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TGV Train from Avignon

We are doing a river cruise and will do an extension on our own from Avignon to Barcelona. We will take a taxi from the dock to the train station. Is there only 1 train station for the TGV in Avignon? What is the best way to buy the tickets for the TGV train? Our hotel is in the Gothic area and we booked a hotel recommended by Rick Steven. What is the train station in Barcelona that is closest to the Gothic area?

Posted by
19645 posts

Your TGV will arrive at Barcelona Sants, you do not have a choice of stations. What is the hotel name?
Buy TGV tickets at https://www.sncf-connect.com/en-en/tgv
When you look at tickets, you might find that you have to take a TER (regional train) from Avignon Center to Nimes to get a TGV to Barcelona.

Posted by
9462 posts

Please note that the TGV station for Avignon is a bit of the way out of town rather than being in the center.

Posted by
19645 posts

But the Avignon TGV station only serves TGV's going between Paris and Marseille. If you go there, you will have to take the shuttle train to Avignon Centre, then the TER to Nimes where you get TGV's going between Paris and Barcelona. Since you are getting off a cruise boat, the dock is only about 3/4 mile from Avignon Centre station.

There are only 2 connections every day, the early one you change to the TGV at Nimes and later one you change at Nimes Pont du Gard.

Posted by
4 posts

So it looks like we have to take the TER from Avignon Center to the TGV train in Nimes. Hopefully they are in the same station and not far from each other. When I buy my ticket on SNCF Connect, will I have to buy 2 tickets for each train ride or will cover 1 ticket cover the whole train ride from Avignon to Barcelona.

I was wondering if it would be easier for us as "senior citizens" to hire a car to Nimes. Not sure of the cost.

The hotel we are staying at is Hotel Raco del Pi. Part of the H10 hotels. I hope that is a good choice. We booked the larger room with a balcony because they were having a spring special on line and included a free breakfast. Any other good suggestions?

Posted by
19645 posts

You buy just one ticket from SNCF and it includes the connecting train. You put in the start point as Avignon Centre and the destination as Barcelona Sants. Yes, the connections take place at the same station. No reason to take an expensive taxi.

In Barcelona, you could take the L3 Metro from Barcelona Sants station to Liceu and walk about 250 yds to your hotel, or just take a taxi. I was just in Barcelona and took the exact same Metro ride. I also took a taxi on another day and for a similar distance, should be 10 to 15 EUR.

Posted by
4 posts

Thank you for all your help and guidance. The information is very helpful and we are looking forward to our visit to Barcelona.

Posted by
4 posts

All this information has been very helpful but I am having trouble to buy my tickets from SNCF.com. On that site there seems to be no link to purchase tickets. I click tickets and a box pops up for destination. Confused. Not sure where to purchase my tickets.

One of my friends suggested using raileurope.com. On that site it seems easy to buy the tickets from Avignon Centre to Barcelona Sants. I click preferences and there are several selections. I think I was advised to take the lower seats so I do not have to climb stairs. How do I get 2 seats together. Is that the duo 0 I have to click. Also would you advise getting seats with a table?

Thanks for all your help.

Elaine

Posted by
175 posts

Goggle Man in Seat 61 - he has lots of great info on trains in France and TGV between Barcelona and Avignon.

Posted by
19645 posts

Yes, the SNCF website asks you destination first, then you put in the start point. The French have to be different.

I just went through the purchase process for a date in June. It asked if I wanted upper or lower deck. I picked lower deck and no preference and it gave me 2 seats next to each other in Coach 16. They figure if you buy tickets together, you want to sit together.

Posted by
6175 posts

All this information has been very helpful but I am having trouble to
buy my tickets from SNCF.com. On that site there seems to be no link
to purchase tickets. I click tickets and a box pops up for
destination. Confused. Not sure where to purchase my tickets.

SNCF are doing their best to make things complicated. Buy your tickets from www.sncf-connect.com.

Posted by
9462 posts

The SNCF site is set up horribly. That question about what your destination is is indeed the first step in purchasing tickets. The next screen will then ask you your origin place. Then they will ask you your dates. The interface is excruciating.

Rail Europe site may be more intuitive to use, but unfortunately they will charge a surcharge.

I like to use Trainline, but I think they charge a surcharge too. So do try again with SNCF.

Posted by
6783 posts

The query box on SNCF Connect actually accepts full requests: type "Avignon to Barcelona" in the box, and it will fill out from/to fields as you expect.
Still a poorly designed website/app, though.

Posted by
10120 posts

Three notes: the transfer station will be filled in automatically. Searching for you, one train transfers at Nîmes Pont du Gard TGV station, which is outside Nîmes, while another changes at Nîmes Centre in the middle of the city. The trains do not stop at both, just one or the other.
Second, don't buy an itinerary with three trains.
Finally: whenever I buy that particular ticket from SNCF or Renfe, it never allows me to choose seats, only allows me to choose a preference, even in 1st class. We are always assigned side-by-side, (duo côte-à-côte) seats. You always have a tray table at your seat.