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Valencia is Spain’s third largest city and makes a wonderful escape from Barcelona. A major port city, it is situated on Spain’s southeastern coast, where the Turia River meets the Mediterranean sea. It is famous for its Cathedral, which combines Romanesque, Baroque and Gothic styles. The City of Arts and Sciences designed by Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candelais is another iconic attraction. In this article we’ll cover how to get from Barcelona to Valencia by train, bus or car. The train has the advantages that it is the potentially the fastest and cheapest. It also takes you right to the city center.
By Train
Barcelona Sants Station – Estació Sants
You can get from Barcelona to Valencia by train from Sants Station. The high speed train takes as little as 2 hours and 40 minutes. The price of the train ticket varies from about €18 to €40. The high speed Euromed and Torre Oro trains are the fastest, while the regional express train takes about five and a half hours. View the train schedule and book tickets online at the Renfe website: www.renfe.com.
Where: Sants Station
How Long: From 2 hours 40 minutes to over 5 hours depending on the train
How Much Does it Cost: From €18 to €40
By Bus
Barcelona North Bus Station
You can get the bus to Valencia from North Station, which is situated near Arc de Triomf in the Eixample neighborhood. The journey typically takes about 4 hours. The price of the bus is roughly €30. View the bus schedule and book tickets online on the Alsa website: www.alsa.es
Where: Barcelona North Station
How Long: About 4 hours
How Much Does it Cost: About €30
By Car
The drive to Valencia takes about 3 hours 30 min, covering a distance of about 350 km via the Autopista AP-7. The AP-7 is a toll motorway that runs along the Mediterranean coast of Spain all the way from La Junquera on the French border, down to Málaga and Guadiaro in the south. The AP-7 passes Tarragona and goes down the Costa Dorada. Finally, after through Castellon de la Plana it reaches Valencia.
How Far: 350 km
How Long: About 3 and a half hours
Toll Charges: €40.85 on the AP-7, Free on E-15 route
By Plane
The flight time from Barcelona-El Prat to Valencia Manises airport is about 45 minutes to an hour. Ryanair, Vueling and Iberia service this route and the fares usually range from €25 to €100 each way. From Valencia airport to the city center it takes about 20-30 minutes by taxi or bus.
How Long is the Flight: 45 minutes to an hour
Time to the City Center: 20-30 minutes
How Much Does it Cost: About €25 to €100 each way