How To get to Figueres from Barcelona
ALL THE TRANSPORTATION FROM BARCELONA TO FIGUERES
Figueres (or Figueras in Spanish) is a town of some 45,000 inhabitants, located North of Barcelona and just 30 minutes from the border with France. It is mostly known to be Salvador Dali’s hometown, and the location of Dali’s Theater Museum. But Figueres has also other points of interest that aren’t Dali-related: a unique Toy Museum, the Castell de Sant Ferran fortress that can be explored on foot, 4×4 cars and boat, and the Michelin awarded restaurant of Hotel Emporda.
Figueres is located just 119km / 74 miles from Barcelona, and it is very well connected by road and public transportation. So getting from Barcelona to Figueres is a quick ride that allows you to visit Figueres in one day, but it’s also well worth it staying for some days, as the nearby area also offers you lots of things to do:
- Banyoles lake | 33 minutes drive
- Girona (medieval and Jewish heritage, GOT locations, Michelin restaurants) | 35 minutes drive
- Besalu (medieval and Jewish heritage) | 22 minutes drive
- Olot (famous beech wood and extinguished volcanoes) | 45 minutes drive
- Pubol (Salvador Dali Castle Museum) | 35 minutes drive
- Empuries (Greek and Roman ruins) | 25 minutes drive)
- Ullastret (Prehistorian Iberian ruins) | 35 minutes drive
- Peralada (Castle, Michelin restaurant, winery and spa) | 15 minutes drive
- Roses (closest beach town) | 30 minutes drive
- Portlligat (Dali House Museum) | 55 minutes drive
- Cadaques (Scenic fishermen village with rocky landscape) | 50 minutes drive
- Sant Pere de Rodes (1000yo monastery overlooking the sea) | 35 minutes drive
- Collioure (atmospheric French village) | 1hr 20 minutes drive
1
Fast train to Figueres from Barcelona
The high speed train connecting Barcelona and Figueres is the fastest way to travel between these two cities: it takes between 55 minutes and 1hr05min, and the line is operated by a variety of trains depending on their final destination. They all depart from Barcelona-Sants Station and arrive to Figueres-Vilafant, only stopping in Girona on the way (no stops in other Barcelona stations). In Sants Estacio trains depart from platforms 1 and 2, and they have their own access through security.
The Figueres-Vilafant station is a modern station exclusively for high speed trains, and it is located in the outskirts of the city. It’s a relatively easy 20 minutes walk from there to the Dali Museum, but you may prefer to take a taxi (5 minutes drive – remember to keep the number of the driver to call later for a return trip to the station).
AVE, Avant and Avlo trains have their final destination in Figueres, and may be arriving from Madrid. AVE INT are international trains heading to France, their final destination being Paris, Lyon, Marseille or Toulouse. The other Spanish train operators (Alvia, Ouigo, Irya) don’t service the Barcelona-Figueres train line so far.
AVE AND AVE INT TRAINS
AVE and AVE INT are the premium trains run by the national Spanish railway company, Renfe. The carriages have free WIFI and on-board entertainment, and they have a cafeteria and mobile bar. Kids 0-3 are free as long as they don’t occupy a seat, and children 0-14 occupying a seat are eligible for a discount. Travelers can bring up to 3 pieces of luggage, and pets are allowed for an extra fee. There’s three classes of ticket: Basic (no changes or refunds allowed), Elige (1 change allowed, 70% refund in case of cancellation) and Premium (unlimited changes, 95 to 100% refunds, seat selection, access to club lounge, extra-large seats and other perks). Fees can vary a lot depending on the date and time of the day.
AVANT TRAINS
Avant trains are the Renfe trains servicing mid-distance lines. Just like for AVE trains, kids are free or pay a discounted fee depending on their age and if they occupy a seat. Travelers can also carry 3 pieces of luggage and pets are accepted for a fee. However, there’s no WIFI nor on-board entertainment, and there’s no food options inside the trains. There’s only one type of ticket for a set price that doesn’t change, and that sometimes can be more expensive than AVE Basic and even AVE Elige.
