I was recently planning a trip to Barcelona and was feeling a little guilty about the air miles I have been racking up recently. So, I was thinking, there really must be another way to get there.
Thankfully, there is! And it took me on the most wonderful train journey, one that didn’t really take me that much longer than flying (when you factor in getting to the airport and waiting around for your flight).
Not to mention, watching the wonderful scenery of southern France and the snow-capped mountains roll by the train window was so much more enjoyable than any airport I’ve ever been in.
So, you are probably wondering, how is it done? London to Barcelona, without flying? Well, it’s pretty simple, really! Read on to find out more.
London to Barcelona train route
There is no single direct train from London to Barcelona, but the journey is straightforward, going direct from city centre to city centre, and with only one change in Paris. Here is a summary of the route:
- You start at London St Pancras International, where you board the Eurostar through the Channel Tunnel to Paris Gare du Nord. That leg takes just under two and a half hours.
- From Paris, you switch stations to catch your next train. You can take the RER D (the green line) directly from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon, from platform to platform in about 30 minutes.
- From Gare de Lyon, you board the TGV (inoui) high-speed train down to Barcelona Sants, which takes around six and a half hours through southern France and across the Pyrenees into Spain.
Total journey time is roughly 10 hours of actual travel, or around twelve hours door to door. Obviously, depending on where you live, i.e. your initial starting point.
It isn’t a quick trip, but a very doable one in a single day, and you can even break it up with a quick stopover in Paris (like I did). But, more on that below, along with a more detailed step-by-step of the London to Barcelona train route.
Booking your tickets
If you are doing the journey in one go, I found that the simplest approach is to book the whole route through Trainline, which will show you the Eurostar and TGV as a single itinerary.
Top tip: Trainline will also show longer routing options with more than one change. Make sure to scroll a little to find the shorter one-change (Eurostar + TGV inoui) route.
Alternatively, you can book each leg separately. This can be done on Trainline or through the individual websites: Eurostar and SNCF (the company that runs TGV).
Whichever platform you book through, it is worth noting that booking each train separately does give you more flexibility over timings. This is particularly useful if you are planning a Paris stopover and want to choose exactly when you travel on each leg.
Either way, book as early as you can. Fares work similarly to flight pricing; the cheapest seats go first, and last-minute prices can be significantly higher. I booked my return trip at the last minute and paid £336, though I have seen return fares from around £160 (baggage included in price) when booking months in advance.
Train vs. flying: Is it worth it?
The honest answer is that it depends on what you value. If you are purely chasing the cheapest, fastest option, a budget flight will often win on both counts.
But I believe it is important to factor in everything else that is involved with flying. Luggage fees, airport faff, carbon footprint, and travel to and from the airport all add up, and every hour on the train is actually usable. Having travelled this route both ways, I can say the train is a far more pleasurable experience.
Here is how the two options compare:
| Train (Eurostar + TGV) | Flight | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost (advance booking) | From ~£80 From ~£160 return (booked ahead). I paid £336 booking last minute. | From ~£30 Budget fares from £30, but typically £80–150 once luggage is added. |
| Journey time (in transit) | ~10 hours 2.5h Eurostar + ~1.5h Paris changeover + 6.5h TGV. | ~2h 10min Faster in the air |
| Door-to-door (realistic) | ~12 hours Arrive 1 hour early at St Pancras. Straight into the city on arrival. | ~6–7 hours ~45–60 min to Heathrow/Gatwick + arrive 2 hrs early + 2h 10min flight + transfers + baggage claim. |
| Luggage | 2–3 bags, no weight limit, no fees Bring what you like | Hand luggage only on budget fares Hold luggage typically £25–50 extra with budget airlines. |
| City centre arrival | St Pancras → Barcelona Sants City centre to city centre | Heathrow/Gatwick → El Prat Airport El Prat is ~8 miles from the city centre, ~40 min by train. |
| Carbon footprint (one way) | ~6 kg CO₂ per person ~90% less than flying | ~55–110 kg CO₂ per person Varies by airline and seat class. |
| Usable travel time | Almost all of it Work, read, watch the scenery | Limited Queuing, security, and boarding eat into productive time. |
Costs are indicative based on advance booking. Train: Eurostar + TGV. Flights: UK budget airlines. Carbon data: EcoPassenger / Pura Aventura.
