Amidst Europe’s train travel renaissance, there seem to be no limits as to how far and wide those new railway lines will reach, and if you plan on traveling from France into Spain, or vice-versa next year, we have some pretty exciting news for you:
Starting from April 2025, you’ll be able to travel without transfers from Barcelona, the bustling capital of Spain’s autonomous Catalonia region, all the way to Toulouse, the Pink City of France, every day until mid-September at the earliest.
Here is everything you should know about the long-awaited train launch between two of Southern Europe’s most stunning cities:
Start In Barcelona: The Beating Heart Of Catalonia
Barcelona requires no introduction for most:
Straddling the bright-blue Mediterranean, it is dominated by a still-under-construction Sagrada Familia, the Gaudi masterpiece that expects completion at some point in the next 2 to 3 years, and Southern Europe’s quintessential city break:
Are you a history buff? A stroll around Barcelona’s medieval Gothic Quarter or a quick browse through its many art galleries will give you the culture you seek.
Love the beach and more laid-back environments? La Barceloneta has the surfing scene, golden sands and quirky oceanfront bars you may be seeking.
Looking for unique activities? Whether it’s enjoying a picnic in Montjuic with breathtaking vistas, or finding refuge in the shame-free nudist haven that is Platja de San Sebastià, Barcelona’s tourist offer truly is boundless.
What about Toulouse, at the other end of the line?
Discover France’s Pink City Just 3h30 From Barcelona
Toulouse is often considered one of the most ‘Spanish’ cities in France, with its Iberian roots running deep, be it the Catalan-inspired cuisine or the historical links––after all, it’s a short 2-hour drive from the nearest border crossing.
Yet somehow, there had never been a train service linking Toulouse, one of the largest cities in southwestern France and a world-class cultural destination, to the bustling Mediterranean hub that is Barcelona, over in Spain.
Traveling from Barcelona, the journey would often involve switching trains or buses at Perpignan, an arduous 6h11, but not anymore: once Renfe’s high-speed AVE service to Toulouse launches in April, that distance will be essentially halved to 3h30.
Exact timetables are yet to be announced, but we do know already this will be a daily service, seasonal at first, running from April through September 2025, and it could be extended, in Renfe’s own words.
What Makes Toulouse Special?
Toulouse is one of France’s most underrated cities, boasting a virtually-intact medieval center that’s barely seen the passing of the centuries, and that has retained many of its original terracotta-brick buildings, that give the townscape its unique ‘pinkish’ outlook.
La Ville Rose also rivals Paris with its breadth of architecture: from the medieval Donjon du Capitole, an old keep now housing a museum, to the Renaissance-era Hotel of Assézat to a neoclassical City Hall, it is surprisingly diverse when it comes to cultural influences.
Spanned by a stone bridge, the Garonne River which cuts through the heart of town is linked to the Canal du Midi, a 17th-century feat of engineering that empties into the Mediterranean Sea––you can even travel down its length by boat from only $29!
The local basilica, Basilique Saint-Sernin de Toulouse, is a popular pilgrimage site for devout Christians thanks to its 128 relics of saints, as well as a thorn said to have been plucked out from the Crown of Thorns, and on top of that, it’s a UNESCO-protected monument!
Around Place Charles de Gaulle, in the heart of town, there are cozy, no-frills cafes where you can enjoy out-the-oven croissants and freshly-pressed orange juice or coffee for under $5––if we were to pick a favorite, Florian’s Coffee is where you should be headed.
Toulouse is one of the most Spanish cities in France, remember?
If you’re wondering how deep those ties go, you needn’t look further than local restaurants and their Franco-Iberian menus: paella or bouef bourguignon, escargot or garlic shrimps, cheese platters or cured ham for tapas, you’ll find the best of both worlds here.
Last but not least, it is far safer than its French competitors, with Numbeo reporting crime in Toulouse remains ‘moderate’, whereas in Paris, Marseille, and other larger urban centers it is ‘high’.
Visit Other Incredible Destinations On The Route to Toulouse
Other than Barcelona and Toulouse, the new AVE train will stop in the following destinations in Spain and France:
- Girona, a beautiful old town famous for its well-preserved city walls and Game of Thrones filming locations
- Figueres, a vibrant town in the Catalonian hinterland famous for having spawned legendary Spanish artist Salvador Dali
- Perpignan, a city in France boasting a high concentration of historical landmarks, most notably the 14th-century Palace of the Kings of Majorca
- Carcassonne, a storybook French citadel, where ramparts and bastions guard the entrance to a cobbled medieval center
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