Barcelona to Genova by train: overland through France from Spain to Italy
This is a lovely train ride, mostly following the Mediterranean coast, with stops at Avignon, Nice and Monaco along the way.
Route Options, Barcelona to Italy
There are high-speed routes that make it possible to complete this journey within a day, but we decided to stick to the local "regional" trains and spread the journey over two days. (If you have time on your hands, you could easily stretch it over three or four days, because there's so much to see en route.
As usual, we had our Brompton bikes with us, which we pressed into action for a couple of stretches of the route. But you don't need bikes on this route: all the train rides join up.
So, here's how to travel by train all the way from Barcelona to Genoa (or Genova, to use its proper Italian name), via Portbou, Narbonne, Avignon, Marseille, Nice, Monaco and Ventimiglia.
Step 1: from Barcelona to Portbou
From Barcelona Sants, a dozen Rodalies de Catalunya trains run daily via Girona and Figueres to Portbou.
The earliest train leaves Barcelona at 06:16, with the last train of the day leaving at 19:16.
Interrail passes are accepted — but beware: you might have trouble getting through the automatic ticket barriers at Barcelona Sants, because they don't recognise Interrail QR codes. Head for one of the staffed ticket windows; show them your Interrail pass and they can give you a free ticket that will operate the barriers.
If you don't have an Interrail pass, a ticket to Portbou will cost you €13.50 on a Regional ("R") train, or €18.10 on the slightly faster Media Distancia ("MD") trains. Journey times are about 2 hours 15 minutes on the MD trains, 2 hours 45 minutes on the R11 trains, and 3 hours 15 minutes on the R11 trains, which take the slower coastal route via Mataró and Blanes .
Step 2: Portbou to Cerbère, Narbonne and Avignon
When you get to Portbou, you have two, or sometimes three options.
Option 1: Stay on the train straight through to Cerbère
Some (but not all) R11 regional trains continue across the border from Portbou and into France, terminating at Cerbère.
All Media Distancia and R1 regional trains to Portbou terminate there, so if you're on one of these, you'll have to pick option 2 or option 3.
Option 2: Take some time to explore Portbou, and then catch a connecting train through to France
We really recommend this.
Portbou is such a fascinating place, it's a pity to miss it.
It's worth taking 15 minutes just to take in the station itself — an enormous, grand station and train shed serving what is now something of an end-of-the-line third-string railway, but which in its heyday was a major international crossing point between France and Spain.
There's more information on our separate Portbou and Cerbère page.
Heading onwards to France from Portbou, both RENFE and SNCF run trains across the border through the Col de Belitres tunnel to Cerbère, the first French station. Trains run approximately hourly.
Spanish RENFE trains won't go any further than Cerbère, so you'll have to change again there — but this gives you the opportunity to explore Cerbère, perhaps find something to eat or (if it's a hot day) have a swim on the beach.
French SNCF TER (regional) trains will likely be heading further, so you can ride direct from Portbou at least as far as Perpignan or Narbonne, and, on a weekday, if you're lucky, straight through to Avignon. (At weekends you'll probably have to change at Narbonne for Avignon.)
Interrail passes are accepted, and no reservations are required on these regional trains.
If you don't have Interrail, a Portbou to Avignon ticket will set you back €45.70 in second class for the 4 hour 30 minute trip.
Option 3: As above, but walk or cycle over the border from Portbou to Cerbère, and catch an onward train from there
This is our favourite route: unfold the Bromptons at Portbou, head down to the beach for a quick swim if it's a hot day, and then pedal over the Col de Belitres.
There are ful details of the cycling route, and also the walking route, on the France to Spain by Train and Bike page.
It's about a 45 minute cycle-ride or an hour's walk, allowing time for a few photo-stops along the way.
Step 3: Avignon to Marseille
By hook or by crook, you'll make it to Avignon, a place to see in its own right and a UNESCO World Heritage site covering the Palais des Papes — and of course the famous pont.
In fact Avignon makes a pretty good place to stop for the night, but if you want to press on (as we did), you can make it to Marseille in a single day from Barcelona, taking regional trains as described in Step 1 and Step 2 above.
Regional trains run roughly hourly from Avignon Centre to Marseille St Charles, taking about 1 hour 15 minutes on the faster trains routed via Arles (of Vincent van Gogh fame), or 1 hour 55 minutes on the slower trains that run through Cavaillon. If you're not on an Interrail pass, a second-class ticket will cost you €24.
(We've designed this route as a no-reservations-required, regional-train-only, adventure, but, if you've got your folding bike with you, there's an option which can be money-saving if you're not travelling with an Interrail pass: you could scoot 4 km out of town to Avignon's TGV station and catch a high-speed train taking you to Marseille St Charles in just 36 minutes. If you book in advance on a OuiGo train you can pick up a ticket for as little as €10. (Remember, Interrail passes are not accepted on OuiGo trains.))