My experience with the journey
In March 2026, I decided to make the trip from London to Barcelona entirely by train to see whether the flight-free route was really worth it. Here is how I got on!
Leg 1: London to Paris
Route: London St Pancras International to Paris Gare du Nord
I arrived at St Pancras around an hour before departure, which turned out to be more than enough. I was through security and border control in about 15 minutes, leaving plenty of time to grab a coffee and something to eat from Pret a Manger before boarding.
The waiting area was fairly busy, and seating was limited – something worth bearing in mind if you are travelling with a lot of luggage or just want to sit and relax before your train. In my experience, the waiting area on the Paris side is much better equipped.
The Eurostar itself was great. Clean, comfortable, with decent WiFi that even held up through the tunnel, which genuinely surprised me. Luggage space was generous, and the toilets were plentiful. Honestly, the two and a half hours went by quickly. Before I knew it, we were pulling into Paris Gare du Nord.
Stopover in Paris (optional)
I chose to break up my journey with a few days in Paris, and I have absolutely no regrets. I stayed at Hôtel Hoy, a beautiful hotel located underneath Montmartre. I spent my days walking the streets, eating incredible food, and drinking French wine in sun-drenched squares.
If you have never visited Paris or have not been in a while, I would really encourage you to factor in a stopover. And if you do, make sure to check out all my favourite things to do in Paris.
If you are vegan and wondering what to eat in Paris, I have got you covered in my vegan food guide to Paris.
Paris station switchover
Route: Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon
If you are heading straight to the second leg of the journey after the Eurostar, you will need to make your way from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon to board the TGV. The two stations aren’t particularly close to each other, but I found it really easy to get between the two.
My hotel in Paris was close to the Gare du Nord station, so even though I wasn’t connecting on the same day, I still had to take the same route to continue my journey. To do this, I took the RER D, which runs directly between the two stations. I got a little confused finding it at first, so allow yourself a few extra minutes to get your bearings. However, it was still a pretty quick journey at around 25 minutes from platform to platform in total.
Having an hour between trains should be comfortable. If you are travelling the other way, Barcelona to London, I would suggest allowing around 90 minutes, as you will need to account for Eurostar border control on the Paris side.
A single ticket on the RER D costs around €2.50, and you can buy it via the Navigo app to avoid queuing at the machines.
Leg 2: Paris to Barcelona
Route: Paris Gare de Lyon to Barcelona Sants
Stepping onto the TGV felt like a completely different experience from the Eurostar. The train is double-decker, and I had booked a solo seat upstairs – slightly pricier, but absolutely worth it for the views and the space to work.
And the views were something else. The train cuts through miles of French countryside, past water and what I am fairly sure were flamingos in the distance. I also thoroughly enjoyed watching over the snow-capped Pyrenees as we approached the Spanish border.
I loved how fast the train moved at times. There is something really quite thrilling about watching the landscape blur past at speed. Although I wasn’t as keen on how much it made my ears pop!
The seat was comfortable with a good recline, and the six and a half hours did not drag at all. The coffee on board was a little disappointing for such a long journey.
WiFi was pretty much unusable for most of the journey, so I relied heavily on my eSIM to stay connected. If you are planning to work or stream on board, I would strongly recommend sorting a good eSIM before you travel. I used Saily, my favourite eSIM, for both France and Spain.
Arriving into Barcelona was so easy. The station is pretty close to the city centre, and not too far from the Gothic Quarter, where I was staying at Outsite. No airport transfers, no baggage carousels, just straight out into Barcelona.
Now you’ve arrived in the city, you may want to check out all my favourite eats in Barcelona!
My final thoughts
So, you may now be wondering, would I go from London to Barcelona without flying again? Absolutely, without hesitation.
I would recommend this route to anyone who enjoys train travel, or who simply wants to make better use of their time in transit, whether that is getting work done, reading, or watching some truly spectacular scenery roll past the window. Just don’t forget that the WiFi on the TGV is unreliable, so come prepared with an eSIM and plenty of downloaded content (if you need to work!)
I would also recommend it to anyone who wants to explore London, Paris, and Barcelona without the guilt of jumping on yet another flight. The carbon saving alone is significant, but beyond that, the journey itself is genuinely enjoyable.
If you fancy doing it yourself, make sure to get those tickets sorted! The earlier you book, the better the price.
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