Barcelona to Valencia How to Travel (Bus, Train, Plane)

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How to travel from Barcelona to Valencia? In this post we’ll find out the best options to travel by train, bus and plane between these Spanish cities

Are you unsure of how to travel between the coastal cities of Barcelona and Valencia? In this post, we’ll look into the best ways to travel from Barcelona to Valencia, two of the most iconic Spanish Mediterranean cities.

valencia or barcelona
Valencia

Barcelona to Valencia: The route

Barcelona and Valencia are approximately 300 km apart (180 miles), depending on which mode of transport you take.

The Catalan capital is Spain’s second city and one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations. Admire Gaudi’s sublime architecture, get lost in the narrow streets of the Gothic quarter, or catch some rays on the beach.

Valencia is also on Spain’s mesmerizing Mediterranean coast, but it is considerably less touristy than Barcelona. While the city has less attractions than its bigger, northern sister, this also has a number of advantages.

There are many options between the two cities. Let’s explore the pros and cons of each option, including trip duration, cost, and how to buy your tickets.

Barcelona to Valencia by train

Traveling by train from Barcelona to Valencia is really easy, and you will have plenty of options. The options engulf both the time you will take to do this journey, but also the scheduled trains, which usually run at every hour. Sometimes, there are even more than one train per hour in this route.

Trains in Barcelona will depart from Barcelona Sants in the direction of Valencia. The arriving station in Valencia will depend on the train you will choose. It can be Valencia Joaquin Sorolla, or Valencia Estacio del Nord. Do not worry much though, as both stations are pretty close to one another and the center.

The trains available are the EUROMED, the TALGO, and Regional trains. The EUROMED and the TALGO tend to take slightly more than 3 hours for the journey. The regional ones, take 5 hours, and they are not always cheaper. I would suggest the regional ones just for those who would like to stop in some city along the way..

Pros

  • Sometimes the travel time can edge air travel.
  • Stations close to the city centre.

Cons

  • Cheapest options can take more than 5 hours.

How to buy train tickets from Barcelona and Valencia

The best options for buying train tickets between Barcelona and Valencia are:

Trainline – A good guide to buying train tickets not only in Spain, but all of Europe. Has timetables and prices.

Renfe – the Spanish public train operator website.

Barcelona and Valencia by bus

Another option to travel from Barcelona and Valencia is taking the bus. In most Spanish routes, the bus is usually much slower than the train, but that is not the case in this route. Since there are no AVE trains in the route, and the road is relatively flat, bus travel time is similar to taking the train.

There are various departure points from Barcelona. It is possible to take a bus directly from Barcelona El Prat Airport to Valencia, without coming to the BCN city center.

Pros

  • Cheapest option (in some cases)
  • Great starting point options, including the BCN Airport.

Cons

  • Slower than the fastest trains.
barcelona or valencia
Barcelona

How to buy bus tickets in Barcelona

The best options for buying bus tickets between in Spain are:

ALSA.es – Spain’s biggest and most reliable coach company.

OMIO – Omio also sells bus tickets on this route, including ALSA tickets.

Flixbus – one of Europe’s biggest bus companies.

Flights from Barcelona to Valencia

Flying is definitely a good option, as it saves a lot of time and there are a few carriers that offer travel between Barcelona El-Prat airport and Valencia Airport. These include Iberia and Vueling.

Flight duration is usually around 55 minutes, but you have to factor in travel to and from the airport, check-in, and security. Sometimes it can take just as long, if not slightly longer than the high-speed train.

Pros

  • Quickest option with regards to travel time alone.
  • Base price (without extra luggage etc) cheaper than a lot of high-speed trains.

Cons

  • Having to check-in and go through security can sometimes take a long time.

How to buy flights from Barcelona

You can check flight and price times by using our flight search tool at Jetradar.

Alternatively, you can book directly at Iberia and Vueling websites. 

Barcelona and Valencia by car

Travelling between these two Spanish cities by car will take you at least 3h30 hours. Car sharing is a good option, and on BlaBlaCar, prices start at €10.

Another option is to rent a car, check RentalCars.com for prices in both cities.

Hotels in Barcelona

Praktik Vinoteca – an excellent Hotel in the Eixample district, close to the Casa Battló.

Hotel La Casa del Sol – a reasonably priced hotel in the Gràcia district of Barcelona.

Hotels in Valencia

Sol Playa – an excellent hotel if you want to stay right next to the beach.

The Westin Valencia – one of the most luxurious accommodation options in Valencia.

Other resources for travelling in Spain

If you traveling in Spain you might want to check some of our other guides to the country. Check the best places to stay in Valencia and our guide to where to stay in Barcelona.

For those considering a longer stay in Spain you might want to check our post on the average and minimum salary in Barcelona, and the cost of living in Valencia.

Already in Valencia or Barcelona? Leave your thoughts and questions in the comment box below.