Practicalities of waiting for the High Speed Train Schedule - Barcelona to Paris

I'm not sure if there is a question here, but you really do not need to buy train tickets half a year in advance. In fact, usually you can't.

Hi badger,

Yes, that's what I understand. How that impacts the trip planning and whether one chooses flights over trains is the meat of my inquiry. The rest is just my analysis paralysis!

This website is usually reliable. -

Paris to Barcelona, but both directions covered https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/paris-to-barcelona-by-train.htm

Barcelona to Paris - scroll way down https://www.seat61.com/international-trains/trains-from-Barcelona.htm

I don't know if this is helpful, perhaps some who have traveled the route recently can verify the info.

I do know that it is nerve-wracking when I am used to finalizing transit routes months in advance for family travel to wait until closer to the date! However, each time I have been forced to wait, it has worked out fine!!! I'm just too impatient.

Look at Chantilly for an easy day trip from Paris if you have extra days - not as obvious as some of the other locations. Perhaps your D's like horse shows(?), a horse museum, chateau, art museum, gardens with lovely grounds. They are all there. Also, Giverny for Monet's house or chateau at Fountainbleau and/or Vaux le Vicomte (transit from train is taxi or maybe shuttle). Good guidebooks and a search of posts here or on Tripadvisor will give you lots of other ideas. You are right - there should be no problem finding things to do for 7 days in Paris!!!!

We took the Barcelona-Paris high speed train pre pandemic. No big deal getting on it. The 650 mile trip took 6.5 hours. Most of the time, it was like riding a very nice, modern train. And it made a number of stops.

Where it gets fast is before you get to Paris--on the northern part of the trip. We topped out at 185 mph.

Only letdown was with the food as the dining car wasn't like we imagined. Not very appetizing.

Had something happened to where we couldn't have taken the fast train, we would have jumped on EasyJet or Vueling--both budget European airlines.

I’m not sure I understand how the mode of transport affects your decision about how much time to spend in Paris. I think you just need to decide where you want to spend your time, then figure out how you will get there. Paris is not the only airport option. Maybe you decide to fly into Tours instead? Spend some time in the country, then take the train into Paris.

Note that you do not need to book intra-european flights months in advance either. So you can safely wait a bit with nailing all that down.

Also, while the tickets cannot be bought yet, the schedule is known, so you can count on it. And if for some reason you cannot buy tickets on your chosen date, for example because of engineering works, you will still have plenty of time to buy a plane ticket. There is a lot of capacity between Barcelona and Paris, no worries!

Thank you all!!

I’ve learned where to go find the schedules, I’ve learned that my perspective of last minute is not real in this case and had some camaraderie about rail riding! Also got some great insight and recommendations (I’ll check out Chantilly!).

One note, reducing time in Paris could allow for a slower trip north from Barcelona. We could stop along the way to break it up and see country in between. That’s why I I mentioned that I was not confident about 8 nights in Paris. Seems like too much for my family on this trip. ;)

I appreciate you all! Thanks for your time!

We could stop along the way to break it up and see country in between

Nîmes or Montpellier are perfect stopover cities, in my opinion. For 2 nights rather than 1, preferably (or even longer but do not shortchange Paris either)

Thanks Balso! I'll check those places out too!