you'll get great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Narbonne & Montpelier, and Béziers cathedral, see the photos, tips & information here.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own tickets.

• Stay overnight in Marseille.  Inexpensive hotels with good reviews just outside Marseille St Charles station:  Ibis Marseille Centre Gare St Charles, Holiday Inn Express Marseille St Charles.

• Step 3, travel from Marseille to Berlin, leaving Marseille St Charles at 08:10 by TGV Duplex, changing at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf onto an ICE and arriving Berlin Hbf at 20:29.

  The TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, the ICE has a restaurant car, both trains have power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Book from Marseille to Berlin at the German Railways website www.bahn.de and look for a journey with 1 change.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone.

• Stay overnight in Berlin.  The 3-star Meininger Hotel or InterCity Hotel are ideal as they are right next to Berlin Hbf and a 10-minute walk from the Reichstag or a 15-minute walk from the Brandenburg Gate, relatively inexpensive and get good reviews.  If you want to push the boat out, try the famous & historic Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin right next to the Brandenburg Gate.  If you're on a tight budget, try the cheaper Motel One Berlin-Hauptbahnhof just behind the station or see www.hostelworld.com.

• Step 4 for Warsaw, travel from Berlin to Warsaw on any Berlin-Warsaw EuroCity train you like.  Daily except Sundays the 05:43 from Berlin Hbf will get you to Warsaw Centralna at 11:11 with breakfast in the restaurant car.  Or have a leisurely breakfast at your hotel and take the daily 09:37 arriving 15:19.  By all means take a later train from Berlin to spend some time in Berlin.  The German capital is fascinating...

  Step 4 for Krakow, travel from Berlin to Krakow by EuroCity train Wawel, leaving Berlin Hbf at 10:37 every day, arriving Katowice at 16:44 & Krakow Glowny at 17:39.  The Wawel is comfortable & air-conditioned with restaurant car, treat yourself to lunch and a beer or two.

  Fares from Berlin to Warsaw or Krakow start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €46.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy tickets at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  Booking to Poland opens 60 days ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone.

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Spain to Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn...

• Step 1, travel from Spain to Warsaw as shown above.

• Step 2, travel from Warsaw to Vilnius as shown here.

• Step 3, for onward travel from Vilnius to Riga, see here.

• Step 4, for onward travel from Riga to Tallinn, see here.

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Spain to Kiev, Lviv & Ukraine...

• Step 1, travel from Spain to Vienna as shown in the Spain to Vienna section above.

  You travel to Barcelona on day 1, stay overnight, and travel from Barcelona to Zurich on day 2.  You then take the Nightjet sleeper train from Zurich to Vienna, arriving in the morning of day 3.

• Step 2, travel from Vienna to Lviv & Kiev by direct sleeping-car as shown on the Trains from Vienna page.

  You leave Vienna in the late afternoon and arrive Lviv next morning & Kiev in the afternoon (day 4 from Spain).

The Vienna-Kiev sleeping-car at Kiev Pass.  Photos courtesy of Helmut Uttenthaler.

The Vienna-Kiev sleeper about to leave Vienna Hbf... Courtesy of Helmut Uttenthaler.		The sleeper corridor.  Courtesy Helmut Uttenthaler.		1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper compartment.

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Spain to Moscow, St Petersburg & Russia...

Option 1, using the Paris-Moscow Express, runs once a week - the most comfortable option, if you don't mind going via Belarus...

Step 1 from Madrid:  Travel from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants in as little as 2h30 by AVE-S103 high-speed train.  You can leave in the evening, but trains leave almost every hour so why not travel earlier and have a pleasant evening in Barcelona.  Fares start at around €35.  Check times & fares at www.raileurope.com

• Step 1 from Alicante, Valencia, Malaga, Cordoba or Seville:  Take any train you like to Barcelona.  You can check times & prices & buy tickets online from any Spanish city to Barcelona at either www.raileurope.com or www.renfe.com.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Barcelona Sants at 10:05 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 16:46.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic ride, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Change trains & stations in Paris by taxi or metro from the Gare de Lyon to the Gare de l'Est.

• Step 3, travel from Paris to Moscow on the weekly Paris-Moscow Express, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 18:58 on Thursdays and arriving Moscow Byelorusski around 10:10 two nights later (i.e. day 4 from Madrid).  See the London to Moscow page for full details, how to buy tickets, photos & video guide.

  Don't forget to arrange both your Russian visa & Belarus transit visa as the train runs via Belarus. See my important update about travel to Russia through Belarus.

  Change in Moscow for St Petersburg, see the train travel in Russia page.

Standard sleepers with washbasin on the Paris-Moscow Express:  1st class 2-berth or 2nd class 4-berth.  More photos & information.

VIP sleeper with en suite toilet & shower on the Paris-Moscow Express...  More photos & information

Option 2, via Paris & Warsaw - runs every day, also via Belarus...

• Day 1, travel from Spain to Warsaw as shown in the Spain to Warsaw section above.

• You leave Madrid, Alicante, Seville, Malaga, Granada on day 1, and arrive in Warsaw in the afternoon on day 3.

• Step 2, take the overnight sleeper train to Moscow, leaving Warsaw Centralna at 19:15 daily and arriving Moscow Belorussky at 16:58 next day (day 5).  You can check times at the Russian Railways website www.rzd.ru.

