Barcelona to Girona train with Renfe AVANT

Transportation experience

I booked my Elige Confort Class seat on the Renfe AVE train on Omio about one month before departure. I normally ride in Estándar (Second Class) for short trips, but the low price made the upgrade worth it. The online checkout was very easy, and I had a digital ticket ready for scanning at the gate. I did consider the bus from Barcelona to Girona, which takes around 1 hour 45 minutes, but for me, €25 was worth the much quicker and more comfortable trip.

Schedule & frequency

There are around 8 Renfe AVE services in each direction per day between Barcelona and Girona, running from early morning through the evening. Journey times are typically under 40 minutes. I took the 8:19 AM departure, which was operated by an AVE S-100 trainset, and it arrived right on schedule in Girona at 8:59 AM. There are also Avant, Regional, and Media Distancia services on this route, which provide additional flexibility beyond the AVE timetable.

Onboard experience & services

The S-100 was Spain’s first-generation AVE train, closely related to the French TGV Atlantique. Despite their age, these trains remain comfortable and stylish thanks to a full interior refurbishment in recent years. They are actually one of my favorite trains to ride. In Estándar (Second Class), seats are arranged 2+2 across. For this trip, I was traveling in Confort, which is more premium but not quite First Class. It has wider leather seats with generous legroom in a 2+1 layout. You also get fold-out tray tables and personal power outlets. Since I was traveling on an Elige Fare, I did not receive the complimentary at-seat meal service. Even though the journey is under 45 minutes, I still visited the café-bar and picked up an orange juice and croissant for €5.80, which I thought was a good breakfast. The train had restrooms and luggage racks by the doors, with overhead shelves for smaller bags. Wi-Fi was available, although I did not end up using it on this trip. On past AVE journeys, it has usually worked well for me. Overall, I found the onboard service, with announcements in Spanish, Catalan, and English, to be friendly and professional. I spent part of the trip out of my seat, so I did not really get a chance to appreciate the scenery along the way, but Spain always has beautiful rolling landscapes to enjoy.

Ticketing advice & budget breakdown

Tickets on this short route are often very good value, especially when booked in advance. Fares start from around €9 in Estándar (Standard) and €25 in Elige Confort. All AVE tickets include a reserved seat. I booked my ticket about four weeks ahead of travel and chose an Elige Confort fare, which provided the more spacious seating, but did not include lounge access or meal service.

Top tips & recommendations

• Choose the left side: Selecting a seat on the left gives better mountain and countryside views as the train departs Barcelona.
• Book early for the best fares: Prices are lowest when tickets are released, usually 60 to 90 days in advance, though you can still find good deals if your travel time is flexible.
• Continue onward with ease: Girona connects smoothly to Figueres (for the Dalí Museum) and to Perpignan and Montpellier via cross-border high-speed trains to France, including the service I took after this journey.

Conclusion

This short, fast AVE trip between Barcelona and Girona is a great example of how efficient Spain’s high-speed rail network can be. With fares often starting under €10 in Estándar and around €25 in Confort, it’s hard to beat the combination of speed, comfort, and convenience that Renfe AVE provides on this route. I really enjoyed this journey and would recommend it to anyone exploring Catalonia by train. You can plan and book your trip on the Omio app.