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If you want to know more about the journey from Santiago de Compostela to Barcelona Sants by train, look no further!
The average journey time from Santiago de Compostela to Barcelona Sants by train is 7 hours 48 minutes, although on the fastest services it can take just 6 hours 44 minutes. You'll usually find 8 trains per day traveling the 896 km between these two destinations. You'll need to make 1 change along the way as there are no direct services to Barcelona Sants. This route is served by Renfe, Spain's main rail operator. You're likely to be traveling on one of their high-speed trains – AVE, Avlo, Avant, Alvia or AV-City – or a regional Media Distancia, Regional or Express Regional train during your journey.
Book train tickets from Santiago de Compostela to Barcelona Sants in advance instead of buying them on the day and they can start from $28.45. We'll always highlight the cheapest prices when you search in our Journey Planner.
Ready to book? Start your search for cheap train tickets with us today. Keep reading for more information, including our train schedule where you can view first and last train times, as well as tips on how to find cheap train tickets.
Renfe is the national train operator in Spain. It operates trains on the longest high-speed railway network in Europe, and the second-longest in the world. The country's major cities are linked up by the high-speed AVE and Avlo trains, while other long-distance routes are served by Altaria, Talgo, Alvia and Euromed trains. Renfe also operates cross-border services into neighbouring Portugal and France. Depending on which service you are travelling on, you'll usually find two classes on Renfe trains - Estándard (Standard Class) and Confort (First Class). Fare types range from the cheapest (but least flexible) Básico fare, to the more flexible Elige fares, to the Premium fare for seats in Confort carriages.
Renfe's Alvia services combine high-speed tracks with lower speed sections, reaching speeds of up to 155 mph (250 km/h) on international lines and 125 mph (200 km/h) on conventional lines. These trains connect the cities of Madrid, Barcelona and Alicante with the other main Spanish cities. Alvia offers two types of classes – Turista (Second Class) and Preferente (First Class). The latter has wider seats, carriages with fewer seats, offers complimentary food and drinks, free newspapers, and access to parking and Club meeting rooms.
Travel in Alvia's Estándar Class (Standard Class) and you'll enjoy many amenities, including air-conditioning, power outlets at every seat and footrests.
Upgrade to Alvia's Confort Class (First Class) and enjoy more comfortable seats, more legroom, an in-seat meal service and access to Renfe's Club lounges.
On Alvia trains you can take up to three pieces of baggage on board, provided that they are less than 290cm long and weigh less than 25kg in total. Strollers and instruments smaller than 30 x 120 x 38 cm are also classed as hand baggage.
Most Alvia trains have an onboard café-bar, as well as an at-seat service with a wide selection of food and drinks.
On board Alvia services, you can connect to PlayRenfe, a platform offering free WiFi and hours of entertainment.
Children under 4 travel free on Alvia services with a free child's ticket. Plus, passengers under 14 get a 40% discount on their chosen tariff.
With Alvia, folded bicycles that are less than 180cm long and are stored in a case count as hand baggage. If your bike is larger than this, it will count as special baggage and must be no larger than 120 x 90 x 40 cm - you must also detach the pedals and rotate the handlebars 90 degrees.
You can take your pet with you if they weigh less than 10kg, travel in a carrier no larger than 60 x 35 x 35 cm, and have a pet ticket. In Elige Confort a pet ticket is free, while in Básico a pet ticket costs 25% of the price of a ticket.
Alvia has an assistance service for passengers with reduced mobility or a disability. To arrange assistance, you can call (+34) 900 400 555 (international calling charges may apply).
Most of the train companies across Europe release their tickets around three to six months in advance, many of which can be cheaper the earlier you book. If you know the dates you want to travel, you may be able to find some cheaper train tickets from Santiago de Compostela to Barcelona Sants by booking early.§
Many of the train services in Europe are also popular commuter services, lots of train companies increase ticket prices during “peak hours” (generally between 06:00 – 10:00 and 15:00 – 19:00 on weekdays). If you can, consider travelling outside of peak hours to find lower priced tickets.
On some of the busier routes, you might also have the option to take a slower or connecting train. It may take a little longer than some high-speed or direct services, but if you have a little extra time on your hands, you might find a cheaper fare. Plus, you'll have more time to enjoy the view of the countryside!
Take a look at our handy guides to find out when train operators release their special deals and offers to see if you can find cheap European train tickets for your journey.
For specific information about how to get your hands on cheap tickets, check out our European train tickets hub.