Barcelona to Lyon by train

Final Destination: Lyon Part-Dieu

This train also calls at: Nimes and Valence TGV

Departing from Barcelona:

This train is scheduled to depart daily from Barcelona Sants at 08:15.

Aim to be at Barcelona Sants a minimum of 20 mins before departure, in order to allow time to pass through the security checks.

At Barcelona Sants station these trains to France depart from the part of the station used by the Spanish high speed trains - vias (platforms/tracks) 1 - 6.
So when you're in the station follow the signs that are pointing the way to the ' Alta-Velocidad' trains.

Arriving in Lyon:

The train is due into Lyon at 14:20 and has good connections in Lyon into TER trains on to Aix-Les-Bains, Annecy, Dijon, Geneva and Grenoble.

It also typically has a 40 min connection into a TGV train heading on Bruxelles via Lille.

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings open: 4 months ahead of the travel date

This direct train is usually scheduled to depart daily from Barcelona at 08:15 so target that time when looking up this journey

It can be usually worth comparing the prices between booking agents for this journey.
 
Seat reservations:

Seats will automatically be assigned when booking tickets for this journey.

Rail pass users will need to be pay a reservation fee prior to boarding, but these reservations cannot be booked on the ticket agent's websites.

If you want the peace of mind of reserving before arriving at a Spanish station, you will need to use the Eurail reservation service or the InterRail reservation service but you will be charged a €2 booking fee per reservation.
Though you can avoid a booking fee if you do reserve at a Spanish station.

Or avoid paying the rail pass reservation fee, by taking this alternative journey option.

The French national rail company SNCF and the Spanish rail company Renfe have opted to terminate their partnership which jointly managed the service of high speed trains between France and Spain.
As a result the long-standing direct trains between Barcelona and Lyon have been withdrawn, without any adjustment to any other train times to provide an equivalent indirect journey on a similar schedule to what had been available.

When departing by the trains which typically leave Barcelona at 10:32 the ticket agents will usually offer an onward connection at Montpellier St Roch station into a train that will usually be departing from there at around 13:58.
It will be train heading to Metz or Strasbourg.
The scheduled connecting time between trains will only be around 15 mins, so it's ideal if the train from Barcelona arrives in Montpellier on time, though it obviously won't leave much contingency time in the event of a delay.
Though in this instance it's worth the slight gamble on making the connection, because the next train on to Lyon will be leaving within the hour and if need be tickets and reservations can be transferred on to that alternative departure in the event of a delay; though a visit to the ticket office at St Roch station will be necessary.

Book early and save: Yes

**Online bookings usually open:**up to 6 months ahead of the travel date

Seats will automatically be assigned when booking tickets for this journey, but rail pass users will need to be pay a rail pass reservation fee prior to boarding.

Using rail passes

The removal of the direct trains has expensive consequences of users of InterRail and Eurail passes, because separate rail pass reservation fees will be need to be paid on both of the TGV trains.

The usual alternative that avoids any reservation fees is to make at least two connections in Port Bou and Avignon, but these journey options will need to be looked up on the Eurail/InterRail journey planning app.
The connections will vary according to both the day of the week on which you will be making the journey; and the travel date.

When departing by the trains which typically leave Barcelona at 14:32 the ticket agents will usually offer an onward connection at Narbonne station into a train that will usually be departing from there at around 16:59.

The scheduled connecting time between trains will only be around 20 mins, so it's ideal if the train from Barcelona arrives in Narbonne on time, though it obviously won't leave much contingency time in the event of a delay.
The connection between trains won't be guaranteed, though if need be tickets and reservations can be transferred at the ticket desk in Narbonne on to the next train on to Lyon, but it won't be departing from Narbonne until around two hours later.

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date

Seats will automatically be assigned when booking tickets for this journey, but rail pass users will need to be pay a rail pass reservation fee prior to boarding.