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Here’s everything you need to know about catching the Paris to Barcelona train from Gare de Lyon. Read on for my near-disastrous experience or scroll down to the bottom for all the European train information you need.
Paris to Barcelona by Train
I travel. A lot. Which is why I didn’t think twice about catching a Paris to Barcelona train from Gare de Lyon. Here’s what I learned: Anything can be confusing if you’re me.
Catching a train at Gare de Lyon in Paris might be confusing for you, too. So. If you want to learn more, or just gloat because you’re more savvy than I am, read on.

TGV Train Trip from Gare de Lyon to Barcelona
Le Train Bleu
My Paris to Barcelona adventure began at Le Train Bleu, a historic restaurant in the Gare de Lyon. In my opinion it’s the best train station restaurant in the world. The experience was doubly delicious because by coincidence, my friend from Toronto, the writer Patricia Sands and her husband were also in Paris.
Bizarrely, they had made reservations at Le Train Bleu on the same day at almost exactly the same time. I found out on Instagram.
I’m still shaking my head about that, and I swear it’s true. If you don’t believe me then go over to Part 1 of this 2-part Paris to Barcelona Gare Lyon blog post, about Le Train Bleu, the best train station restaurant in the world – because if it’s in writing it’s clearly true.

Le Train Bleu is so sumptuous that I lingered until I was nudged out by Patricia’s lovely husband, who possibly has a better concept of time than I do.
I wasn’t worried, however, because I’d factored in time to 1) visit the Grand Voyageur 1st Class Lounge before departing, 2) buy a baguette with mozzarella and tomato for the journey, even though I’d just eaten and 3) had wisely validated my Four Country Select Rail Pass from Rail Europe before lunch.
Read on to find out all you need to know about taking the train from Paris to Barcelona and – most importantly – what NOT TO DO. Because I did it.

Finding Your Paris to Barcelona Train at Gare de Lyon
Being a diligent sort of traveller I decided to find my platform before going to the Grand Voyageur Lounge. Easy, peasy, I thought, looking at the neat row of train platforms in front of me. The problem was that THE PARIS TO BARCELONA TRAIN WASN’T THERE.
Flapping around in confusion, I asked a young Frenchman where to go. Here’s what I have to say about that: Never trust a stranger who tells you the train from Paris to Barcelona is downstairs, because he doesn’t have a clue. That’s the metro down there.
(Eating crow note: I have since learned there is a lower concourse called Hall 3, by which all tracks can be accessed, but I didn’t see it.)
Where Do You Catch the Paris to Barcelona Train?
A second stranger told me my Paris to Barcelona TGV train was on Track 7.
IT WASN’T.
Now I was worried. After wasting so much time following the wayward directions of others, I realized I would not only have to give up the Grand Voyageur Lounge, I might not even get a baguette.
Calm down, I told myself. Take a breath. Walk to the lit up board calmly and read it carefully like you should have done to begin with.
I joined the crowd clustered in front of the information board and saw that the 9715 high speed Paris to Barcelona train left Gare de Lyon from Track 29. Don’t worry, I told myself. You still have 7 whole minutes.

Where is Track 29?
If only there was a Track 29. It was a total Harry Potter moment because Platform 29 simply did not exist. It was like looking for the Hogwarts Express.
“There’s another hall,” a woman finally told me as I stopped her with a panicked stream-of-consciousness rant. “You need to go up along the left side of the tracks and you’ll find it.”
I speed walked up there as best I could, but my suitcases were acting like two fat pigs who thought they were truffle hunting and wanted to sniff everything in sight.
Come on, you stupid bags, I muttered, hoping I didn’t trip over them (which happened in Toronto when I was trying to catch an airport bus – and thank you, kind bus driver, for putting a bandaid on my knee).
Gare de Lyon Hallway 2
Then, as I scurried along the side of the tracks to the end of the station and looked left, a whole new world of train platforms opened up to me. The wonderful Hallway 2. Home to the mystical Platform 29. Where a train was waiting. Now all I had to do was find Car 11.
I asked the conductor for Car 11 on the Paris to Barcelona train. “This isn’t the right train,” he said. “Yours is the next one further down the platform.” He looked at his watch.
Two Trains on the Same Track
“Arggggh!” Two trains on the same track? Who makes this stuff up?
When I saw the man in front of me start to run, I broke into a lumbering trot, puffing heavily and thinking, why are my bags so heavy? Why did I buy that sweater at Morgans? And the other sweater? And those tops? And that Balenciaga purse? Why do they weigh a million tons?

Gare de Lyon’s Hallway 1 to Hallway 2 is Farther Away Than You Think
At the far end (the very far end) of the second train on Track 29 was Car 11. With three minutes to spare, fuelled by an adrenalin-filled burst of superhuman strength, I hoisted my bags onto the train, up the stairs of the double decker car and found my seat on the train.
My glorious seat with a view.

