Expert: Víctor Díaz - 6/2/2009

Question
Hi! Me and my colleagues are travelling to an international workshop and are searching for a train from Barcelona-Sants to Puigcerda on 18th July 2009. Our plane is landing in Barcelona at 20:45. We schould get to Puigcerda the same day. Could you please give us an advice concerning a train to Puigcerda on that day? We couldn't manage to find any on www.renfe.com. We don't speak spanish at all.

Answer
Hello Matus

That train is well hidden in the renfe website, is not esasy to find even i you understand spanish.

It is hidden since it is a regional train but is listed among local 'cercanias' trains netwrok, but not shown in any map of that network for the area of Barcelona.

As it works like a local train, there is no booking on tickets, just buy it at the station for the next train to Puigcerda, but lets' check the schedules as it is not a train with a high frequency.

Barcelona 'cercanias' network
http://www.renfe.es/cercanias/barcelona/index.html

it is on line 3, but not shown on the maps
part of the line is under renovation and there is an alternative bus connection between LA Molina and Puigcerda. You still buy your ticket to Puigcerda but once at La Molina you must leave the train and board a bus included in your  ticket

I have tried origin Barcelona-Sants, destination Puigcerda and 'seleccione tipo de dia' = sabado (18th of july is saturday )
i don't know what happens with the system but it dont show the schedules, for any station in the line from La Molina.
instead you have to read the following pdf

http://web02.renfe.es/u13/MTR/UltimaHora.nsf/vDoc000/CC15FB383B86F147C1257592003...

clearly the last trian to Puigcerda leaves Barcelona-Santas at  18:57


In this point you have to rely on buses to get to Puigcerda the same day of your arrival, but bad news, there is only one bus running on saturdays and departs at 15:00
http://www.alsa.es


There is some information about Puigcerda
http://www.puigcerda.com/gaudeix/oficinaturisme/oficinaturisme.php

you may ask them directly if there is another bus to Barcelona that i couldn't find

If not, you must spend a night at Barcelona or rent a car and drive to Puigcerda or arrive earlier in order to be in time for the last train.


i hope this helps