Nice to Barcelona by Bus
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,342
Eurolines used to run a bus service from Barcelona to Nice on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. It left at 10:30am and arrived at midnight.
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays the bus was an overnight journey, starting at 6:30pm arriving at 4:30am.
On other days and other times the bus only travelled as far as Marseilles.
Unfortunately I can't check out the current Eurolines timetable as I can't get the website to open with my Mac browsers. So no idea if this is still current (I suspect it is though)
Here's the timetable I used
http://www.eurolines.es/portal/pdfs/...a_toulouse.pdf
If the overnight times suit you and you sleep well on a bus it might not be such a bad option.
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays the bus was an overnight journey, starting at 6:30pm arriving at 4:30am.
On other days and other times the bus only travelled as far as Marseilles.
Unfortunately I can't check out the current Eurolines timetable as I can't get the website to open with my Mac browsers. So no idea if this is still current (I suspect it is though)
Here's the timetable I used
http://www.eurolines.es/portal/pdfs/...a_toulouse.pdf
If the overnight times suit you and you sleep well on a bus it might not be such a bad option.
#4
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, UK
Programs: Star Alliance, KLM Flying Blue
Posts: 670
The Eurolines bus does still run and is available details on this pdf
http://www.eurolines.es/portal/pdfs/...a_toulouse.pdf
http://www.eurolines.es/portal/pdfs/...a_toulouse.pdf
#6
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MSP
Programs: DL Gold, DL MM 8/22/16!
Posts: 2,563
From www.raileurope.com:
8:45AM/22 Apr
Barcelona-estacio De Franca
1:22PM/22 Apr
Montpellier St-roch
4hr 37min
3:11PM/22 Apr
Montpellier St-roch
7:23PM/22 Apr
Nice Ville
4hr 12min
$108.00 budget class
Might be better rates when there? I was surprised how high it was.
And I ride buses and trains so I can see the scenery, have a little more personal space, get up and move around, and talk to locals if I choose.
Also, those budget airlines are pretty good at getting more money out of you. Although I'm also willing to use them on occasion.
Romelle
8:45AM/22 Apr
Barcelona-estacio De Franca
1:22PM/22 Apr
Montpellier St-roch
4hr 37min
3:11PM/22 Apr
Montpellier St-roch
7:23PM/22 Apr
Nice Ville
4hr 12min
$108.00 budget class
Might be better rates when there? I was surprised how high it was.
And I ride buses and trains so I can see the scenery, have a little more personal space, get up and move around, and talk to locals if I choose.
Also, those budget airlines are pretty good at getting more money out of you. Although I'm also willing to use them on occasion.
Romelle
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,342
Likely no. One of the reasons budget airlines have been so successful.
Personally, much as I like to see scenery, I can only give it my full attention for about 2 hours at a time. 10-12 hour trips just become a blur.
The buses won't give you more personal space, and whilst the train might (because they don't always) you will need it - after all the trip is about an hour by plane and nearly 12 hours by train.
I also like to talk to locals. I can usually do this just fine in the town, city, village I'm going to, or in the local train/bus.
Spending 10 hours on a journey looking out is a very passive way of travelling. Sure, you may enjoy it - many people do - but you seem to be trying to convince us that you believe it allows you to interact with the area and the local people more. You'll have more genuine opportunities to get up, move around and talk to the locals, if you choose, at wherever it is you're going to.
I thought the OP was interested in the night buses/trains as these give you an experience (good or bad depending on who your travel companions are), utilise the time you'd spend sleeping, provide you with some scenic highlights at the beginning and end of the trip, as well as saving you the cost of a night's lodging.
How do they do that?
If it's about catering costs, train buffet cars charge similar prices.
I flew with Ryanair last night - it cost 15.99Euros all in from Spain to the UK with a ticket I bought two weeks ago and I bought water and a Subway sub to consume on board at the airport.
I don't think 15.99Euros would even get you a meal on the ferry between England and France.
The buses won't give you more personal space, and whilst the train might (because they don't always) you will need it - after all the trip is about an hour by plane and nearly 12 hours by train.
I also like to talk to locals. I can usually do this just fine in the town, city, village I'm going to, or in the local train/bus.
Spending 10 hours on a journey looking out is a very passive way of travelling. Sure, you may enjoy it - many people do - but you seem to be trying to convince us that you believe it allows you to interact with the area and the local people more. You'll have more genuine opportunities to get up, move around and talk to the locals, if you choose, at wherever it is you're going to.
I thought the OP was interested in the night buses/trains as these give you an experience (good or bad depending on who your travel companions are), utilise the time you'd spend sleeping, provide you with some scenic highlights at the beginning and end of the trip, as well as saving you the cost of a night's lodging.
If it's about catering costs, train buffet cars charge similar prices.
I flew with Ryanair last night - it cost 15.99Euros all in from Spain to the UK with a ticket I bought two weeks ago and I bought water and a Subway sub to consume on board at the airport.
I don't think 15.99Euros would even get you a meal on the ferry between England and France.
#9
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SAV
Posts: 554
A little late here but I rode a train (well 2 trains if u count the change of train at the border) from Sete to Barcelona last year and it didnt feel that long nor that bad to me. One of the main thing for me was that I stopped at Figeurres to see the Dali museum
drew
drew
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,342
Sete to Barcelona is less than half the distance between Nice and Barcelona (between 5-6 hours). As you stopped in Figueres, the journey from there to Sete can't have taken more than 4 hours (some train schedules will take you there in 3).
3-4 hours sounds like a potentially pleasant bus/train journey to me too. (2 hours to Figueres and then 3 hours to Sete... very doable!)
#12
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 7,605