Queued — scheduled to publish on 2026-08-31. Not indexed or linked yet.
Valencia-Joaquin Sorolla, the high-speed terminus where Euromed and AVE trains from Barcelona arrive, a short ride from the old town.
Photo: FDV / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Barcelona to Valencia by Train
A domestic route within Spain.
Reviewed by Eurotraintrip on 2026-07-30
- Duration
- 2h 35m – 3h 05m
- Price from
- 13 EUR
- Distance
- 349 km
- Operators
- Renfe EuromedRenfe IntercityRenfe Alvia
- Frequency
- Around 7 direct Renfe trains per day (Euromed, Intercity and Alvia combined)
Compare and book Barcelona–Valencia tickets
Check pricesWhat makes Barcelona to Valencia different
- Unlike Madrid-Barcelona or Madrid-Valencia, this route has no dedicated high-speed line yet: trains use a short new high-speed stretch near Barcelona (up to 250 km/h) plus upgraded classic Iberian-gauge track for most of the distance (up to 200 km/h). A standard-gauge high-speed connection, via a Tarragona-Castellon gauge conversion, is targeted for completion around 2027.
- The Euromed brand running this line launched on 16 June 1997 on the Barcelona-Valencia-Alicante Mediterranean corridor, using Talgo 250 (S-130) equipment - the same trains used for many Alvia services elsewhere, but run at AVE-level service standards here. The current fastest timing (about 2h35m Barcelona-Valencia) dates to a January 2020 schedule upgrade.
- This is one of the only major Spanish city-pair corridors over 300km where Ouigo and iryo haven't launched direct competing service - both reach Valencia only via Madrid. Iryo has publicly said it's interested in operating Barcelona-Valencia-Alicante 'at the first opportunity,' but as of 2026 it isn't running one.
Barcelona station
Departs from Barcelona Sants, with direct metro (L3, L5) and a short walk to Placa d'Espanya - the same station used for Barcelona's AVE departures to Madrid, though Valencia-bound Euromed and Intercity trains use separate platforms.
Valencia station
Arrives at Valencia-Joaquin Sorolla, a station purpose-built for high-speed services and opened in 2010 - it's a city-centre terminus but not directly linked to the Metrovalencia network: the nearest metro stop, Jesus (lines 1, 2 and 7), is about a 5-minute walk with no indoor connecting passage, so allow extra time if you're continuing by metro. Cercanias lines C1-C6 do connect directly, including onward to Estacion del Norte.
Train vs. other options
There's minimal scheduled direct flight competition on this short a hop, so the realistic alternative is driving the AP-7 motorway (around 350km, roughly 3.5 hours with tolls) or the intercity bus (also around 4 hours) - the train's 2h35-2h50m city-centre-to-city-centre time beats both without a toll bill or a parking search at either end.
Booking tips
- Book well ahead for Renfe's cheapest advance fares - with no low-cost operator running this route directly, there's no Ouigo/iryo price war forcing fares down the way there is on Madrid-Barcelona or Madrid-Valencia, so early booking matters more here.
- Euromed is the fastest branded service on this line (around 2h35-2h50m); Intercity and Alvia departures with more intermediate stops can take closer to 3 hours for a similar or sometimes lower fare - check the specific train time, not just the operator name.
- If you're comparing this to Madrid-Valencia fares on a booking site, remember Ouigo and iryo prices you see for 'Valencia' apply to that Madrid corridor, not to Barcelona-Valencia directly - those operators don't run this route.
Good to know: Because every direct train on this route is a Renfe brand (Euromed, Intercity or Alvia) rather than a competing operator, the usual Spain advice to 'compare Renfe against Ouigo and iryo' doesn't apply - all your options sit on the same Renfe booking system, so the fare differences you'll actually see come down to advance-purchase tier and how many stops a given departure makes, not which company you book with.
While you're in Valencia
L'Hemisferic, designed to resemble an eye, was the first building to open (1998) at Santiago Calatrava's City of Arts and Sciences.
Photo: Diego Delso / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)Valencia pairs a Gothic old town with Santiago Calatrava's futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, built along a 9km park that used to be a river - and it's the birthplace of paella, which locals will tell you was never supposed to have seafood in it.
Full Valencia travel guide →Frequently asked questions
How long is the train from Barcelona to Valencia?
The fastest Euromed services take around 2 hours 35-50 minutes. Intercity and Alvia trains with more stops take up to roughly 3 hours.
Is there a high-speed AVE train from Barcelona to Valencia?
Not yet - this route currently runs on a mix of a short high-speed stretch and upgraded classic track, unlike the fully dedicated AVE lines to Madrid. A standard-gauge high-speed connection is targeted for around 2027.
Can I book this route with Ouigo or iryo?
No - as of 2026, only Renfe (Euromed, Intercity and Alvia) runs direct Barcelona-Valencia trains. Ouigo and iryo serve Valencia only via Madrid.