# How to get from Czechia to Spain by train - Link: https://tomas-shejbal.cz/en/how-to-get-from-czechia-to-spain-by-train/ - Published: 2025-07-26T11:35:17+02:00 - Author: tom # How to get to Spain by train For the last two years, a three-hour flight to Spain felt like sex with the intention of finishing as quickly as possible. So this August I went about it differently. We set off to Spain by train. How to get from Pardubice to Spain by train? Is it worth it? How to search for connections, how... read on. Or rather [by train to southern Italy?](https://tomas-shejbal.cz/czechia-to-italy-by-train) [⌊By train to Spain⌉⌊By train to Spain⌉[ _Last updated: September 6, 2023_ --- _To Spain by train: a four-week journey in three minutes._ --- ## How did I come up with the idea to go to Spain by train? I've been carrying the idea for such a trip in my head for two years. Sometime in May I came across a 50% discount on an open European ticket valid for one month. I took it as a sign. I enjoy doing things differently and a train journey from Pardubice to Spain definitely falls into this category (yes, the [scooter](https://tomas-shejbal.cz/visiting-17-package-free-shops-by-scooter) didn't cure me of similar "nonsense"). I wanted **adventure**. New **experiences**,** slowing down**. To experience that distance, **not** spend three hours **looking**** at clouds**. See how the **landscape** changes, travel through the **Alps** and ** Pyrenees**, **observe people**. Verify whether trains in Switzerland really run so punctually - more on that later. [⌊Actually traveled route by trains⌉⌊Actually traveled route by trains⌉[ Overall view of the traveled route. [⌊Actually traveled route by trains - zoom on Spain⌉⌊Actually traveled route by trains - zoom on Spain⌉[ Detail of Spain. Missing Rodalies around Barcelona and euskotren around Bilbao. The gap between Barcelona and Zaragoza was bridged by bus (trains were booked). Similarly missing the night bus Bilbao-Barcelona. [⌊To Spain by train and back in numbers.⌉⌊To Spain by train and back in numbers.⌉[ Summary statistics (again without Rodalies and euskotren) around Barcelona and Bilbao. ### Reasons for traveling to Spain by train in bullet points Besides the reasons mentioned above, also several others, and I'll continue criticizing buses and cars: * I perceive trains as **more free**. * Train stations are usually very **close to city centers**, longer transfer times can be used for quick city visits. That's not possible with flying. * No need to be at the station too early. **No security checks** (except one for high-speed trains in Spain). * While **watching the landscape** and listening to music, lots of ideas come to me. Suddenly I'm in some pleasantly dreamy state where **many ideas** come. * Similarly at night, when I'm teetering on the edge between wakefulness and sleep( I have lots of notes - you have something to look forward to!). * By car I'd have to drive and look ahead for 24 hours of driving, maybe occasionally glancing at grassy slopes where the highway is embedded. In cities I'd deal with parking and such... * Buses are too tour-like, you can't move around in them, people are too close together. * A bit of CO₂ savings. I don't know, but **CO₂ from travel doesn't really bother me that much**. "How so? You deal with ecology on your blog?" I hear questions. CO₂ and travel. That's a topic! I have it this way: on trips I learn and discover. Lots of ideas come to me, I rest. Then I can continue creating freshly. For example, thanks to a trip to India I gradually reduced meat to zero. Someone might shout about how much CO₂ that trip produced... is one flight more, or a permanent change? I'm for change! Feel free to write in the comments how you see it. Oh and I occasionally plant a tree or pay someone to do it for me. [⌊Peaceful scenery in Switzerland, on the way to Spain by train.⌉⌊Peaceful scenery in Switzerland, on the way to Spain by train.⌉[ Peaceful scenery in Switzerland. [⌊Relaxation on the Lyon-Geneva train⌉⌊Relaxation on the Lyon-Geneva train⌉[ Relaxation on the Lyon-Geneva train. **Besides being more time-consuming, train travel also requires disproportionately more planning.