We are interested in taking a train from Barcelona that leaves at 10:25 (from Sants? not sure) and arrives in Figueres at 12:06. It would be perfect timing for the advance tickets that the Dali Museum sells for a 12:30 timed entry. However, this station is not Figueres Villafant and I can find nothing online about it other than a Wikipedia article that says it's older and further out of town. I'm wondering how far this is from the museum and whether there are taxis that hang out there - and then whether we can get a taxi back from the museum without too much trouble as we'd like to spend the late afternoon in Girona. I know there is a 9:45 AM AVE train from Barcelona that's faster, but we are really, really not morning people and the 10:25 departure would be less stressful for us. However, if this station is too far/inaccessible/no taxis then it wouldn't be a good plan. Can anyone shed any light on this? Thanks!
Posted by
Washington DC
28647 posts
It's the Vilafant station, used by the fast trains, that is farther from town and from the Dali Theater and Museum. The other station, which I think is just called "Estacio Figueres", is more convenient for your purposes. Refer to this Google Map. You may need to zoom in or out. Vilafant is to the left of the city center, over beside the wide road labeled "E-15". The station you'll be using is to the right of the city center. There are light-gray railroad tracks nearby, though they're hard to see.
If the Theatre and Museum isn't labeled, zoom in.
Google's walking-time estimates have been reliable for me, but I cannot vouch for this particular estimate since I didn't go to the Dali Theatre and Museum.
Posted by
2550 posts
The same trip was done by us a few years ago. I don’t recall any difficulties in going to the museum, which is amazing.
Posted by
Barcelona (Catalonia)
3121 posts
Ann has explained it very well... Figueres has two stations: "Figueres-Vilafant" in the outskirts, about a mile from the centre and serving only fast trains, and "Figueres" (also referred to sometimes as "Figueres centre") located in the centre, at a short walk from the museum. Fast trains take an hour from Barcelona, regular (commuter) trains between 1h45 and 2h15 depending on the type of train. There is a taxi rank at the station in the outskirts albeit sometimes you need to wait a bit for taxis to return from previous fares.
For schedules on fast trains (and to pre-book): www.renfe.com and for regular trains www.rodalies.tk Note that for the latter you don't pre-book, just walk into the station and purchase the ticket in the booth/ATMs.
Importantly, Figueres is not only the museum, have a look at other possibilities while you're visiting: http://en.visitfigueres.cat/
Posted by
OP
Phoenix, AZ
107 posts
Thanks so much, this is exactly what I needed!
Posted by
Carmel, CA, USA
2456 posts
Irene, in 2016 I took the fast train from Sants station in Barcelona to Figueres-Vilafont, and there was a public bus waiting to take passengers into town for about €1,40 or so. I expect a bus awaits every fast train that arrives. Then a short walk to the Dali Museum. A few hours later I walked to the Figueres station in town and caught a slower, but still not long, train to Girona. Note: it is a very long walk from the Girona train station to the interesting ancient part of town. I walked both ways, but wish I had not, and spent more of my time exploring the old city instead.