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Travel from Switzerland glacier express to Spain

  • November 28, 2023
  • 4 replies
  • 143 views

Alexandra Chocontá

Hello. Im looking to travel from Switzerland to Spain. Is there any route you recommend? Is possible to do that route or to difficult being my first time traveling by train in Europe. Im pretty new on this. Thanks! 

Best answer by thibcabe

Are you planning to get the Eurail pass ? Seat reservations on high-speed trains in France, Spain and Italy (mainly) must be booked separately (and cost extra). This limits your flexibility as some trains must be booked quite in advance.

Totally agree with ralderton's post.

The AVE between Lyon and Barcelona is very convenient, I used it last year. Unfortunately you cannot get online reservations for it (for now!) so your alternatives :

- buy a regular ticket in advance

- speak to staff on the platform and buy a 10€ reservation (apparently it works)

There are other routes but they take quite longer.

Questions welcome.

About the Glacier Express : the special panorama train requires a 49 CHF reservation (very popular so book in advance). You can also travel on reservation-free hourly regional trains on the same route. :)

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4 replies

ralderton
Railmaster
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  • Railmaster
  • 1540 replies
  • November 28, 2023

Where in Spain?

The most obvious route would be first to Geneva, then by French TER to Lyon, then pick up a high speed train towards Perpignan and Barcelona.

You can see timetables on Bahn.com (better to search for smaller parts of the journey, one by one).

You can also travel by fast train to Paris, then a sleeper train to the border.


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  • Full steam ahead
  • 4930 replies
  • Answer
  • November 28, 2023

Are you planning to get the Eurail pass ? Seat reservations on high-speed trains in France, Spain and Italy (mainly) must be booked separately (and cost extra). This limits your flexibility as some trains must be booked quite in advance.

Totally agree with ralderton's post.

The AVE between Lyon and Barcelona is very convenient, I used it last year. Unfortunately you cannot get online reservations for it (for now!) so your alternatives :

- buy a regular ticket in advance

- speak to staff on the platform and buy a 10€ reservation (apparently it works)

There are other routes but they take quite longer.

Questions welcome.

About the Glacier Express : the special panorama train requires a 49 CHF reservation (very popular so book in advance). You can also travel on reservation-free hourly regional trains on the same route. :)


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  • Full steam ahead
  • 26 replies
  • November 29, 2023

Re the Glacier Express - isn’t just the special panorama coaches that need a reservation - the carriages at either end of the panorama ones are reservation-free I believe.

thibcabe wrote:

 

About the Glacier Express : the special panorama train requires a 49 CHF reservation (very popular so book in advance). You can also travel on reservation-free hourly regional trains on the same route. :)

 


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  • Full steam ahead
  • 26 replies
  • November 29, 2023

Sorry, my mistake. My comment above refers to the Bernina Express.


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