I’ve travelled overland to and from Southern Spain more times than I can count.Â
If you’d rather avoid airports, it’s entirely possible to travel from London to Málaga by train in just two days, with time to enjoy a stop in Barcelona along the way – or you could spend longer and stop in a range of French or Spanish cities!
Here’s how the journey works and how much you can expect to pay for the most direct route.
Step 1: London to Paris on Eurostar
The journey starts at London St Pancras International, where you’ll board the Eurostar to Paris.
Take a look at all my Eurostar tips here – and if you’re reading this before 8th June, there’s currently a 25% off sale!
The journey takes two hours 15 minutes and arrives at Paris Gare du Nord.
You can, of course, spend a night in Paris, but if you want to continue south the same day, there are direct high-speed trains to Barcelona.
You’ll arrive into Paris Gare du Lyon; if you’re travelling straight to Barcelona, take the RER D train to Paris Gare du Lyon, which is where the train leaves from!
Step 2: Paris to Barcelona
One of the most convenient options is the 2:42pm direct train from Paris to Barcelona.
This journey takes you through the French countryside and across the border into Spain before arriving at Barcelona Sants at 9:32pm.
Tickets are available from around £89.
After arriving in Barcelona, you can stay overnight before continuing your journey the next day. Hotels near Barcelona Sants Station start from around £65 (if there are two of you, you will obviously split this cost) per night – here’s my recommendation.
If you have more time, of course, there’s plenty to see in Barcelona!
You could also break up the journey elsewhere along the route in any of these cities:
- Nîmes
- Montpellier
- Girona
See the easiest Spanish cities to reach from the UK here.
OR, you could travel a little further along the line and stop in Zaragoza, which will shorten your journey to Málaga. I visited Zaragoza last year and thought it was really underrated – see why here!
Step 3: Barcelona to Málaga
The following day, direct high-speed trains connect Barcelona with Málaga.
One of the most convenient departures leaves at around 11:00am and arrives in Málaga before 6:00pm.
Tickets start from approximately £58.
The train crosses much of Spain and links Catalonia with Andalusia in under seven hours.
You could, of course, stop in Zaragoza (as mentioned earlier) or even Cordoba (one of the best cities to visit by train in Spain!) to experience another city en route.
How much does it cost?
I used a test date for three months time to work out the costs.
Here’s a rough breakdown:
- London to Paris: £49
- Paris to Barcelona: £89
- Barcelona hotel: £65
- Barcelona to Málaga: £58
Total: approximately £261
Prices vary depending on when you book and if you’re travelling alone or with someone. These prices are all one-way.
Do you want to fly less?
I have a free guide to planning your first European overland adventure and write a weekly newsletter on the topic! You can sign up and download your guide here.
Plus, make sure you’re following my overland adventures on YouTube – I even made a full video about travelling from Malaga to London by train here.