AVLO TRAINS
Avlo are the low-cost Renfe service that takes you from Barcelona to Figueres by train. They use the same carriages as AVE trains, but the premium coaches have been turned into basic carriages, so there’s only one type of ticket – the basic one. They can be half the cost of Avant trains, but there’s very few daily trains, and most of them in inconvenient hours such as the last train of the day departing around 11PM. They only allow 1 hand luggage and 1 carry-on per person. Seat selection and changes/cancellations are available for a fee. There’s no food, WIFI or entertainment options, but the seats are equipped with reading light and socket.
2
Regional train from Barcelona to Figueres
In Sants Station, trains depart from platforms 13 and 14 (the other stations only have two tracks). Tickets must be purchased at the machines of the train station (can’t be bought online), and the prices depend on the type of train (R or regional are less comfortable than MD or middle-distance). However the price is quite similar to the cheapest AVE fees and AVANT, and more expensive than AVLO. Because of that, it’s only an option to consider for last-minute trips when all the fast-speed train tickets are sold out and you must get to Figueres one way or another.
3
Barcelona to Figueres by car
Both are similarly convenient if you are heading to the Dali Museum, and there’s a parking lot right next to it. Here are some ideas for ways you can drive from Barcelona to Figueres:
- Your own car, or a rental one.
- Your own RV or a rental one. There’s an authorized parking next to the Esclat supermarket, in the suburbs.
- A shared car service such as Bla Bla Car.
- Taxi. If you flag a taxi on the street or hop on one at a taxi stop, you’ll be paying strictly what the meter marks (plus a tip, if you wish). If you use an app, you can choose to either pay by the meter or pay a set fee. Depending on the time of the day, size of the vehicle and traffic, you can expect to pay €225 to €275 approximately. The fee already includes the driver’s ride back empty. But if you ask the driver to wait for you to take you back, the meter will continue running and you’ll be charged for the ride back as well as the waiting time.
- Private driver. If money is not an issue and you value luxury services, a private transfer from Barcelona to Figueres can cost from €100 more to twice as much as a taxi. But you’ll get a high end vehicle with leather seats and air conditioner, a uniformed discreet English speaking private driver, and often little amenities such as complimentary water bottles. It can be worth considering it if you are 4 to 7 people sharing the cost, as the average Mercedes V Class van seats 7 passengers + driver.
4
Barcelona Figueres bus
Because of the many stops, the ride takes 2 hours and 15 minutes, which is just a bit slower than the slowest snail train… And the one-way ticket is a few euros more expensive than an AVANT ticket! So even if you need to go from the Airport of Barcelona to Figueres, you’d rather take the R2 train on Terminal 2 to Sants Station, then take a high speed train!
5
Day trip to Figueres from Barcelona
But let’s say that you only want to go to Figueres for one day, maybe to see the Dali Museum only, and you don’t want to have to spent your precious time researching timetables, getting tickets online, finding your way around and waiting in line. That’s when you should consider a private day trip from Barcelona to Figueres! Get your own private driver and a licensed tour guide to pick you up at your accomodation in Barcelona, take you to Figueres while you start learning about the fascinating life of Salvador Dali.
Then skip the lines at the museum because your guide has already taken care of everything, and take the most out of your visit with your guide pointing at hidden details that you’d easily miss on your own and clarify dark concepts and symbols that will blow your mind. And after the visit, head back to the driver for a smooth drive back to Barcelona. You can even extend your day to stop over in Girona and explore this beautiful medieval town!
Tour Of The Dali Museum From Barcelona
Girona And Figueres Tour (Dali Museum)
How are you getting from Barcelona to Figueres?
Marta
Marta is the founder of ForeverBarcelona. She is a passionate tour guide that loves Barcelona and loves writing too. She is the main author of our Blog, and is committed to sharing her knowledge about Barcelona and her best tips with our readers.
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