--- title: "Trains from Lisbon to Barcelona | EveryRail" description: "There's no direct train from Lisbon to Barcelona. The realistic rail route runs via Madrid with three changes, taking around 16 hours in one day." image: "https://everyrail.com/api/route-image/lisbon-to-barcelona/" --- [Home]()[Europe by train]()[Portugal]()Lisbon to Barcelona by train [Home]()[Europe by train]()[Portugal]()Lisbon to Barcelona by train **Share** - - [Share on WhatsApp]() - [Share on X]() - [Share on Facebook]() - [Share by email]() **On this page** - [About Lisbon to Barcelona by train]() - [Where to book]() - [Find places to stay in Barcelona]() - [Frequently asked questions]() - [More routes]() [Book now]() Last updated September 2026 # Lisbon to Barcelona by train There's no direct train from Lisbon to Barcelona. The realistic rail route runs via Madrid with three changes, taking around 16 hours in one day. ![Barcelona cityscape, the destination for this Lisbon to Barcelona train journey]() Origin [Lisbon]() Destination [Barcelona]() Countries [Portugal](), [Spain]() There is no direct train from [Lisbon]() to [Barcelona](). There is no overnight train either. Every rail option runs through [Madrid](), with at least three changes on the way. ## Lisbon to Barcelona by train at a glance | Detail | What to expect | | --- | --- | | Direct service | None. Every route changes trains in Madrid, with further changes at Entroncamento and Badajoz | | Sleeper option | None. The Lisbon-Madrid Trenhotel sleeper stopped running in 2020 and has not resumed | | Fastest realistic option | A same-day journey via Madrid, around 16 hours door to door | | More comfortable option | Split the trip with an overnight stop in Madrid | | Departure station | Lisbon Santa Apolonia | | Change stations | Entroncamento, Badajoz, Madrid Atocha | | Arrival station | Barcelona Sants | | Fares | No single through-fare. The Portugal-Spain leg and the Madrid-Barcelona leg are priced and booked separately | | Distance | About 1,360 km (844 miles) by rail | These are indicative times from the current timetable. Check your exact departures once your booking window opens, since Spanish long-distance fares behave like air fares and change by date and demand. ## No direct train, and what's changing Madrid and Lisbon, two neighbouring EU capitals, lost their only direct link when the overnight Trenhotel Lusitania sleeper was suspended in March 2020; a Portuguese parliamentary budget proposal in late 2025 noted that nothing had moved on restoring it. The two governments have instead committed to a new cross-border line, reconfirmed in October 2025: a conventional direct service in around 5 hours by 2030, cut to about 3 hours on dedicated high-speed track by 2034. Treat both dates as government targets for a project that has already slipped once, not a service you can book. Until that line opens, getting from [Lisbon to Madrid]() means a three-train combination: a Portuguese Alfa Pendular or Intercity train from Lisbon Santa Apolonia to Entroncamento, a slower Portuguese regional railcar (CP brands it the Raiano) on to Badajoz across the Spanish border, then a Spanish Alvia service on to Madrid. Continuing to Barcelona adds a fourth train and a change of operator system in Madrid. ## Two ways to make the journey For most travellers, splitting the trip with an overnight stop in Madrid is the sensible default. Leave Lisbon Santa Apolonia in the morning, arrive at Madrid Atocha in the evening after the three-train combination through Entroncamento and Badajoz, then take one of [Renfe]()'s daily AVE departures to Barcelona Sants the next morning, a straightforward 2 hour 30 minute ride. It turns an exhausting single day into two manageable ones, with an evening in Madrid thrown in. If you would rather do it in one push, the earliest Lisbon departure reaches Madrid Atocha by early evening with enough time to catch a late AVE onward to Barcelona, arriving close to midnight. That is around 16 hours of travel with three changes, and it is a long day. Fine if you want to say you crossed Iberia by rail in a single sitting, hard going with young children or heavy luggage. ## Stations and changes to plan around Lisbon Santa Apolonia, the departure station, sits within walking distance of the city centre. The Badajoz change crosses from Portugal into Spain onto a Spanish Alvia train; there is a station cafe if your connection has any slack. In Madrid, the Portugal trains and the AVE to Barcelona both use Atocha, so