London to Girona

[coupwotcoup]

Hi chaps.

It's been a long time since my last trip, almost four years and much has changed since then.

Especially with the French bringing forward the timing of the first train out on said route
making it now impossible to connect with the early Eurostar.... #grrr

I digress.


Not going until September but had a look on Trainline and as suspected some of the prices
are mind boggling, so any suggestions for going down a different booking route are welcome.

Thanks in advance.

 

[rvdborgt]

TGV to Perpignan and then regional trains via Portbou will be cheaper than using SNCF's cash cow TGV to Barcelona.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Ryanair Stansted-Beziers is £31 on September 5 (0830-1125), for a nice amble down the coast via Portbou by train.
Or you can fly to Girona direct for even less, and avoid the train altogether...

Another fly-rail option would be EasyJet Gatwick-Marseille or Toulouse, and then on the new Renfe services Marseille/Toulouse-Girona (not via the coast).

 

[coupwotcoup]

Ryanair Stansted-Beziers is £31 on September 5 (0830-1125), for a nice amble down the coast via Portbou by train.
Or you can fly to Girona direct for even less, and avoid the train altogether...

Another fly-rail option would be EasyJet Gatwick-Marseille or Toulouse, and then on the new Renfe service Marseille/Toulouse-Girona (not via the coast).

Thanks for the input but don't do the flying thing...

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Jun 2023 ==

TGV to Perpignan and then regional trains via Portbou will be cheaper than using SNCF's cash cow TGV to Barcelona.

The price is not a massive problem - no more €29 one way first class any more! - and once one has been built
for speed, it's hard to turn back the clock, no matter how pleasant the coastal route to Barça may be.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Jun 2023 ==

Thanks for the input but all booked now...

 

[dutchflyer]

3 possible alternatives:
1.as rian vd b says: TGV INland only, then locals-plus you arr in the old estacion in Girona, centre town, not the far away along AV=hi-speed
2.The overnight train from Paris to somewhere in the south-its partly seasonal, in summer even till Perpignan-Port Bou, then RENFE/Cerc. as [1]
3.RENFE will start its own service by AVE from the south of FR to Barca-Madrid-see recent other post-with as was said quite low introductory fares.

 

[coupwotcoup]

To put some flesh on the bones.

I just made the Barca train thanks to a gate guy letting me on - delay of E* departure didn't help -
plus said train had been moved to Hall 3 at GdL...grrr.

In the main it was all good and no bad, despite being pricey but one thing I'd like to share was my
first experience of going through customs in nearly four years.

Had heard plenty of horror stories but arrived at SP early enough on the way and out and was
into the departure lounge inside THREE minutes. I thought I'd taken a wrong turning.

Pitched up for last evening's 19.09 from GdN which looked to be a sell out - but yet again, sailed
through the all the relevant areas.

Here's to the next time, if there is a next time.

 

[Thames99]

1.as rian vd b says: TGV INland only, then locals-plus you arr in the old estacion in Girona, centre town, not the far away along AV=hi-speed

Isn't the AV station in Girona directly below the old station and still in the city centre? I seem to remember descending deep into a concrete cavern to reach the trains. The next AV station up the line in Figueres is well out of the city, so local trains are a better bet there if you are going to the centre.

 

[rvdborgt]

Isn't the AV station in Girona directly below the old station and still in the city centre?

Next to the old station and in a tunnel. I transferred from the new to the old station a few months ago. There weren't any signs pointing to the old station, as if it doesn't exist. You just have to exit the new one and then look for the entrance of the old one.

 

[Trainbike46]

To put some flesh on the bones.

I just made the Barca train thanks to a gate guy letting me on - delay of E* departure didn't help -
plus said train had been moved to Hall 3 at GdL...grrr.

In the main it was all good and no bad, despite being pricey but one thing I'd like to share was my
first experience of going through customs in nearly four years.

Had heard plenty of horror stories but
at SP early enough on the way and out and was
into the departure lounge inside THREE minutes. I thought I'd taken a wrong turning.

Pitched up for last evening's 19.09 from GdN which looked to be a sell out - but yet again, sailed
through the all the relevant areas.

Here's to the next time, if there is a next time.

Fortunately the issue with delays at eurostar security in st pancras seem to have been resolved, in part by opening extra security lanes in the former arrivals area, in part by there no longer being a need for any covid checks, speeding things up during the checks as well

 

[coupwotcoup]

Isn't the AV station in Girona directly below the old station and still in the city centre? I seem to remember descending deep into a concrete cavern to reach the trains. The next AV station up the line in Figueres is well out of the city, so local trains are a better bet there if you are going to the centre