Leaving Gare de Lyon
It was so wonderful to be on the high speed Paris to Barcelona train, and not be frantically wandering the halls of Gare de Lyon, that I blissfully looked out the window while my heartbeat slowed down.
The train whipped past two-toned green hills and yellow canola fields and I thought France must be the most beautiful country in the world, almost as beautiful as the 41 painted scenes of it on the walls of Le Train Bleu.

Speed of a TGV
The only downside was that a TGV is fast. Normally, on an international rail trip, that’s a good thing, but at speeds of 300 km per hour (186 mph) let me just say it is not easy to take photos.

After managing to capture a few not-too-blurry shots I asked the American man behind me to take my picture so I could document the proud happy moment of actually catching the train.

Another Paris to Barcelona Train Coincidence
“Are you going to Barcelona?” I asked the man as the TGV rocketed through the French countryside towards Spain.
“Yes,” he said.
“Me, too, with a stopover in Girona. Where were you before Paris?”
“Budapest.”

“Me, too!” I said (perhaps a smidge too loudly). But what a coincidence we were following the same route. And what a coincidence my trip to Spain had started with the coincidence of my friends going to Le Train Bleu and was continuing with a random coincidence of meeting another traveler on a Budapest-Paris-Barcelona route.
Then I thought it was no coincidence that travellers of all types are drawn to the romance of train travel with its monumental stations and comfy seats with a view, and that once you’ve found your platform, traveling through Europe by train is the best way to travel of all.
Travel Guide for a Europe Rail Trip from Paris
Where to Get Train Tickets in Europe
At the Train Station
You can buy tickets at the train station, but it’s more expensive if you do it at the last minute. And give yourself time. There can be long lineups.
Buying Train Tickets through Deutsche Bahn
I use Deutsche Bahn a lot. It’s a German train website but they have timetable information for other places as well as well as booking options.
I’ve also bought tickets on Trainline.
Rail Europe
Rail Europe offers tickets and various passes. If you’re travelling around a lot it can be a good deal. On their website you can learn about different rail passes (eurorail/eurail), single train tickets, find fares, routes, schedules and make a booking.
Don’t forget to validate your pass before you board your train.
How to Validate your Europe Rail Pass at Gare de Lyon in Paris
If you’re travelling with a rail pass, you NEED to validate your pass before you use it for the first time. At Gare de Lyon you do this at the ticket office, also known as the Billets SNCF Grandes Lignes in a hallway called the Galerie des Fresques. It’s on the left side of the station (if you’re facing the platforms in Hallway 1) parallel to Rue Chalon.
At the ticket office you have to take a number at the machine. And then you panic because the line is so long. And then, if you’re lucky, you talk to the man who is standing at the ticket machine helping people and he will miraculously validate your European rail pass for you.
You can validate your rail pass up to 6 months before you travel.
About the Paris Gare de Lyon Train Station:
Address: Gare Lyon Station is at 20 boulevard Diderot in the southeast of Paris.
Getting to Gare de Lyon: Take the Paris Metro on line 1 or line 14 to Gare de Lyon Metro Station. You can also take the RER on Line D.
Traveling 1st class? If you have a first class train ticket you are entitled to free lounge access at the Gare de Lyon’s Grand Voyageur Lounge on Level 1 of the station.
If you’re traveling by TGV or high speed train on any kind of Europe Rail Pass – here’s what you need to know:
Do you need a reservation for the TGV if you have a rail pass?
Yes, yes and yes. I cannot stress this enough: Buy your ticket reservation early. There are only a certain amount of TGV tickets allotted to rail pass holders, and you need to reserve your seat months (yes, months!) in advance. I tried to reserve online more than a month prior to traveling from Paris to Barcelona on the Rail Europe website and none was available.
Do you need a reservation for a high speed train like the TGV if you’re not traveling with a rail pass?
Yes, yes and yes. There’s really no way around it. With some regional trains you don’t but on high speed trains in Europe a reservation is essential.
What to do if you can’t get a reservation for the TGV or other train online before your trip?
Call Rail Europe at 1-800-622-8600 from the USA or 1-800-361-7245 from Canada. After some major wrangling on his part, the man I spoke at Rail Europe miraculously got me a reservation on the train I wanted. Hurrah!
Be flexible: You may have to take another route. For example, another high speed Paris to Barcelona train route from Gare de Lyon involves a train change in Nimes.
What you need to know about taking a TGV train from Paris to Barcelona:
Technically it’s not a TGV train that travels the Paris to Barcelona route: It’s a High Speed France-Spain Train, I refer to it as a TGV because it’s shorter (and because everyone else does). And Rail Europe calls it the Renfe-SNCF high-speed train. So pretty much you can call it whatever you want.
Where do you catch the high speed Paris to Barcelona train? Gare de Lyon.
Is there a Paris to Barcelona night train? There is a night train from Paris to Toulouse. In the morning you can transfer for a train to Barcelona. Note: You do not catch this Paris to Barcelona train from Gare de Lyon, it leaves from Paris Austerlitz Station.
How much does a reservation on the TGV from Paris to Barcelona cost?