you are not crossing the city between legs, only the platforms. Barcelona Sants, the arrival station, is Barcelona's main rail hub, linked to the city centre by metro. ## Tickets, fares, and rail passes Nobody sells a single Lisbon to Barcelona ticket. The journey is always booked as separate segments across two national systems: Portugal's CP and Spain's Renfe for the Lisbon-Madrid leg, then a separate Madrid-Barcelona ticket. On the Portugal side, CP's standard second-class fares are fixed regardless of when you book: EUR 14.70 for the Intercidades leg from Lisbon to Entroncamento, and EUR 13.80 for the Raiano regional service on to Badajoz; cheaper advance fares sometimes appear closer to your travel date. The Spanish Alvia segment from Badajoz to Madrid is priced like an air fare and varies by train and how far ahead you book, so compare it at booking time. A handful of retailers can search the Portuguese and Spanish legs together in one place; booking directly with CP and Renfe usually means two separate transactions. For [Madrid to Barcelona](), you have a genuine choice of operator. Renfe's AVE is the most frequent, with more than 20 departures a day from around EUR 17 in standard class, and it is a full-service train with no baggage restrictions. Iryo runs a comparable full-service alternative on the same line. OUIGO is the low-cost option, with five departures a day from EUR 9, but it charges extra for a suitcase or large backpack, so check the baggage terms before booking on price alone. Renfe's own low-cost brand, Avlo, was pulled from this route in September 2025 after a fleet fault and has not returned, so ignore any listing that still offers it. If you are travelling on an Interrail or Eurail pass, the Lisbon-Madrid leg is covered, since CP and Renfe are both national operators included in the scheme. You still need a paid reservation for the Spanish Alvia segment between Badajoz and Madrid; try the official Interrail or Eurail reservation service first, or book the reservation at the station in Lisbon or Madrid if that fails. The Madrid-Barcelona AVE also accepts these passes, again with a compulsory paid reservation on top. ## A scenic alternative through Porto and Galicia If you are in no hurry and want to see more of Portugal and Galicia on the way, an alternative route runs [Lisbon to Porto]() by Alfa Pendular, then [Porto]() to Vigo on the regional Celta service, then Vigo to Madrid by AVE, before a final AVE on to Barcelona. It needs at least one overnight stop, usually in Porto, and turns the trip into a genuine multi-day itinerary rather than a shortcut. Engineering work on the Spanish side means the Celta currently runs by replacement bus between Valenca and Vigo, from 6 April 2026 to 7 April 2027, so build in extra time on that leg. ## Train or plane for this route For most travellers, flying is the practical choice between Lisbon and Barcelona. It is a well-served route, takes around two hours in the air, and avoids three train changes and a near-16-hour day. Choose the train instead if you are already crossing Iberia overland, want to stop in Madrid, Porto, or Vigo along the way, or simply want the journey more than the fastest way to arrive. ## Where to book ### Train tickets - Omio Omio connects you with over 1,000 transport providers - trains, buses, flights, and more - to simplify your travel planning. [Check times & prices]() - Rail Europe Rail Europe is a leading travel tech company specializing in European train bookings for over 15,000 travel professionals worldwide. - Trainline Trainline sells rail and coach tickets worldwide on behalf of major UK and European transport companies. ### Train service - [CP - Comboios de Portugal]() CP - Comboios de Portugal is Portugal's national passenger rail operator, covering long-distance Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains, regional services, and urban trains around Lisbon and Porto. [Official website]() [Check times & prices]() - [Renfe]() Renfe is Spain’s national railway operator, offering high-speed, long-distance, and regional train services with extensive domestic coverage. [Official website]() [Check times & prices]() ## Find places to stay in Barcelona [![Bright bedroom with white bedding and a breakfast tray on the bed]()**Browse stays in Barcelona**Hotels and apartments via Booking.com]() ## Frequently asked questions ### Is there a direct train from Lisbon to Barcelona? No. Every route changes trains at least three times, running via Entroncamento