Madrid to Marseille by train

How to take the rail journey Madrid to Marseille

The direct trains between Madrid and Marseille have been removed from the new rail timetable which will be in place after December 11th and into 2023.

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Routes

From Madrid to Marseille by train

Travel Information

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As a result the long-standing direct trains between Madrid and and Marseille have been withdrawn, without any adjustment to any other train times, to provide an equivalent indirect journey on a similar schedule to what had been available.

1 or 2 x connections per day

Tickets

No ticket agent will seemingly offer this end-to-end journey on single booking, but Trainline will sell a Madrid to Barcelona journey and a Barcelona to Marseille journey via Nimes.
Both journeys will typically be available from four months ahead of the travel date.

Journey Features

Scenic - NoHigh Speed (partial journey)

Good to Know

Final Destination: Barcelona-Sants or Figueres

The train which typically departs Madrid at 06:30 is due into Barcelona Sants at 09:20 and a train which departs Madrid at 07:00 and is non-stop to Barcelona where it usually scheduled to arrive in Barcelona at 09:30.
Both of these trains aren't seemingly available on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The train on to France will typically be departing from Barcelona at 10:32.

A daily train to Barcelona usually departs from Madrid at 09:30 and is due to arrive into Barcelona at 12:37, nearly two hours before the departure of a train on to France.

This train is scheduled to depart from Madrid-Charmartin at 07:15 on Mon-Fri only.

This train is second class/Turista class only.

Note that this train departs from Chamartin station in Madrid and NOT from Atocha station - which is where the AVE trains to Barcelona to depart from.

Final Destination: Barcelona Franca

This train also calls at: Barcelona Passeig Di Gracia

If you'll be headong to central Barcelona, don't leave this train at Barcelona Sants station, remain on the train until it arrives at the next station Passeig Di Gracia.

Journey Features

High Speed (partial journey)Coastal views

Good to Know

Final Destination: Paris Gare De Lyon

The connecting time between trains in Nimes will typically be around 1hr 5mins.
The connection at Nimes is suggested because there are brasseries and cafes right by the station, which are suitable places to await the onward train.
Or there will be the option of waiting for the onward train on the voie (track/platform), the train from Marseille will typically arrive on the same voie that the train on to Marseille will be departing from.

The view from the high speed line north of Figueres The view from the high speed line north of Figueres
Crossing the marshes between Perpignan and Narbonne Crossing the marshes between Perpignan and Narbonne
The view of Beziers from the left just before Beziers station The view of Beziers from the left just before Beziers station

Between Barcelona and Perpignan the train travels on a high speed line.

2. Between Perpignan and Montpellier the train follows the coast, don't expect incredible seascapes, but there are some nice views as the train threads through the marshes - particularly north of Perpignan.

The videos were filmed from a train travelling in the opposite direction.

Journey Features

Not High Speed

Good to Know

Final Destination: Marseille-St Charles

Take the connections which are typically available on any day, but Tuesday and Wednesday and the arrival time into Marseille will typically be at 16:37.

Or if you take the usually available daily connections, the arrival time into Marseille will be around 21:30

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