** If you're considering setting off somewhere by train, then in the next chapter you'll be purring with delight from the provided information (don't mention it!). ## How to plan a train trip to Spain? ### Generally Getting to Spain by rail isn't completely simple. Especially when planning the trip** a month in advance** and traveling in **August** - probably the worst possible month for traveling around Europe (but mandated vacation mandates). If I compare the trip to Girona with, say, Split (direct train - although Tomáš Hajzler doesn't have a very positive [experience](https://blog.tomashajzler.com/clanek/s-regiojetem-do-splitu-experiment-za-vsechny-prachy-17-dil-serialu-o-car-free-zivote)) or Rome (one transfer in Vienna, without my or anyone's experience), when traveling by high-speed trains you transfer at least 4 times and it takes about 24 hours. **High-speed trains go fast, but usually connect major cities** that (unlike regional trains) **don't follow an imaginary direct route**. Therefore the **time difference** when using **regional trains isn't that big** (about 6 hours more), just the number of transfers increases (about 12 trains). However, the **financial savings** are** significant**, because **high-speed trains** in France and Spain have **mandatory seat reservations** and especially **in August** when planning a month in advance they're **often booked**. And a month in advance it's not even possible to make a reservation for a Spanish train - I'll get to that. ### To Spain by train with the Interrail Rail Planner app After purchasing a [Global Pass](https://www.interrail.eu/en/interrail-passes/global-pass) from Interrail, it's good to download the [Eurail/Interrail Rail Planner](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.eurail.railplanner) app, with which you can plan connections, find out if reservations are needed for given trains, and last but not least, prove to conductors with a QR code. The QR code is one for the entire trip and below it only departure and arrival stations appear (according to current time). So the conductor only sees whether the Global Pass is valid after scanning the QR code. Some conductors also looked to see if we had the connection listed in the app. _Note: In areas with slow data, the app loads the QR code "infinitely" long. However, if the phone switches to airplane mode, then the QR code displays immediately._ The app is good for finding connections on trips, but for planning a trip it's better to use a browser and the ability to have multiple open tabs next to each other. ** I don't recommend idos**, you can easily **get burned** with it. If not idos, then what? [⌊Arriving high-speed train to Girona. In Spain, high-speed trains are designated as AVE (Alta Velocidad Española)⌉⌊Arriving high-speed train to Girona. In Spain, high-speed trains are designated as AVE (Alta Velocidad Española)⌉[ Arriving high-speed train to Girona. In Spain, high-speed trains are designated as AVE (Alta Velocidad Española). [⌊Reservation for AVE Girona - Lyon. Reservations can only be bought in person or with postal delivery⌉⌊Reservation for AVE Girona - Lyon. Reservations can only be bought in person or with postal delivery⌉[ Reservation for AVE Girona - Lyon. Reservations can only be bought in person or with postal delivery. ### Searching for connections Not only for planning a train trip to Spain, **I recommend** using the **[search engine](https://www.bahn.com/en) of German railways**. For Spanish trains it worked even better than the domestic [Renfe](https://www.renfe.com/es/es). I also downloaded the [DB Navigator](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.hafas.android.db) app, which I used during the trip. In the German search engine you can turn off high-speed trains, set minimum times between transfers and much more. You can thus quite comfortably plan the entire trip from one place. **The biggest problem** is however **in reservations**. These can be excluded, which however stretches the journey. The result was therefore a compromise between time and the price of reservations. **To Spain by train without idos!** At first I used our [idos](https://idos.idnes.cz/vlakyautobusymhdvse/spojeni/) for searching, which works well for us. After entering Pardubice - Barcelona, it did find a connection, but for one train in Austria it listed the arrival time two hours earlier than reality. Thus idos planned connecting trains regardless of the fact that the train had an actual arrival after the departure of the connection😀 ### Reservations Here I got burned right at the start. I found a night train from Vienna to Munich, reserved two seats through [Interrail](https://www.interrail.eu/en/book-reservations#/)( there's a 4€ fee per reservation - couldn't make a reservation through ČD, same with OBB) and planned further. Subsequently I found