Train reservations for high speed trains aren’t cheap but they are necessary. My 1st class train reservation for the France-Spain High Speed train Paris to Barcelona cost me $49 on top of my Eurail Select Pass, plus I needed to pay a Rail Europe booking fee of $18 plus a UPS shipping fee of $18 for a total of $85. (This is Canadian currency so it would be more like $70USD.)
How long is the train from Paris to Barcelona? About 6.5 hours on the direct France-Spain High Speed Train.
Planning a trip? Here are more destinations in Europe to visit.
Disclaimer: My pass was subsidized by Rail Europe (thanks, lovely train people.)
Hi Patty, There is nothing like taking the train in Europe – such a great way to travel. Please give yourself plenty of time at the train station as track numbers can easily change. Enjoy your family trip. It sounds like a wonderful adventure.
Thank you, Carol for this information!!!! On June 2, 2022 I am taking the Paris – Barcelona TGV 9713 and are in Coach 11 and your information is invaluable. I am traveling with my daughter-in-law and 2 grand daughters (14 and 12). I am a healthy 73 and I don’t want to make any mistakes.
I do travel to Europe frequently and have taken the Paris-Venice night train and it was so easy in Hall 1, Track M or N.
For this Barcelona trip, I couldn’t find any blog that stated there was a specific track they use but that most likely it is in Hall 2. I also heard that Hall 2 can be very crowded. I wonder if entering it the way you did by walking down platform A in Hall 1 and crossing over would be better than coming from the ticket area.
I can’t imagine how you made it to coach 11 with the trains sitting in tandem…I’ve seen that before and am concerned that we might miss our train. You at least have made me aware of the challenge and hopefully we will make it on time.
Thank you, again!
Sorry, Judy, I don’t remember which side of the train is best. I have never had motion sickness from a fast train, but make sure to get a seat on the train that faces forward.
Should I try to get seats on the left or right side of the train for the best views of the mountains? Also, Does the fast speed present a problem for people who experience motion sickness?
I look forward to my next trip to Barcelona! Thanks.
Hi Carol! Thanks for coming to Barcelona and sharing your travel experience.
See you at next time!
Well, it’s good you caught your train! We haven’t travelled on those bullet-fast trains yet – must be quite fun. We hear they’re as fast as flying between different European cities (once you factor in getting to and from the airport).
I love traveling by train. It’s a great way to see a little more than just one destination. I didn’t know you have to validate the Rail Pass and once took a train from Switzerland to France. I just came back from a train trip to Switzerland.
wow! what a whirlwind adventure! glad you made your train! my heart was racing just reading about your experience!
Sounds like quite an adventure!
Haha! That sounds like a stressful experience but glad you made it in the end. I do enjoy taking the train. Here in China it’s super convenient.
Carol, this story really entertained me. I was going through the motions with you. I felt your pain when knowing you only had 7 minutes to make that darn train. I was at the edge of my seat. I’ve been through the same experiences in Europe, but like you, it’s my favorite form of travel around that continent.
All’s well that ends with a luxurious train ride through beautiful countryside, I say! Sounds like a cool journey. I took the high speed train from Paris to Brussels (and back) before and loved the experience. First class was definitely worth the few extra Euros.
Ah! This sounds like something that would happen to me! I’m glad I’m not the only one constantly running confused around other countries!
Hey Eric, well done for turning a travel mistake into a highlight. You’re a true traveller.
Great information. And I agree – European trains can be confusing, even if you’ve done it dozens of times before. Last week I trusted the ticket guy at the Amsterdam Airport station when he told me which train to get on to Central. He was wrong. My son and I ended up far outside of Amsterdam before we realized we were on the wrong train. It actually turned into one of the highlights from our trip, but it was also a good reminder, like you say, to not trust others when they tell you where to go!
Sherri, Ha ha ha ha! Great story.
Jacqueline, I’m glad I’m not the only one. And you’re a much better traveller than I am!
Wow, Betsy. I think you need to write an adventure by train article of your own. If you have already, and have a link, I’d love to read it!
France can make things difficult for pass-holders. We traveled the opposite route and on to Brussels last month with Eurail and it was easy-peasy to purchase the reservation the day before from Barcelona to Paris. The Barcelona ticket person couldn’t book is through. So off to the billets at Gare de Lyon we went. The fun began when we weren’t allowed first class seats on the high speed from Paris to Brussels. Instead, we had to change in Lille, and watch our train pull out on its way to Brussels while we waited for another. Of course, it was then that we realized Pete had lost his wallet somewhere in Paris. That’s another awesome story… But we love it all. Would totally take the train anywhere.
I sympathize. I can never find things at train stations and airports that are totally obvious to other people
You travel with two suitcases? Now I don’t feel so overpacked…
I didn’t know you had to validate the Rail Pass and once took a train from Switzerland to France. The French border guard who checked my ID tried to tell me three times I didn’t validate the pass. I kept handing him my passport. Then he shook his head and moved on… I still had no clue.