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France / Spain and Portugal

Staff member: Jody // Trip date: May 2007

Charles De Gaulle Airport RER

Took the RER from the airport to the hotel.
Validated the Paris Visit Pass ticket through the machine easily

Euro Disney Paris

We caught the RER train to Marne le Valley Chessy.
We had pre paid RAPT Disney Combo tickets already. We used the return Metro ticket as well.
The train station is just outside Euro Disney and Walt Disney Studios
There are different lines for entry an express lane for pre paid and a ticket office for purchases.
The Validating of the ticket is through the machine like the RER ticket

Paris - Madrid - Talgo Night train

Paris Austerlitz - Madrid Atocha

Once you board and find your compartment the conductor takes your sleeper reservation, your pass and passports and hands them back to you in the morning. The reason they take the passports is due to passport control (crossing borders.)
Menu in Gran Class on the train consists of an entr￩e, dinner, dessert, biscuits, wine, beer and soft drink.
There are two seatings for dinner 8 or 10 pm. Before you board the train they ask which one you would prefer.
Once we had dinner and we returned to our compartment our beds were made with a chocolate bar.
They gave us toiletry bags with shampoo, soap, earplugs etc.
In the cabin there is a shower, basin and toilet facilities
Towels x4 and water bottles.
They spoke very little English. Fluent Spanish and French.

Sample of the Menu

Entr￩e - Melon and ham
Dinner - Fish with salad or chicken breast with pesto and salad
Dessert - Chocolate cake with strawberry topping or fruit salad
Breakfast - Croissant, chocolate pastry, toast, egg with mushroom and bacon. Tea, Juice and Coffee

Madrid Charmartin - Lisboa Santa Aplonia - Lusitania

Same sort of set up as Paris - Madrid as it is the same train
We had a washbasin only this time.
Toilets were at the end of the carriage easy to access
2 berth sleeper
Towels, water bottles, toiletry bag
The conductor only took the pass and the reservation this time and gave them back in the morning
There is 1-hour time difference between Spain and Portugal. Spain is ahead.

Lisbon Santa Aplonia - Port Campahnha

Reservation was required on this train as it was a high-speed service train. The cost to reserve a seat was 4 euros per person.
Departure of train was 11:30 - 14:39
Plenty of room in 1st class, seating was very comfortable. Seating was two seats on one side of the train and then solo seating on the other side.
Dinning cart
Waitress comes around in first class to your seat at the beginning once the train has taken off to see if you would like any food, drinks or snacks.

Porto Campahnha - Caxarias then bus to Fatima

Made reservation again 4 euros per person
Conductor checked passenger tickets more thoroughly than usual
This is the closest train station to get to the sacred site of Fatima. There is a bus which takes about 40 mins. It costs 2.5 Euros per person one way. It drops you to the bus depot and all you need to do is to walk straight out of the depot and cross the road and follow the street signs to the scared site. It takes about 5 minutes
Then we caught the train back to Lisbon Santa Aplonia from Caxarias.
Seating was two seats on one side of the train and then solo seating on the other side.
Train was fairly modern

Lisboa Oriente - Faro

Departure 0840 - 1156
Seat reservation again compulsory high speed trains 4 Euros
They gave us ear phones and newspapers complimentary
Blinds on train are electric with a switch
Foot rests
Reading lights, waiter lights for service to your seat
Luggage racks at the end of the carriage are x3 on each side of the carriage. This is the only space and also above the seats
Seating was two seats on one side of the train and then solo seating on the other side.
Train was fairly modern

Faro - Seville Bus

The bus station was approximately 10 minute walk from the train station
The fare costs 14 euros per person
There are two services a day the 0820 and 1550 as per Thomas Cook Book
This journey took about 3 and a half hours
It leaves from the big bus depot in Faro
It stopped once for 35 mins to pick up pax and to have a stretch.

Seville Santa Justa - Barcelona Sants

Train was delayed about 10 minutes
Train time 0925 - 1745
They served refresher towels, newspapers and orange juice
Breakfast was served. Omelette with bacon and cheese, yogurt, bread roll, croissant, water and coffee (complimentary)
The train went through/stopped to pick up passengers at major stations such as Cordoba, Madrid Atocha.
When the train stopped in Madrid they changed the seats the other way around so we were forward facing again.
Lunch was provided as per the menus - (complimentary)
Headphones were provided as well TV screens. They were on the roof of the train.
Seating was two seats on one side of the train and then solo seating on the other side.
Train was very modern (looked like a brand new train)
Once we arrived at the station, we walked to the information station for the Metro map and what ticket to buy.
To get to Las Ramblas area it is not metro you need to catch the suburban train called the Cataunya Express which left at platform 3.
Ticket machines are all in English. We bought a 10 trip ticket.

End Comments

You might need to get your Paris Metro tickets re issued, sometimes due to defective tickets. This happened to us at least 2 times. You take the ticket to the office and they re issue this for you

Trains were very efficient

Everyone spoke English and who ever didn't tried their best to accommodate you

Easy to get around the Metro stations

Not all stations have lifts so you need to lug your suitcase up stairs

Barcelona city sightseeing bus is recommended. Fantastic way to see all sights of Barcelona