out that the next day we couldn't move through France without a reservation. The reservation was naturally non-refundable. So I proceeded in reverse and completely abandoned the route through Paris that I originally planned. Instead I chose the route through Switzerland, which is definitely more economical regarding reservations and you don't need to fear transfers in Switzerland. Plus the views from the windows are breathtaking. Because I left all the planning until July, it wasn't possible to make a reservation for the Lyon-Barcelona high-speed train. That's quite crucial, because with regional trains (which we ended up taking), the journey stretches and there's also a need to sleep somewhere along the way. The mentioned high-speed train was operated by Spanish Renfe - which is absolutely crucial! **The Spanish** namely **don't support online reservations**. **This can still be circumvented** through [Interrail](https://www.interrail.eu/en/book-reservations#/),** but** **the Spanish insist on sending physical** proof of reservation by post. For this reason they force travelers to reserve seats **at least 6 weeks** before train departure! [⌊By train to Spain you can rush at speeds of 300 km/h.⌉⌊By train to Spain you can rush at speeds of 300 km/h.⌉[ In France, high-speed trains are designated TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) and really fly fast. When the Lyon-Girona connection didn't work out, at least Valence - Nimes did. ## How did we actually go to Spain by train? ### Journey to Spain The itinerary for the train trip to Spain (July 29, 2022) looked as follows: | from | departure time | to | arrival time | journey length (according to timetable) | reservation cost (per person) | | Pardubice | 14:09 | Prague | 15:22 | 1:13 | 35 CZK (optional) | | Prague | 16:25 | Berlin Suedkreuz | 20:35 | 4:10 | 75 CZK (optional) | | Berlin Suedkreuz | 21:35 | Frankfurt (Main) Hbf | 02:11 | 4:36 | 75 CZK (optional) | | Frankfurt (Main) Hbf | 02:45 | Basel Sbb | 6:20 | 3:35 | - | | Basel Sbb | 06:25 | Bern | 7:26 | 1:01 | - | | Bern | 7:34 | Geneva | 9:18 | 1:44 | - | | Geneva | 11:30 | Lyon Part Dieu | 13:24 | 1:54 | - | | Lyon Part Dieu | 15:20 | Valence Ville | 16:32 | 1:12 | - | | Valence Ville | 18:13 | Valence Tgv Rhone-Alpes Sud | 18:20 | 0:07 | - | | Valence Tgv Rhone-Alpes Sud | 19:27 | Nimes | 20:11 | 0:44 | 10 €(mandatory); airbnb in Nimes | | Nimes | 12:14 | Port-Bou | 15:45 | 3:31 | - | The planned journey from Pardubice to Nimes went well. We left on Friday, ended up in Nimes on Saturday evening. Complications were to come only on Sunday... The last row shows the connection we were supposed to take to Spanish Port-Bou ( on Sunday July 31, 2022). However, it ended in Perpignan. Why, you'll find out in the next chapter. Because of this, the continuation of the journey looked like this: | Nimes | 12:14 | Perpignan | 14:48 | | - | | Perpignan | 15:55 | Cerbere | 16:31 | 0:36 | - | | Cerbere | 18:04 | Port-Bou | 18:08 | 0:08 | - | | Port-Bou | 18:39 | Girona | 19:42 | 1:03 | - | ... French railway strikes required some improvisation. ### Journey back to Czech Republic The journey back was much smoother, because we made seat reservations at the counter a few days after arrival for AVE (high-speed train) Girona-Lyon (remember how I  said it can't be done online?) and thus avoided several regional trains in France. The itinerary for the train journey to Czech Republic (August 25, 2022) looked like this: | from | departure time | to | arrival time | journey length (according to timetable) | reservation cost (per person) | | Girona | 8:56 | Lyon Part Dieu | 13:22 | 4:26 | 27 € (mandatory, but first class, because there was no space left in 2nd) | | Lyon Part Dieu | 14:38 | Geneva | 16:35 | 1:57 | - | | Geneva | 16:42 | Zurich Hb | 19:28 | 2:46 | - | | Zurich Hb | 21:40 | Wien Hbf | 6:34 | 8:54 | 12 EU (mandatory) | | Wien Hbf | 8:10 | Hranice na Moravě | 10:30 | 2:20 | 75 CZK (optional) | | Hranice na Moravě | 11:31 | Pardubice | 13:43 | 2:12 | 75 CZK (optional) | The journey back was smooth as Schwarzenberg canals in Šumava. ## How to move around Spain by train? Interrail works on all connections from Renfe and also Renfe Cercanías, which are suburban trains. In Catalonia, Cercanías are called Rodalies, but it's the same thing. I installed the Renfe [app](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.renfeviajeros.ticket), but didn't use it for anything. However, I used the [**Renfe Cercanias**](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.renfe.renfecercanias) and [**Rodalies de Catalunya**](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cat.gencat.mobi.rodalies) apps extensively - you can **search train connections** in them that **other search engines can't reach**. [⌊Map of railway connections in Spain and Portugal⌉⌊Map of railway connections in Spain and Portugal⌉[ Map of railway connections on the Iberian Peninsula. Colors mark functional tracks. Warning: green color marks so-called [vías verdes](https://viasverdes.com/), which are (mostly) converted railways to cycle paths - there's no traffic on them and they're not very hilly either. With **Cercanías** we encountered a **problem** when using Interrail: **most turnstiles**** only read tickets with magnetic strips**. QR codes were only read by turnstiles at Barcelona-Sans station. So we had to contact staff/security every time. They either pressed some magic button and the turnstile opened, or gave us a ticket with a magnetic strip that the turnstile ate and let us through. Several times we called information and someone opened the turnstile remotely. **But once it happened that no one opened it for us**. [⌊Treacherous turnstiles at Portugalete station near Bilbao⌉⌊Treacherous turnstiles at Portugalete station near Bilbao⌉[ Treacherous turnstiles at Portugalete station near Bilbao. [⌊Another form of treacherous turnstiles at Bilbao-Abando station⌉⌊Another form of treacherous turnstiles at Bilbao-Abando station⌉[ Another form of treacherous turnstiles at Bilbao-Abando station. ### **Basque Country - euskotren** In the Basque Country, Renfe operates, but only between Vitoria and Bilbao and also between Vitoria and San Sebastian. **There are** however **other tracks** - between San Sebastian and Bilbao, where suburban **[euskotren](https://www.euskotren.eus/en) trains** operate, but **Interrail** **doesn't work** on them. You need to **get a [Barik](https://www.ctb.eus/en/how-barik-works) card**, which is **also valid** for **metro** in Bilbao and generally **public transport** in Bilbao and San Sebastian. The Barik card **costs 3€**, but pays for itself in two or three rides. Moreover,** multiple people can travel** on it simultaneously (just touch the turnstile as many times as people are traveling). You can **top up** via **mobile phone** with NFC. ## What were the travel costs? We bought the Interrail ticket with unlimited validity for **30 days** in May, when it was sold with a **50% discount**. Even so it came to **344€** (about 8500 CZK per person). **With all reservations** the monthly train travel thus came to **10500 CZK** **per person**. Except for two bus transfers and traveling around Bilbao with the Barik card (+2000 CZK per person), Interrail covered all trips. **Total** for travel **per person** therefore **12500 CZK**. Honestly, I don't care if the trip was more expensive or cheaper than airplane or other forms of transport. I wanted to go by train, as I already wrote above 🙂 ### Cost comparison of train travel vs. airplane and car **However, for those who like numbers**: **last year** we flew in August **by plane** from Pardubice to Alicante, from where we moved to Valencia and surrounding area. Just the ticket with a low-cost carrier (we flew only with carry-ons) was 6700 CZK. Just car rental for 7 days came to 10000 CZK. Then there were some train trips ( together 1200 CZK). **Last year's costs** for travel thus came to **12300 CZK** per person. Now we were traveling for 28 days, last year only 14, so half. If we had gone by car, we would have driven about 4800 km (counting only transfers, not smaller trips at destinations) -> 48 (hundreds of km) x 7 (average consumption of our pet on the highway) x 45 (price per liter of gasoline), we get 15000 CZK for gasoline (however for both), without highway tolls, insurance, parking, etc. ### Various variants (and thus prices) of Interrail tickets **The ticket price** may thus at first glance **seem excessive**, but it **depends**** on** its further **use** **in the destination** and some **planning**, because Interrail offers various [ticket variants](https://www.interrail.eu/en/interrail-passes/global-pass)( as of the date of writing the article), which are interesting even without 50% discount: * 15-day ticket valid for a month for 332€ (7900 CZK) - that would almost suffice for us too - we traveled 17 days within one month. * 7-day ticket valid for a month for 251€ (about 6200 CZK): then 4 days would fall on the journey there and back and 3 days on