HELP!!!

Ryanair, Easyjet, and Vueling all offer discount airfares from Barcelona to Paris. That's what I'd do instead of renting a car. The one-way dropoff fee alone (renting in one country, dropping off in another) will probably be more than the airfares.

The earlier you buy tickets (plane or train) the cheaper they are. You have left it very late for the budget air lines. I would either take the train to Paris (see bahn.de for schedules) or at least take the train over the frontier and then rent a car. Probably a silly question, given your post, but do you have hotel reservations? Have you worked how long it takes to drive to Paris, and how much the fuel will cost? (Use http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/web/Routes if you haven't.)

Your best daytime train route is the new ALS train from Barcelona to Figueres plus the TGV from there to Paris, but at this late date tickets are likely to be quite expensive. There is a direct Elipsos Trenhotel night train from Barcelona to Paris, but again at this late date tickets probably will be pricey. You could take a regional train from Barcelona to Cerbere and a Lunea night train from there to Paris. You might still be able to get discount fare tickets for Cerbere-Paris. If you want details on how to book that train online, just ask. Or follow Tom's advice and fly on a budget airline. Czech Airlines, easyJet, and Smart Wings are the budget airlines that fly from Paris to Prague. Book your tickets for both routes ASAP to get the lowest fare tickets that are still available.

Cathy, use the Deutsche Bahn website to check out the train schedules: http://bahn.hafas.de/bin/query.exe/en Enter your info with dates and times and see what is possible. There will be an arrow on the left of each time entry. If you click on that arrow, you will get a listing of all the stops the train will make. Print these schedules off and take them with you. The printout will not only help you in purchasing the tickets (show the train you want to the agent), it will also help you to know what stop is before the one you want. With only 10 days and 3 large cities for your trip, you should do some pre-planning. Do you have the Rick Steves' tour books for hotel ideas? This will at least give you an idea of where to stay in Paris.

Thank you all for suggestions. I have been to Paris and have arranged a place to stay, getting there was to be the adventure, and it still will be. Not to worry, I went to Peru with less than a week notice. I must conform better to pre-planning. I always have a specdtacular time though. Thank you again. Her's hoping we make it to Paris in time or at the very least Prague!!!