edcayton Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Some friends have a chance for the free use of a relative's house in Torrevieja in south-east Spain. Apparently it's easy to get to by air, being between Alicante and Murcia airports. However they can't fly and wondered about rail. I'm sure it's possible, but have no idea how practicable the idea is. So, what would be the best route, and any idea of costs or journey times please? Any advice/ideas gratefully received, thanks. Ed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted August 18, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 18, 2015 There are certainly through trains from Paris to Barcelona and you can then get to Alicante via Madrid. There is I think a sleeper from Paris to Madrid which might be a good option. I don't know if there are any trains for Spain that connect with Eurostar at Lille. It might be worth giving one of the European rail travel agents a ring. I've always found Festiniog travel to be very helpful but there are others that I think advertise in Todays Railway Europe. Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbishop Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 A quick look at the Deutsche Bahn website implies a 24 hour journey from St Pancras. Across Paris, then change at Barcelona and Madrid. Doubt if Lille is an option, and didn't look for overnight travel. Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted August 18, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 18, 2015 A quick look at the Deutsche Bahn website implies a 24 hour journey from St Pancras. Across Paris, then change at Barcelona and Madrid. Doubt if Lille is an option, and didn't look for overnight travel. Bill There is one possibility that comes up via Lille but it involves changing stations (a fairly simple process - as long as it isn't raining) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derekl Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Have a look at the relevant section(s) on this site: http://www.seat61.com/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
28XX Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 http://www.seat61.com Might be a good place to start. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
28XX Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Fools seldom differ..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 A quick look at the Renfe website suggests that (London)-Paris-Barcelona-Murcia is possible, which would get as close as an airplane. It looks like the Barcelona-Murcia leg is about 7 hours, so it isn't a particularly quick journey. Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Blimey - I did that in 1986 - Kent to Calpe - took 36 hours going and 34 coming back !!! Early doors depart Gillingham to Victoria then Victoria to Folkestone Harbour Boat to Calais SNCF Calais to Paris Nord (arrive mid-PM) Wait 6 hours in Paris......... Couchette overnight Paris to Cerbere Getting off an air-conditioned train into the Spanish heat even at 08:30 was an experience. 10:00 Depart Cerbere on a TALGO - they're not really proper trains - not enough wheels and built for people under 5' 3" 18:00 (I kid you not) arrive in Alicante Fortunately we were met by our co-holidayers and got driven the remaining distance to Calpe so didn't have to suffer the narrow gauge Alicante to Calpe train. It was enough for me to put aside my fear of flying in future................................... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Loco2.Com is a good site to see what is available. A quick check just now suggests you can leave Paris Lyon at 0715 for Barcelona and then get a Talgo to Alicante arriving at 2020.That gives a 90 minute stopover at Barcelona. £110 next month but prices vary. Wouldn't even think of doing London to Alicante in one day.Overnight in Paris at Gare du Lyon there is good Mercure Hotel attached to the station so great for an early start. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold JohnR Posted August 18, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 18, 2015 Another vote for the Man in Seat 61. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted August 19, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 19, 2015 In a loose moment I considered the options of rail travel to l'Alfas del Pi from Nottingham. The overnight stop, length of time on a train, (and me supposedly an enthusiast) and cost, versus less than 6 hours door to door and a well sub 100 quid cost soon convinced me of the folly of my ways. Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest B Exam Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 One thing people tend to forget is the distances involved! Its over 700kms from Paris to the Spanish border, then another 650kms to Alicant via Barcelona.... Its possible to leave Paris Gare du Lyon at 10.07, arriving into Alicant at 22.57 changing at Barcelona Sants. I should imagine there will be a Eurostar from St Pancras early enough to arrive in Paris in time to get to Gare du Lyon in time for the 10.07 departure. Looking at the maps, the nearest major station to Torreveija is Alicant Terminal. Hope this helps and puts a few things into perspective. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted August 20, 2015 Author Share Posted August 20, 2015 Thanks to all who replied. I shall put the info to the people concerned but it doesn't look like a goer. I've also looked at Tore vieda, nuff said! Ed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 There's always Brittany Ferries from UK-Spain for another alternative. 20 hours from Plymouth to Santander, also longer from Portsmouth. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted August 20, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 20, 2015 Any railwaymen remember Eros Tours? Travelled on one from Birmingham to Malgrat del Mar north of Barcelona via London, Folkestone, Calais, Paris and Cebere/Port Bou. Overall journey was about 1000 miles and took nearly 30 hours. Highlights were a manic coach transfer between Gare du Nord and Austerlitz in the evening rush hour, shopping for breakfast in Port Bou market, a spectacular thunderstorm in the Pyrenees, haulage by a 1930s 2D2 electric loco on a relief train and breakfast in a Paris pavement cafe on the return trip. A fantasic experience of a bygone age that could never really be repeated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMJ Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 For all of my Euro trips I like others use www.bahn.co.uk Rather than travelling on overnight trains I often book a hotel or B&B, the last o/n train I did was one from Koln to Warsaw. In a few weeks I am going to Vienna via Paris, Turin and Innsbruck. All planned on the DB site mentioned above. The other year had a trip to Spain using cheap flights as it was a long weekend. Planned the trains on the DB site. TBH I use it for UK trips. You could even use it for the trip to Beijing.until the other year! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Any railwaymen remember Eros Tours? Travelled on one from Birmingham to Malgrat del Mar north of Barcelona via London, Folkestone, Calais, Paris and Cebere/Port Bou. Overall journey was about 1000 miles and took nearly 30 hours. Highlights were a manic coach transfer between Gare du Nord and Austerlitz in the evening rush hour, shopping for breakfast in Port Bou market, a spectacular thunderstorm in the Pyrenees, haulage by a 1930s 2D2 electric loco on a relief train and breakfast in a Paris pavement cafe on the return trip. A fantasic experience of a bygone age that could never really be repeated. Or Martin Rooks (who later sold their rail holiday arm to Panorama in Brighton)? Not just railwaymen on their package holidays, but they did tend to outnumber "normals". I did a similar trip in 1971: London Victoria to Folkestone, Boulogne Maritime to Paris Nord, transfer to Austerlitz, couchette to Port Bou and then RENFE to Caldes de Malavella and onward coach to the Costa Brava (I'm almost embarrassed to say). We also did a side trip from Blanes to the "old" Termino/Francia station in Barcelona. My highlight was probably an early morning glimpse of working steam at Narbonne (141Rs) and buying a Lima model BB67000 and Joueff CIWL carriages at a department store in Andorra! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted August 31, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 31, 2015 IIRC we changed crew at Limoges then reversed somwhere, possibly Narbonne? Caldes seemed to be the main drop off point for all of the packages to that bit of the coast. Waiting for the train back at about 5pm was probably the hottest I have ever been. The platform in the full sun was too hot to stand on. It was burning my feet through my shoes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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