transfers around Spain. For closer destinations it could be used even better. * 4-day ticket valid for a month for 185€ (about 4500 CZK): just transfer to Spain and back. [⌊Hellishly hot station in Zaragoza⌉⌊Hellishly hot station in Zaragoza⌉[ Hellishly hot station in Zaragoza. [⌊Tea in Vitoria, right on the platform from which our train to Tolosa departed⌉⌊ Tea in Vitoria, right on the platform from which our train to Tolosa departed⌉[ Tea in Vitoria, right on the platform from which our train to Tolosa departed. ## Good to mention ### Watch out for Switzerland and long live mobile credit! Well, I didn't read this SMS and in the blink of an eye lost 300 CZK of credit. Hooray, if I didn't have credit...! ```wp-block-preformatted Welcome to Switzerland. Calls to CR and EU cost 35.00 CZK/min, receiving calls 18.00 CZK/min, SMS 9.60 CZK, MMS 16.60 CZK. Internet connection costs 75.00 CZK/MB (we charge it per 10 kB). You have the Data roaming limit service enabled. For calls to CR use prefix +420, e.g. Customer center: +420738333333. Listed prices include VAT. ``` ### Toilets in Switzerland In **Switzerland** you **pay for physical needs** and not little. Basel and Bern for 2 CHF (about 50 CZK). Zurich even 2.5 CHF. You can't pay by card. In Zurich however **it's enough to go in front of the station**, where there are public toilets for 1 CHF and you can pay by card. Locals even pass doors to each other. ### Delays on journeys There were delays, but the biggest problem was **hitches in France** - see below. * Anyone who traveled by train **in Czech Republic** this year knows that **delays**** of tens of minutes** are daily bread. * I was surprised that even in **Germany** - in the night train from Frankfurt to Basel we waited **an hour** (departing from Frankfurt), without anyone informing us why we were standing. * In **France** **20-minute delays** were not uncommon. * But in legendary **Switzerland** we had the **biggest delay of 3 minutes** and only once. Otherwise always on time and **once the train even left a minute early**. * In **Spain**, where we spent the most time, **delays** were commonly **up to 10 minutes**. ## Complications on French railways Weekend July 30-31, 2022 there was a **strike** on French railways. Of course we didn't know. We only found out on the Nimes - Port-Bou train. Already on the platform it seemed strange that the train was only listed to Perpignan (the train number matched). During the journey I googled and found that **most** high-speed trains on the route were **cancelled** and regional trains ended in Perpignan. **Buses** naturally ** fully booked**, blablacar too. So what? Another accommodation in France? Veronika already felt **Spain** **in the air** (she reveres Spanish language and Spanish culture while resisting French) and was willing to do anything to not spend another night in France. ### Perpignan -> Cerbere **I searched** **for** **options**. I found a **regional train** that went along the coast to Cerbere - **the last village before the first Spanish village** (Port- Bou), about **a kilometer** as the crow flies. On [mapy.cz](http://mapy.cz/) there was even a marked tourist trail, about 3 km long, just with a hill between France and Spain. The hiking app estimated **one hour**. I didn't really want to, it was warm and mainly it was about principle! We wanted to arrive in Spain by train, from which we were separated by 1 km as the crow flies! But Veronika grabbed onto the possibility and no longer intended to give it up. ### Cerbere -> Port-Bou After arriving in Cerbere I just habitually looked at the departure board and found information that the Spanish side was sending an **extraordinary train** due to strikes, just for the Cerbere - Port-Bou connection. It was supposed to leave in an hour. Since Cerbere lies by the sea, such waiting can be endured quite well by us seasiders (see photo on the right). And the **hour-long route** over the hill** shrank** **to 8 minutes** **by train**, mostly through a tunnel. [⌊Waiting for a connection by the sea, this can only happen when traveling to Spain by train⌉⌊Waiting for a connection by the sea, this can only happen when traveling to Spain by train⌉[ Waiting for the train to Port-Bou (5 minutes from the stop) in Cerbere. I thus fulfilled my **dream** - I arrived in **Spain by train**! And **thank you Veronika** for not being scared of the railways and going into it with me!😋 What about setting off [by train to Italy?](https://tomas-shejbal.cz/czechia-to-italy-by-train)