Getting from Barcelona to Llanca

[peregrina2000]

I will be arriving in Barcelona, Santiago willing, early next Wednesday morning (GASP!!! YIKES!!!! -- sorry, it's those pre-Camino jitters). I will spend Wednesday with friends in Barcelona and on Thursday morning I need to get to Llanca, which is where I'll start walking.

I've found one train at 7:20 am, arriving Llanca around 10. Nothing else. I can't find buses either. Does one of our travel gurus see any other options for me, by bus or train? I am planning to walk on Thursday from Llanca to the monastery at Sant Pere de Rodes and back to Llanca, just so I can have a leisurely visit. On Friday, I'll then be able to walk by and not worry about stopping, since I'll have 30 km to Figueres. So I could leave Barcelona a bit later if there were a later option.

(Whariwharangi and falcon, this thread is calling to you......)

Thanks. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Castilian]

Don't worry!

There are plenty of trains from Barcelona to Llançà. To see all the trains available, go to the timetable and prices area of the web of RENFE. As Llançà isn't a main train station, you have to follow the steps I'm going to quote to find the schedule (I quote all them because you have to follow the same steps each time you look for a schedule that includes a train station not showed on the drop down menus of the timetable and prices area of the web of RENFE):

1. Go to the timetables and prices area of the web of RENFE (not to the purchase area).
   
2. Click on Search all Stations (under the main search box)
   
3. Introduce your travel date. (There are three drop down menus at the top of the page to make it: one for the day, another one for the month and a last one for the year). Don't forget this step.
   
4. Select your departure station (on the same page where you introduced your travel date).
   
5. Select your arrival station (Note: due to some bug, stations starting by letter L are showed on the column for stations starting by letter K) and you are done.

Just one of the trains available from Barcelona to Llançà can be booked online (the one you saw) but you shouldn't have problems to get a ticket for any of the other trains (specially the Regional ones) on your travel date. However, be aware that depending on your travel hour you might find the train full (or getting full as it makes the route) even with people going de pie what might make a good idea to take the train in Sants (because that's the start station of many of the trains to Llançà what means that arriving early enough you would have a seat guaranteed in the Regional train if the train starts in Barcelona Sants).

By bus, it seems that www.sarfa.com doesn't have a direct route so you would need to make the route changing buses along it. Two main options:

1. www.sagales.com from Barcelona to Figueres and www.sarfa.com from Figueres to Llançà.
2. Bus from Barcelona to Cadaqués and bus from Cadaqués to Llançà. Both routes with Sarfa (make a separate search for each leg on their web).

 

[whariwharangi]

I had same results: one train leaving 7:28. Using Castilian's method didn't help.

So I tried finding Llançà official website:

Llançà
http://www.llanca.cat/

From which the tourist site provides:
Discover the Village/How to get there

and lists trains and buses.

It turns out that SNCF and Renfe are both service providers. SNCF lists a lot more trains than does Renfe ... with the destination spelled 'Llansa'.
'Llansa' works on the Renfe site too.

Then I tried 'trains Catalunya' and it turns out that Rodalies de Catalunya runs to Llanca ... which the Barcelona Rodalies does not.

Catalunya Rodalies
http://rodalies.gencat.cat/en

It turns out you can get to the Catalunya Rodalies site from the Renfe site. Click 'Cercanias'. Click 'Barcelona'. Click 'Enlaces de Interes'. Click 'Rodalies de Catalunya'.

SNCF
http://www.sncf.com/

I tried Sarfa bus site working from Llansa with no success. So if there is a regular bus service on your day of travel ... I can't figure it out.

Sarfa
http://www.sarfa.com/paginas/inicio.php?id_idioma=3

So three service providers run trains from Barcelona to Llanca: Renfe, SNCF, and Rodalies de Catalunya. Looks like there is a departure every few minutes ... you just need to pick the one you want and get a ticket for that train.

 

[Castilian]

So three service providers run trains from Barcelona to Llanca: Renfe, SNCF, and Rodalies de Catalunya.

