Trains in Girona
Girona has one train station: Estació de Girona. It is in Plaça de Espanya, about a fifteen-minute walk from the centre of the city and the Barri Vell. It is open from 5:40 AM to 11:15 PM.[1]
The station has two separate areas:
- The overground station, for local trains
- The underground AVE station for high-speed trains
These two parts have different entrances and feel like separate stations, but they are actually all part of the same station.
Girona's above-ground train station[edit]
The above-ground station is for slow regional trains. These are Media Distancia and Rodalies.
- Media Distancia means "medium distance". These trains connect to nearby cities like Barcelona. They are slower than AVE trains.
- Rodalies are even slower and make even more stops than Media Distancia.[2]
The station has two trains: R11 and RG1.
Trains going northbound[edit]
Going northbound, the R11 and RG1 are exactly the same. They go to:
- Celrà
- Bordils – Juià
- Flaçà
- Sant Jordi Desvalls
- Camallera
- Sant Miquel de Fluvià
- Vilamalla
- Figueres (birthplace of Salvador Dalí)
- Vilajuïga
- Llançà (famous for its beaches)
- Colera
- Portbou (a town near the French border)
Trains going southbound[edit]
Going southbound, the R11 and RG1 go to:
- Fornells de la Selva
- Riudellots de la Selva
- Caldes de la Malavella
- Sils
- Maçanet-Massanes (a station in the middle of nowhere)
The R11 then goes to Barcelona Sants (while making stops on the way), while the RG1 goes to places like Blanes, Pineda de Mar, Calella, Mataró, and finally Barcelona L'Hospitalet de Llobregat.
Girona's underground train station (AVE)[edit]
The underground station is called Estació d'alta velocitat and serves AVE high-speed trains. It is also known as Larga Distancia, meaning "long distance". These trains connect to distant cities, such as Valencia. AVE is the fastest train line in Spain. AVE stands for Alta Velocidad Española ("Spanish High Speed" in English) but the AVE is also a play on the word ave, meaning "bird".
From Girona, you can reach Barcelona in 40 minutes. Or you can go north and reach Figueres.
AVE trains have assigned seats and air-conditioning, and are usually punctual and comfortable.
It has its own security. The platforms are after security, deep below ground.
Girona's underground station was completed in 2013.[3]
How to buy train tickets in Girona[edit]
Train tickets can be purchased at the station. There are staffed ticket offices and self-service machines (card payment only). The staffed ticket offices are venda immediata (if you need a train right now) and venda anticipada (to buy tickets for the future).
The self-service ticket machines are easy to spot because they're big and orange. On the start screen you can choose between Catalan, Spanish, English, Basque, Valencian, French, and Galician.
Other ways to buy tickets[edit]
- Online at https://www.renfe.com. Payment options include debit/credit cards, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, or Renfe Points.
- Using the Renfe app (iPhone, Android, Huawei)
- By phone at 912 320 320. 24-hour service. Tickets can be sent digitally or by post.[4]
Bono recurrente (recurrent travel ticket) refunds[edit]
- Refunds start after the 15th of the month.
- Cash payments require presenting the ticket and providing a bank account number.
- Card payments are refunded automatically.
Things you probably don't need to know[edit]
The station is managed by Adif, the Spanish state-owned company that manages Spain's railways. All trains are operated by Renfe, Spain's state-owned railway company.
