“Thank you Granny, the Virgin Mary and all the angels in heaven.”
Receiving such a text from my Irish mum was not how my no-fly adventure to Barcelona was meant to start. Delays and overcrowding on Paris’s regional rail network meant that I was at risk of missing my long-distance train to Spain. So, like any self-respecting solo traveller, I did the only thing I could and phoned my mother, in tears, at Gare du Nord.
Seemingly, her prayers to St Christopher worked. A French lady told me where to stand on the train so that, when I got off, I would have the fastest route to my platform at Gare de Lyon. Then, feeling like a participant in Race Across the World, I sprinted to my platform, dragging my case behind.
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Arriving with five minutes to spare, I could’ve hugged the gate guard who let me through. My heart rate started to return to normal as my train headed south out of Paris, and I questioned my decision to get to the Primavera Sound music festival by rail.
Accommodation prices spike during the festival. I looked at hotels in Barcelona as the lineup was announced and saw room rates triple. Flight fares also went up, and that was before factoring in the extra costs of luggage – I couldn’t fit a cowboy hat or my haul of festival makeup in an under-the-seat bag.
Train luggage allowances tend to be less constrained and would let me take a big case that I would have had to check in if I had have flown. Realising direct flights would cost at least £400 (which felt especially steep as budget airlines on the route often have flights for less than £100), I decided to try travelling flight free. Thanks to a Eurostar sale and being eligible for a youth discount on SNCF trains, my tickets cost less than £350 return (plus a little extra for transport in London and Paris). That cost included a €10 (£8.67) first class upgrade each way between Paris and Barcelona for a comfier seat, on which I wouldn’t be sat next to anyone else.
My TGV ticket reminded me how much less carbon my train trip would emit compared to a flight, which made me feel much better about the length of the journey – and, honestly, a bit smug.
I decided to make the most of the trip and spent a couple of nights in Paris. I stayed at the three-star Mob Hotel in Saint-Ouen-sur-Sein, a northern suburb that has easy links to the Eurostar terminal at Gare Du Nord and to Gare De Lyon, where the TGV to Barcelona departs from.
The Eurostar and the TGV train between Paris and Barcelona were more relaxing and a better experience than a budget flight (the other legs of my journey were the London Underground and Paris’s trains). The Eurostar to Paris takes as little as two and a quarter hours and I only got to St Pancras an hour before departure, so there was less hanging around than at an airport.
While the Paris to Barcelona train takes between seven and eight hours, depending on stops, it was comfortable with roomy seats and lots of space between them. I was well prepared and had packed a book and an iPad with a series downloaded to watch. My section of the train was full, but still didn’t feel crowded in the slightest.
However, my pre-prepared entertainment felt unnecessary at times given the stunning views from the train window. It sped through the French countryside, reaching Provencal vineyards and lavender fields in early bloom. It then passed through picturesque towns and villages in southern France, the highlight of which was Béziers and its stunning old Cathedral.
I did wonder if I would miss travelling with the friend I was meeting at the festival. But going by train encouraged me take a longer and more relaxed break than her annual leave would allow. Plus, I love travelling by myself.
From Montpellier, the train follows the Mediterranean coast. Crossing into Spain, I passed rustic farmhouses as the snowy caps of the Pyrenees became visible in the distance.
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The train also had a café car with bar-style seating that provided an alternative place to sit and a reason to get up and stretch my legs. The food on-board was significantly better than I have had on trains in the UK – or on planes, for that matter. I opted for a quiche Lorraine on the way there and snacks on the way back, as I wasn’t very hungry. But other passengers had dishes like sausages with mash potato and veggie risotto, which looked (and smelt) divine.
Most of the other passengers were tourists, including a large minority of Americans. There were a small number of festivalgoers like me and more than enough space for everyone’s bags. There were also businesspeople who were using the long journey and stable Wi-Fi to get work done. A handful of passengers were travelling with dogs.
I would consider another no-fly holiday, after this first, positive experience. Travelling through, rather than above, land means you get to see more. For example, I have never been to the South of France, but seeing a glimpse out of the window has made me keen to visit – again by train.
It is, admittedly, a slower way to travel – but that adds to the appeal. Budget air travel had led me to see European city breaks as short and quick, almost like a tick box exercise of how much can you cram into one weekend.
If I were to do another trip, I would make the most of how well-connected London is via Eurostar hubs like Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. It is easy to do both the initial Eurostar trip and take a train from the Eurostar terminal to another country on the same day. However, breaking up the trip with time in these cities allows for breathing room if there are delays.
On the way back, I was slightly jealous of friends attending the festival who had flown home quickly – especially as I had come down with what we jokingly called “Primavera flu”. But my restful return journey forced me to have a buffer between the festival ending and throwing myself back into work.
A no-fly trip gave me the chance to see more of Europe than just its major cities – and I got to bring my cowboy hat for free. Next time though, I’ll learn my lesson and allow for delays so that I’ll need fewer prayers to St Christopher.