? Re: Driving From Tarragona to Barcelona

[Condocat]

Hi:

 

We will be arriving in Tarragona and are seriously considering renting a car for the day to travel to Barcelona as the train schedules do fit our needs. We do not want to drive in the city. Can anyone recommend a MRT station or train station near the city away from the congestion where we could park our car and have easy access?

 

Appreciate any suggestions

 

Mary

[English_in_Spain]

Hi:

 

We will be arriving in Tarragona and are seriously considering renting a car for the day to travel to Barcelona as the train schedules do fit our needs. We do not want to drive in the city. Can anyone recommend a MRT station or train station near the city away from the congestion where we could park our car and have easy access?

 

Appreciate any suggestions

 

Mary

 

Driving from Tarragona to Barcelona you will pass the airport so parking there and taking the bus or train is one option. A day's parking there would cost between €20-25.

 

If you want to get a bit nearer to the city there is a car park near Hospital de Bellvitge metro station which is about €2 an hour or €20 for 24 hours.

 

Personally, if I were to do this, I would park at the airport as it is easier to find.

 

What day of the week are you thinking of doing this? If it is a weekday you will be competing with commuter parkers.

 

Why have you ruled out the train? There are trains from Tarragona to Barcelona 2-3 times an hour throughout the day

 

[Condocat]

Thank you Carol for you suggestions, all advise is helpful and places perpective on this.

 

We haven't completely ruled the train out yet. We arrive on a Sunday and our time in port is from 8am-6pm. The first train leaves at 8:32 from Camp Tarragona and would be a stretch to get there on time, the next one from that station is 10:05 arriving at 10:40, then we would take the MRT blue line to Segrada Familia, probably arrive by 11am. There is a slower train leaving at 9:30am arriving 11am, take the purple line to Segrada Familia, probably arriving by 11:15.

 

We're just trying to maximize our time and thought perhaps driving was another option that could give an extra hour, we are more than happy to do it. If it's not worth it, we'll sacrifice the time savings, be safe and take the train.

 

Who knows, maybe we can be first off the ship, get a taxi, find our way to the train platform and make that 8:32am train!

 

The return train is 4pm arrive Camp Tarragona at 4:35.

 

By the way, I'm curious, Do you know if I purchase advance tickets for the morning train (to save time) and miss it, can they automatically be used for the next one or are they invalid?

 

Appreciate your interest and help....the train is looking to be a better option.

 

Mary

[English_in_Spain]

Thank you Carol for you suggestions, all advise is helpful and places perpective on this.

 

We haven't completely ruled the train out yet. We arrive on a Sunday and our time in port is from 8am-6pm. The first train leaves at 8:32 from Camp Tarragona and would be a stretch to get there on time, the next one from that station is 10:05 arriving at 10:40, then we would take the MRT blue line to Segrada Familia, probably arrive by 11am. There is a slower train leaving at 9:30am arriving 11am, take the purple line to Segrada Familia, probably arriving by 11:15.

 

We're just trying to maximize our time and thought perhaps driving was another option that could give an extra hour, we are more than happy to do it. If it's not worth it, we'll sacrifice the time savings, be safe and take the train.

 

Who knows, maybe we can be first off the ship, get a taxi, find our way to the train platform and make that 8:32am train!

 

The return train is 4pm arrive Camp Tarragona at 4:35.

 

By the way, I'm curious, Do you know if I purchase advance tickets for the morning train (to save time) and miss it, can they automatically be used for the next one or are they invalid?

 

Appreciate your interest and help....the train is looking to be a better option.

 

Mary

 

The train times you are looking at (8.32, 10.05 etc) are the AVE high speed trains from Camp Tarragona. The journey times are 35-40 minutes. The slower trains leave from Tarragona station and take about 1 hr 20 to 1 hr 30.

 

When I read your original post I thought you were staying in Tarragona and wanting to visit Barcelona for the day. I now realise it is a port stop.

 

Is there a ship's excursion or transportation into Barcelona? This might be a better option.

 

Another option is to get a private company to quote for transportation. How many of you are there? Could you perhaps share with others on your roll call?

 

I don't think that, if I were in port for the day from 8am to 6pm, I would want to hire a car and drive to Barcelona - even on a Sunday.

 

With regard to buying tickets in advance online. If you book an AVE ticket it will be for that train only. Sometimes they will let you exchange it at the station for another train but do not rely on it.

 

[Condocat]

Thank you Carol for your thoughts.

 

I have checked out private tour companies and the going rate appears to be 550euros+ for the 4 of us. So far our roll call has been fairly lame which is unfortunate.

 

We try to avoid the ship's tours, but it is another option as they do have a bus traveling to the Plaza Catalunya at 8:30am stating it would give us

4 1/2 hours in Barcelona. I assume it's on one of the MRT lines? The cost would be $90. How long a ride do think it would be? I guess we could opt for returning on the fast train at 4pm but I don't know think it would maximize our time by very much.

 

Appreciate your information re: the train tickets.

 

Mary