SNCF doesn't run trains to Llançà (they sell tickets on RENFE trains though) and Rodalíes de Catalunya are operated by RENFE so RENFE is the only (passenger) train operator to Llançà.

 

[whariwharangi]

SNCF doesn't run trains to Llançà (they sell tickets on RENFE trains though) and Rodalíes de Catalunya are operated by RENFE so RENFE is the only (passenger) train operator to Llançà.

I can't figure it out. SNCF train schedule doesn't match the Rodalies trains schedule. There is only one Renfe train (exclusive of Rodalies) scheduled.

 

[Castilian]

I can't figure it out. SNCF train schedule doesn't match the Rodalies trains schedule. There is only one Renfe train (exclusive of Rodalies) scheduled.

If you follow rightly all the steps I quoted, you should get a schedule including the full list of direct trains from Barcelona to Llançà on the web of RENFE. I just made the process myself to check if I forgot to quote some step and got the full list without problems so you should be able to get it too.

The Rodalíes schedule (showed on the rodalíes web that you linked) matches RENFE's full schedule of direct trains from Barcelona to Llançà. Both schedules show identical number of trains, departure times...

The SNCF schedule includes many (but not all) of the direct trains showed on the RENFE full schedule (and on the Rodalíes schedule showed on the rodalíes web that you linked). It also includes some options changing trains in Figueres that are more difficult to find on the web of RENFE but being so many direct trains I don't think that's relevant now.

Be aware many (if not all) of the trains between Barcelona and Llançà stop in several train stations in Barcelona so when comparing schedules, double-check you are comparing schedules from the same train station (e.g.: from Barcelona Sants) and not from different stations (e.g.: one schedule showing departures from Barcelona Sants and another one showing departures from Barcelona Clot-Aragó).

 

[whariwharangi]

If you follow rightly all the steps I quoted, you should get a schedule including the full list of direct trains from Barcelona to Llançà on the web of RENFE. I just made the process myself to check if I forgot to quote some step and got the full list without problems so you should be able to get it too.

The Rodalíes schedule (showed on the rodalíes web that you linked) matches RENFE's full schedule of direct trains from Barcelona to Llançà. Both schedules show identical number of trains, departure times...

The SNCF schedule includes many (but not all) of the direct trains showed on the RENFE full schedule (and on the Rodalíes schedule showed on the rodalíes web that you linked). It also includes some options changing trains in Figueres that are more difficult to find on the web of RENFE but being so many direct trains I don't think that's relevant now.

Be aware many (if not all) of the trains between Barcelona and Llançà stop in several train stations in Barcelona so when comparing schedules, double-check you are comparing schedules from the same train station (e.g.: from Barcelona Sants) and not from different stations (e.g.: one schedule showing departures from Barcelona Sants and another one showing departures from Barcelona Clot-Aragó).

Got it. Thanks.

 

[peregrina2000]

Thank you both so very much. Like whariwharangi, I am still unable to find the trains to Llanca using Castilian´s method.

But I did find the list using whariwharangi´s suggested link to Rodalies. I had no idea that there were two Rodalies, one just for suburbs close in to Barcelona and one further afield in Catalunya. I had searched only in the Barcelona Rodalies. So this looks great, I have a lot more options it seems. You guys are fabulous, I really appreciate it! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[whariwharangi]

Thank you both so very much. Like whariwharangi, I am still unable to find the trains to Llanca using Castilian´s method.

But I did find the list using whariwharangi´s suggested link to Rodalies. I had no idea that there were two Rodalies, one just for suburbs close in to Barcelona and one further afield in Catalunya. I had searched only in the Barcelona Rodalies. So this looks great, I have a lot more options it seems. You guys are fabulous, I really appreciate it! Buen camino, Laurie

View attachment 18849

You have to use the link 'horarios y precios' located in the lower center of the home page. I tried using the upper left ... which usually has it all but does not in this case.

 

[peregrina2000]

Don't worry!

1. Go to the timetables and prices area of the web of RENFE.

Castilian -- I am not sure I´m at the right step 1. This is what my screen shows. I remember I used to be able to see just timetables and prices, but now I can only find the "comprar" section. I see no drop down menu either. What am I doing wrong? (it doesn´t really matter, because I see the train schedule, but I always jump at the chance to get tutored on the RENFE website! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[peregrina2000]

Question answered! Thanks to both of you.

