How to take the rail journey from Barcelona to La-Tour-De-Carol

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Barcelona to Latour-de-Carol by train

Why take a train from Barcelona to a tiny village just over the border in France?
Well there are three reasons:

This is by far the most scenic rail journey which can be taken from Barcelona (though if you want to head this way on a day trip for the scenery, leaving the train at Puigcerda and having lunch there is a better option).
The 'Petit-Jaune' trains, which take one of the most scenic rail routes in France, also leave from La Tour De Carol.
Connections are available in Tour De Carol for trains on to Toulouse.
If you'll be taking a train from Barcelona to Toulouse then this a much more scenic route through the Pyrenees than the route via Narbonne.
If you will be travelling with Eurail and InterRail pass you can travel this way from Barcelona to Toulouse without paying any additional reservation fees.

Routes you can take to go from Barcelona to Latour-de-Carol

When travelling between most cities by train there is only one logical option, though on other journeys there is a choice between different trains or alternative routes. If different options are available you can use the info to decide which is best for you.

Choose one of the following options:

Looking for connections?

Journey guides for travel to Barcelona

Route Information

Station Guides

The salidas/platforms at Barcelona Sants station

Barcelona Sants Rail Station Guide

Image coming soon...

Latour-de-Carol Guide Coming soon...

Travel Time (approx)

3hr - 3hr 15min approx

Frequency

Daily

Travel Info

5 x trains per day

Travel Information

Final Destination: Latour-de-Carol

All trains also call at: Puigcerda

There are 5 x trains per day, but on Sat/Sun the trains operate at different timings to those on Mon-Friday.

Connections in La Tour De Carol:

The connections in La Tour De Carol between the arrival of these trains from Barcelona and the departure of TER trains on to Toulouse had been greatly improved in recent years.
Though yet again SNCF, the French national rail operator, has recently changed its timetable with apparently no regard for the timings of the trains on to Toulouse, so all of the connections are rather random.

TER trains link La Tour De Carol to Toulouse on a route via Foix, though the connections aren't generally conveniently timed.
Depart Barcelona at 06:01 or 08:31 daily, or at 11:31 on Monday to Friday, and you'll be hanging around La Tour De Carol for around 1hr 45mins - though you can cut this time down to only around 30 mins if you leave Barcelona at 11:31 on Sunday.

This is a direct journey

You will be travelling on one of these trains...

A train from Barcelona has arrived in La Tour De Carol

Regional Express (Spain) Train Guide

Journey Features

Scenic - YesLandscape (Hills / Mountains)

Good to Know

SMTJ has cheated by classifying the trains used on this route as Regional Express trains.
What they in fact are Rodalies trains, the trains used on the local and commuter routes around Barcelona.
They happen to have their regular journeys from Barcelona extended, so that they cross the border into France.

The scenery from the right of the train as it leaves Barcelone behind

The train crosses numerous rivers - this is a journey which showcases an atypical side to Spain

Most of the towns that the trains passes through are beautifully preserved

For the final hour of the journey the best of the views are on the left

Towards journey's end the trains descend to the plain which houses the town of Puigcerida

For the final 15 mins the trains cross a plain with distant views of the Pyrenees in all directions

The majority of this train ride is an absolute delight
Though best of the views are around 20-30 mins from journey's end on the left hand side of the train.

The general guide to French rail travel Discover what's good to know about riding the trains, taking popular journeys, using the major stations, booking tickets and travelling with rail passes.

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This is one of more than 100 train travel guides available on ShowMeTheJourney, which will make it easier to take the train journeys you want or need to make. As always, all images were captured on trips taken by ShowMeTheJourney.

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