Is there any way to check whether I can book Eurostar or the TGV for this trip over the Easter weekend? We are coming back midweek so I am sure there will be capacity on those trains. We want to travel on the 30th and due to engineering works there are no trains into Euston so we can’t get to London before 14:30 - is the only way to check to buy the passes? 15% cancellation fee does seem a bit heavy to be able to check and rule this in or out?
Thanks
You can check and book reservations on www.raileurope.com. Desktop website only.
Note that (mandatory) seat reservations will be a significant part of your budget on top of the pass :
- 30€ Eurostar (passholder quota too -> book ASAP)
- 35€ direct Paris - Barcelona TGV
There are ways to save money like crossing the Spanish border on regional trains or taking a night train from Paris to the Spanish border*. In any case do not leave it to book during this busy period.
*this would be really convenient as you could arrive in Paris at 6pm, have dinner and then board straight to the Pyrénées or the Mediterannean.
General guide : https://www.seat61.com/interrail-and-eurail-reservations.htm
Questions welcome.
I had a quick look and Preston - London will be best done via Leeds. You could arrive as early at 10am but then you'd have to wait anyway as the first available train is the 14:31 service.
Leave Preston at 07:44 or 08:44, make your way to Paris, have dinner there and spend a night in the city or board the night train right away! Pretty ideal :)
I checked Leeds but there is disruption at Doncaster, so it would be Preston - Leeds - Doncaster - Sheffield - London
trains to Manchester- Sheffield (or Chesterfield) --London seem to be best
Will look at desktop website, have only used my iPad
There is indeed disruption in Doncaster with less trains running than usual : hourly instead of every 30 min. I'd still very much recommend LNER/the ECML over the route via Sheffield : trains are tiny, they'll be packed -> unpleasant experience.
LNER via Leeds would only mean a single change and larger trains.
Of course someone living in the area might be more helpful, I'll let them answer.
Now looks like Paris will also be full of works : Gare de Lyon will pretty much be closed to traffic. Night trains don't run on that Saturday either (not sure if it's specific or common). So I'd spend the night in Paris and the following day take one of the 2 direct high-speed trains to Barcelona (35€).
Note that they'll leave from Paris-Montparnasse and meander through Paris suburbs before reaching the high-speed line.
(Why do companies plan engineering works on the busiest weekends of the year...)
For the return journey you could definitely take the night train from Latour. Feel free to ask for advice :)
Which is the overnight train, I can’t find that - it hasn’t shown on any of my searches?
Tahnsk for your help will research this in more detail tomorrow
Yeah with the works it doesn't seem to run on your date so it might be more useful for the return journey. I'll gladly have a thorough look tomorrow too.
In the meantime have a look at this helpful page : https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/paris-to-barcelona-by-sleeper-train.htm
The website is incredible. Of course still have a look at planners as schedules can change due to works as we've seen...
Good night :)
You can use RailEurope ‘desktop version’ on your iPhone/ipad by going to raileurope.com and then touching the AA (it’s the little capital A and the big capital A) at the very top of the screen-the. Go to ‘Request Desktop Version’ and you’ll then see the option ‘Add rail pass’ in the search box. This does not work on the app only the website.
Glad i registered and asked on here- does anyone know how the “Reservation must be done at the station works?
I can get to Nimes from Preston by 21:39 and the first train off Nimes is at 9:01 and gets to Barca at12:38 which is ideal but I cant reserve a seat now. The next train at 13:29 and I can reserve a seat on that one - how does this work? I would sooner carry on and get there ASAP really
09:01
Nîmes Centre
Sun 31 Mar
12:38
Barcelona Sants
There is indeed disruption in Doncaster with less trains running than usual : hourly instead of every 30 min. I'd still very much recommend LNER/the ECML over the route via Sheffield : trains are tiny, they'll be packed -> unpleasant experience.
LNER via Leeds would only mean a single change and larger trains.
Of course someone living in the area might be more helpful, I'll let them answer.
Now looks like Paris will also be full of works : Gare de Lyon will pretty much be closed to traffic. Night trains don't run on that Saturday either (not sure if it's specific or common). So I'd spend the night in Paris and the following day take one of the 2 direct high-speed trains to Barcelona (35€).
Note that they'll leave from Paris-Montparnasse and meander through Paris suburbs before reaching the high-speed line.
(Why do companies plan engineering works on the busiest weekends of the year...)
For the return journey you could definitely take the night train from Latour. Feel free to ask for advice :)
I cant find a night train back to Latour? We are planning to travelling back on Tuesday but may consider Monday night if there is a sleeper, seems more of an adventure
The AVE is unavailable online. You can get reservations on the platform for 10€ → staff are used to it. If the train is full they also sell folding seats or you can go to the bar.
It would be for Sunday 31st, right? I’ll have a look at how many seats are left right now. You can check too : go to renfe.com and follow the booking process until you see a map appear.
I’ll have a look for the night train.
EDIT : 29 seats left on the AVE. As I said staff should still sell you reservations. If things didn’t end up working you may take the 09:11 regional train towards Narbonne and Cerbère. It’ll take longer than the high-speed train (arrival 15:40) but you’ll still be on the move!
Night train : both Latour and Cerbère trains are running on Monday night (Latour on Tuesday night too). It would look as follows :
Or via the Pyrénées :
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