 

[Castilian]

I had no idea that there were two Rodalies, one just for suburbs close in to Barcelona and one further afield in Catalunya.

It's a little more complicated than that.

There's the Rodalíes (commuter) service for Barcelona (the main Rodalíes service in Catalonia) and suburbs, towns and villages close to Barcelona with tons of lines, stations and trains. And there are also two smaller Rodalíes services: one for Tarragona and close by suburbs, towns and villages (with just two lines) and another one for Girona and close by suburbs, towns and villages (with just one line). To make things more complicated, part of the Girona's Rodalies line coincides with part of a Barcelona's Rodalíes line. And you can find references on the Rodalíes web of the Autonomous Goverment of Catalonia to a Rodalíes service in Lleida that isn't really a Rodalíes service but a Regional one...

There are also Regional services (including Regional, Regional Express and MD trains) within Catalonia that aren't part of the Rodalíes network. For example, on the screenshot uplodaded by you on your first reply, all the services shown between Barcelona-Passeig de Gràcia and Llançà are either Regional or MD services (i.e.: none of them are Rodalíes). To make things more complicated, there are also trains that according to the Rodalíes web linked by whariwharangi would make a fully Rodalíes route while according to the RENFE web would make a Rodalíes route just till one station continuing from that station onwards as a Regional train...

Management of both Rodalíes and Regional train services within Catalonia (i.e.: which routes start and end in Catalonia) was transfered from the Government of Spain to the Goverment of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia some years ago. Info about schedules and fares can be found both in the web of RENFE (the train operator) and on the Rodalíes web of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia. However, the Rodalíes web of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia just includes info about Rodalíes and Regional trains while on some routes there are other trains available. On the other hand, the web of RENFE includes all the trains available.

The RENFE web: www.renfe.com
The Rodalíes web of the Autonomous Goverment of Catalonia: http://rodalies.gencat.cat

 

[natefaith]

I can't help you with the trains, Laurie, but Buen Camino! Have a great one.
Faith

 

[KinkyOne]

It's a little more complicated than that.

There's the Rodalíes (commuter) service for Barcelona (the main Rodalíes service in Catalonia) and suburbs, towns and villages close to Barcelona with tons of lines, stations and trains. And there are also two smaller Rodalíes services: one for Tarragona and close by suburbs, towns and villages (with just two lines) and another one for Girona and close by suburbs, towns and villages (with just one line). To make things more complicated, part of the Girona's Rodalies line coincides with part of a Barcelona's Rodalíes line. And you can find references on the Rodalíes web of the Autonomous Goverment of Catalonia to a Rodalíes service in Lleida that isn't really a Rodalíes service but a Regional one...

There are also Regional services (including Regional, Regional Express and MD trains) within Catalonia that aren't part of the Rodalíes network. For example, on the screenshot uplodaded by you on your first reply, all the services shown between Barcelona-Passeig de Gràcia and Llançà are either Regional or MD services (i.e.: none of them are Rodalíes). To make things more complicated, there are also trains that according to the Rodalíes web linked by whariwharangi would make a fully Rodalíes route while according to the RENFE web would make a Rodalíes route just till one station continuing from that station onwards as a Regional train...

Management of both Rodalíes and Regional train services within Catalonia (i.e.: which routes start and end in Catalonia) was transfered from the Government of Spain to the Goverment of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia some years ago. Info about schedules and fares can be found both in the web of RENFE (the train operator) and on the Rodalíes web of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia. However, the Rodalíes web of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia just includes info about Rodalíes and Regional trains while on some routes there are other trains available. On the other hand, the web of RENFE includes all the trains available.

The RENFE web: www.renfe.com
The Rodalíes web of the Autonomous Goverment of Catalonia: http://rodalies.gencat.cat

My God, Castilian,.....
I've been through your post and if now you ask me what was it all about I can't really answer
You're an encyclopedia of such things. Thank you - as ever!

K1