Yes, Mediterranean beaches, sangria and tapas are all accessible by taking the train!
There are some fantastic high speed routes that connect the UK to the Iberian peninsula (via France). And, when you focus on the northern parts of the country, you can easily travel by train in a day, enjoy a few days there and then take the return route home!
While Spain has a fantastic high-speed train network, with Renfe AVE locomotives reaching up to 300 kmph, I’d recommend staying in the northern part of this network if you’re visiting Spain for a week or less. This will keep your journey time to a day and ensure that you have plenty of time to enjoy your destination before thinking about the return journey!
So, here are the very best places in Spain to visit by train from the UK!
Pro tip: if you’re taking the trains in Spain and France, make sure that you’re never without data. A travel esim that covers the EU will ensure you stay well-connected wherever you are!
Barcelona
Barcelona is the simplest option. From London, you take Eurostar to Paris, change from Paris Gare de Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon, and then a direct high-speed train to Barcelona. The total journey time is around 9 to 10 hours, with 6 hours 50 of that being on the Paris to Barcelona train.
I’d recommend taking a Eurostar from London at 09:30 at the very latest, which gets in at 12:59 (remember the time difference!) – the last train of the day from Paris to Barcelona is around 14:40, so this gives you one hour 40 minutes to change stations and trains.
Personally, though, I’d take an earlier Eurostar – but I tend to err on the side of caution with connections!
You can read all my top tips for taking the Eurostar here.
You arrive into Barcelona Sants Station, which connects straight to the metro and all of Barcelona’s many attractions – Sagrada Familia, La Rambla, Parc Guell and everything else!
Top tip: Book the Paris to Barcelona train early. That’s the section where prices climb fastest.
Girona
Girona sits on the same line as Barcelona, so the journey is identical until the final stop. You get off earlier, cutting the total travel time to around 8.5 to 9 hours.
Girona is a lovely alternative to Barcelona. It’s a bit cheaper and a lot less busy – you could even stay here and do a day trip to Barcelona if you fancied somewhere a bit quieter!
With a 1,000 year old cathedral, which has the widest Gothic nave in the world and was a Game of Thrones filming location and one of Europe’s best preserved Jewish Quarters, there’s plenty to keep you in Girona – but it’s also a fantastic base for the rest of the Costa Brava.
Figueres
Figueres is even closer to the French border. You follow the same route via Paris, then stay on the high-speed line into Spain. Journey time is around 8 hours.
The main draw is the Dalí Theatre-Museum, which is one of the most visited museums in Spain. Figures was the birthplace of Salvador Dali. Its main tourists are art fans, but there’s also an old town, the Sant Ferran Castle and lots of gastronomic events!
High-speed trains arrive into Figures-Vilafant, where you can take the L1 bus or a taxi into the centre.
Of course, you could do all three cities – Barcelona, Girona and Figures – on a Catalonia train trip from London!
Zaragoza
Zaragoza is a little more complicated to get to, and you’d be quite lucky to get there in one day from London (you won’t be able to get there in one day, but you could stop in one of the Catalan cities mentioned above and then do a shorter journey the next day!)
Zaragoza is one hour along the high-speed route between Barcelona and Madrid. From London, you travel via Paris, then change trains in Barcelona.
The station is outside the centre, but it’s around a half hour walk to the centre (buses or taxis are also available!).
Walk through wide streets to reach Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, which sits along the river with large open squares around it.
There’s a huge food market, plenty of churches, Roman ruins and the somewhat infamous El Tubo – a network of winding narrow streets with tapas bars.
I visited Zaragoza last year and loved it – you can see my list of reasons it’s worth visiting here!
Lleida
Also on the train from Barcelona is Lleida. This is a smaller city that sits at the gateway to the Pyrenees.
While it’s probably not worth spending days here, there’s La Seu Vella which is a huge historic cathedral complex with incredible city views, plus plenty of local tapas restaurants and wine bars!
I’d recommend visiting Lleida and Zaragoza on one trip, to see some alternative Catalonian and Aragonese cities!
San Sebastián (Donostia)
Now let’s tackle the Basque country!
As San Sebastián sits right by the French border, you could reach it in one day without flying.
Again, take the Eurostar to Paris, then head to Gare Montparnasse where you can take a train bound for Hendaye, which sits right by the Spanish border. From Hendaye, there’s actually a local, 30 minute train that will take you to San Sebastian.
From the station, walk over the river to reach the old town. The bay curves around the city, with a long promenade running along the beach. Just behind it, the old town is filled with small bars serving pintxos – and many Michelin Star restaurants that the beach town is now famous for!
If you’re looking to return to the UK a different way, you could also take a bus to Bilbao (the biggest city in the Basque country) and then a ferry to Portsmouth or Plymouth!
