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Reservation Advice

  • 27 June 2023
  • 2 replies
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G

This is my first time traveling internationally. When I first started using the eurail app I used trains that didn’t require reserving seats so I didn’t realize that I had to book seats separately from the app. 
 

My issue now is that I’ve just been told that I do have to reserve a seat. I’m trying to travel from Paris to Barcelona on June 30 and I can’t find any available trains. Does anyone have any advice on how I could find tickets to get there or any alternative routes? I’m traveling with a friend so I would need two tickets.

Any advice would be really appreciated!

Thank you

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Best answer by thibcabe 27 June 2023, 13:52

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BrendanDB
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There only two TGV trains per day on that connection. Very Popular, so they sell out rather easy.

Other options: Renfe just reinstated their AVE trains Barcelona-Lyon from 13 July, and Barcelona-Marseille on 28 July. These trains stop in Perpignan, Nîmes, Montpellier,… There are very sharp promotional prices on offer now for ordinary tickets, so you might better get a cheap ordinary ticket!

See this topic:

But that doesn’t help you forward for 30 June: take a TGV to Nîmes/Montpellier/Narbonne/Perpignan, and continue by TER to Cerbère and Portbou, continue by Rodalies to Barcelona (TER & Rodalies don’t require seat reservations)

France and Spain are very reservation heavy.

Seat reservations for Spanish trains, you need to fetch at a ticket office in Spain. If you plan to travel further in Spain with your pass, best make all reservations at once, when you’re at the ticket office.

In France you can go the slow way, and bypass reservations by taking Regional trains (TERs) (select no seat reservations needed option), but it takes a looooong time. Usually good scenery though. In Spain it’s much more difficult to avoid seat reservations. Feel free to ask here on the community for advice on your further routes.

T
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Don't worry, it's still possible to reach Barcelona but not direct. All direct TGVs are sold out until mid-July. Take this connection :

- TGV Paris Gare de Lyon - Nîmes Pont du Gard 06:56 - 09:45 20€

- TER Nîmes Pont du Gard - Portbou 10:00 - 13:47

- R Portbou - Barcelona-Sants 14:35 - 17:10 (or 5 min earlier in the city center)

You could also visit Nîmes, Montpellier or Perpignan for a few hours and then take this connection :

- TER Nîmes/Montpellier - Perpignan 16:49/17:29 - 19:16

- TGV Perpignan - Barcelona-Sants 20:03 - 21:25 27€ 2 seats left

Do not hesitate for questions and book ASAP.

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