  This train uses impressive Austrian-built sleeping-cars with 4-berth compartments built in 2014, see photos of this type of sleeper here & see panorama photo inside one of these modern sleepers.  Each compartment can be sold as 1st class 1-berth, 1st class 2-berth or 2nd class 4-berth.  The train consist of two or three sleeping-car which start their journey in Prague.  There's a bistro car in Poland and a Russian restaurant car is attached between Brest (on the Polish/Belarus border) & Moscow.

  You can book this train by contacting reliable Polish train ticketing agency www.polrail.com - their booking system is at booking.polrail.com.  Tickets can be collected in Warsaw or (at extra charge) shipped to any address worldwide.

Alternatively, you can book with Russian Railways at www.rzd.ru although it's a little quirky and may reject some overseas credit cards.

Don't forget to arrange both your Russian visa & Belarus transit visa as the train runs via Belarus. See my important update about travel to Russia through Belarus.

Change in Moscow for St Petersburg, see the train travel in Russia page.

Option 3, via Vienna & Kiev - avoiding Belarus...

• Step 1, travel from Spain to Vienna as shown in the Spain to Vienna section above.

  You travel to Barcelona on day 1 and stay overnight.  Then from Barcelona to Zurich on day 2, taking the Nightjet sleeper from Zurich to Vienna, arriving in the morning of day 3.

• Step 2, travel from Vienna to Lviv & Kiev by direct sleeping-car as shown on the Trains from Vienna page.

  You leave Vienna in the afternoon of day 3 and arrive Lviv & Kiev next day (day 4 from Spain).

• Step 3, travel from Kiev to Moscow by sleeper train.  There are several sleeper trains to choose from, for example one leaves Kiev at 19:36 arriving Moscow Kievskaya station at 10:09 the next morning (day 5 from Spain).

  The fare is around €92 with a bed in 4-berth kupé or €180 with a bed in a 2-berth spalny vagon.

  You can ask www.polrail.com to book this for you too, or you can book tickets from Kiev to Moscow at the Ukrainian Railways site booking.uz.gov.ua/en/ booking from Kyiv to Moskva Kievskaya.  You collect tickets at the station in Kiev.  Feedback appreciated!

  Change in Moscow for St Petersburg, see the train travel in Russia page.

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Spain to Athens & Greece...

• Step 1, travel from Spain to Milan as shown in the Spain to Italy section above.

  You travel to Barcelona on day 1 and stay overnight.  Then Barcelona to Lyon on to Milan on day 2.

• Stay overnight in Milan:  Hotels near Milan Centrale with good reviews include the Made to Measure Business, 43 Station Hotel, Starhotel Echo or Starhotel Anderson.

• Step 2, travel from Milan to Athens as shown on the Trains from Milan page.

  You travel from Milan to Bari by train, then sail overnight from Bari to Patras in Greece.  A bus/train combo gets you to Athens early evening (day 4 from Spain).

2 or 4-berth cabin with private toilet & shower.		Relaxing on deck...

At sea, passing Cephalonia & Ithaca.  This is what travel to Greece should be like!

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Spain to Istanbul & Turkey...

• Step 1, travel from Spain to Budapest as shown in the Spain to Budapest section above.

• Step 2, travel from Budapest to Bucharest and on to Istanbul as shown on the Trains from Budapest page.

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Railbookers custom-made tours

If you just want to buy train tickets at the cheapest price, book online as shown on this page.  However, if you want someone to sort out your whole trip for you, arranging all your trains, hotels and transfers, and to look after you if anything affects your arrangements, talk to Railbookers.  Railbookers can custom-make a train trip around Europe to your own specification.  Just tell them what you want and they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels.  They get good reports and a lot of repeat business!  They now have offices in the UK, North America and Australia.

  UK call 0207 864 4600, www.railbookers.co.uk.

  US call free 1-888-829-4775, see website.

  Canada call free 1-855-882-2910, see website.

  Australia call toll-free 1300 971 526, see website.

  New Zealand call toll-free 0800 000 554 or see website.

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Find hotels in Europe

Other hotel sites worth trying...

• www.tripadvisor.com is the place to find independent travellers' reviews of all the main hotels.

Backpacker hostels...

• www.hostelworld.com:  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.

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Travel insurance & VPN

Always take out travel insurance...

Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy myself.  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

In the UK, reliable insurers include Columbus Direct.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65, see www.JustTravelCover.com - 10% discount with code seat61.

You can use Confused.com to compare prices & policies from many different insurers.

        If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.

  If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

A Curve card saves on foreign transaction fees...

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate, then charge you a currency conversion fee.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month at time of writing.  The balance goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.

How it works:  1. Download the app for iPhone or Android.  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to most European addresses including the UK.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, just like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance onto whichever of your debit or credit cards you choose.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself - I get some commission if you sign up to Curve, but I'm recommending it here because it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card - they'll give you £5 cashback through that link, too.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  VPNs & why you need one explained...

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure.  A VPN means your connection to the internet is encrypted & always secure, even using unsecured WiFi.  In countries such as China where access to Twitter & Facebook is restricted, a VPN gets around these restrictions.  And lastly, you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geographic restrictions which some websites apply - for example one booking site charges a booking fee to non-European visitors but none to European visitors, so if you're not located in Europe you can avoid this fee by browsing with a UK IP address using a VPN.  VPNs & why you need one explained.  ExpressVPN is a best buy and I use it myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription, and I get a small commission to help support this site.

 

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