and Badajoz to Madrid, then changing again onto a separate Barcelona-bound AVE. ### Is there a sleeper train from Lisbon to Barcelona? No. The Trenhotel Lusitania sleeper between Lisbon and Madrid was suspended in March 2020, Renfe has shown no interest in reinstating it, and a Portuguese parliamentary proposal in late 2025 confirmed that nothing had changed. Every current option runs by day. ### How long does the train from Lisbon to Barcelona take? Around 16 hours if you do it in one day, changing trains three times and connecting onto a late-evening AVE in Madrid. Splitting the trip with an overnight stop in Madrid turns it into two easier days, finishing with a 2 hour 30 minute AVE ride. ### Which stations do I use for the Lisbon to Barcelona train? You depart from Lisbon Santa Apolonia, change at Entroncamento and Badajoz on the way into Spain, change again at Madrid Atocha, and arrive at Barcelona Sants. ### How much does the Lisbon to Barcelona train cost? There is no single through-fare. On the Portugal side, CP's standard fares are fixed at EUR 14.70 and EUR 13.80 for the two legs into Badajoz, though the Spanish Alvia segment on into Madrid is priced dynamically like an air fare. The Madrid-Barcelona leg starts from around EUR 17 on Renfe's AVE or EUR 9 on the low-cost OUIGO. ### Is a rail pass useful on this route? An Interrail or Eurail pass covers the Lisbon-Madrid leg, since CP and Renfe are both included national operators, and it also covers Renfe's AVE on to Barcelona. Either way, you still need a separate paid reservation for the Spanish legs. ## More routes [![View of Lisbon, Portugal]()Albufeira to LisbonAlbufeira to Lisbon by train is direct from Albufeira-Ferreiras, with CP Alfa Pendular and Intercidades services taking about 2h33-3h19.]()[![View of Bilbao, Spain]()Barcelona to Bilbao by Train: Route, Times and TicketsOne direct Renfe Alvia a day links Barcelona and Bilbao in around 7 hours, with weekend engineering works and no full high-speed line.]()[![Girona old town skyline with cathedral towers at golden hour]()Barcelona to GironaTravel from Barcelona to Girona by Avant high-speed train in 38 to 57 minutes, or take the Rodalies R11 regional service in around 1 hour 10 minutes. All trains depart from Barcelona Sants; regional trains also run from Passeig de Gràcia and Clot-Aragó.]()[![Cityscape of Innsbruck, Austria]()Barcelona to InnsbruckBarcelona to Innsbruck by train has no direct service. Travel via Lyon or Paris, Switzerland and Zurich, then take the Railjet to Innsbruck Hbf.]()[![View of Lisbon, Portugal]()Barcelona to LisbonNo direct train from Barcelona to Lisbon, and no train between Madrid and Lisbon either. The route combines a high-speed train to Madrid with an Alsa coach.]()[![Madrid's Gran Via street at dusk with the Metropolis Building]()Barcelona to MadridBarcelona to Madrid trains take about 2.5 to 3.5 hours, with frequent direct high-speed services and advance fares from around 9 euros.]()[![Promenade des Anglais and coastline in Nice]()Barcelona to NiceNo direct trains run from Barcelona to Nice. Plan at least one change, usually Marseille. Journey times from \~7h10 to 13+ hours. Fares from €103.]()[![Notre-Dame gargoyle overlooking Paris and the Eiffel Tower at sunset]()Barcelona to ParisTGV inOui trains run directly from Barcelona Sants to Paris Gare de Lyon. The journey takes roughly 6 hours 44 to 50 minutes over 1,073 km. Advance second-class fares start from around €39 when booked early; first class from around €59. Two services run each way on most days. Interrail and Eurail passes are valid, but a mandatory seat reservation costing €35 per person is required.]() ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://everyrail.com/#organization", "name": "EveryRail", "url": "https://everyrail.com/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://everyrail.com/_astro/everyrail-logomark-2026.VJ4vNX1T.webp", "@id": "https://everyrail.com/#organization-logo-1" } }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://everyrail.com/#website", "name": "EveryRail", "url": "https://everyrail.com/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://everyrail.com/#organization" }, "inLanguage": "en" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://everyrail.com/trains/lisbon-to-barcelona/#webpage", "name": "Trains from Lisbon to Barcelona | EveryRail", "description": "Train travel information for Lisbon to Barcelona. Origin: Lisbon. 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