France and Spain are two of the most visited countries in the world, so it makes sense that rail connections between them are only set to expand and improve – you gotta give the people what they want, after all.
An exciting new addition to the cross-border timetable is coming this year: Spanish rail operator Renfe is set to launch a brand-new AVE (high-speed) service between Barcelona and the French city of Toulouse, connecting not just these two popular travel spots, but 17 destinations overall.
Right now, this proposal is still hypothetical – Renfe has submitted a request to the European Union Railway Agency for an extension of its safety certificate so it can operate in Toulouse, and once that’s been approved, training staff and sorting schedules can begin.
However, we do know a fair bit about the service. It will run six times a day (that’s three times in each direction) on a seasonal basis from April to mid-September. If demand is there, that could be extended, and journey time is estimated to be around three and a half hours.
The route will stop at cities including Girona, Figueres, Perpignan, and Carcassonne, and the schedule will hopefully tie-in with connections to Madrid, Zaragoza, Tarragona, Valencia, Lleida and Castellón. Renfe is also keen for the services to align with trains in France to optimise potential connections for passengers, but according to the Global Railway Review, that is yet to be confirmed.
Exciting, right? It all came about thanks to the success of Renfe’s Lyon and Marseille services, which were launched back in 2023 – keep an eye on this page for information on the April launch date and ticket prices.
Did you see that you could win a free family holiday to Paris this year with Eurostar and Airbnb?
Plus: These are the new rules for travellers visiting the UK this year – EES and ETA explained.
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