From NICE via MARSEILLES to MADRID by train.
Information for Interrail, Eurail travellers and persons with normal train ticket travelling the route Nice (France) via Marseilles to Madrid (Spain).



Train connection from Nice (France) via Marseilles to Madrid (Spain).

More information at Raildude.
Nice - Marseilles - Madrid: http://www.raildude.com/en/train-connec ... -spain/257
Madrid - Marseilles - Nice: http://www.raildude.com/en/train-connec ... france/435



Update: Jun 2013

Peter,
I found you suggested train from Nice to Madrid interesting, as I am looking to get from St.Raphael to Madrid either 20, 21 or 22 July. But when I look for the connection you suggest on SNCF's website, they don't suggest it. I am confused. Has the route been cancelled, or aren't all routes on the website?

On the SNCF website I can only find a route that takes me from St.Raphael at about 12:52 to Portbou, with a change in Montpellier, and from there a night train to Madrid, leaving 7:40 PM and arriving 7:21 AM. Is that a good connection? This is available the 20-21 of July, but when I look at 22 July it is much more complicated, several changes and a TGV (which costs a lot extra, doesn't it???).

I will be starting my first Interrail trip in St.Raphael and meet up with friends in Madrid who arrive from Paris. I am a bit concerned about travelling this route alone. Should I rather go up to Paris and meet them there and take the Elipso down to Madrid in a group? Seems like a lot of unneccessary travelling and possibly also a lot more expensive but I am also very unsure about all these reservations I seem to need to make, but it is hard to find the cost of them...

Any advice?
Alice1

Hi Alice1.

I just updated the connections from Nice to Madrid. Currently there is only one including a night train which makes sense: http://www.raildude.com/en/train-connec ... -spain/257

But you could travel in two steps: first Nice (or St.Raphael) to Perpignan. Stay here overnight. Then by the Little Yellow Train cross the Pyrenees ( http://www.raildude.com/en/interrail-tr ... rcelona/19 ) to Barcelona. From there by high-speed-train to Madrid.

Peter

And for your friends... travelling from Paris to Madrid is currently the best way as well via Barcelona.
As the direct night train Paris-Madrid is horrible expensive: http://www.raildude.com/en/interrail-ni ... de-goya/88

I recommend your friends to travel by inexpensive French night train from Paris to Perpignan ( http://www.raildude.com/en/interrail-ni ... it-3731/78 ) - there you can meet them in the morning and cross the Pyrenees together by Little Yellow Train.
And in the afternoon to Madrid.

Paris - Barcelona (with stop in Perpignan and Little Yellow Train): http://www.raildude.com/en/interrail-tr ... e-spain/36
Barcelona - Madrid: http://www.raildude.com/en/interrail-tr ... d/spain/86

And if you like, you can buy your official Interrail ticket in the Raildude shop. Then you support all the information here on Raildude and the forum. Thank you!
Peter

Thank you! Great advise. I had already bought my Interrail ticket though, and unfortunately the sleeper tickets to Madrid had also been bought and apparently cannot be cancelled...
We should have checked here first! Live and learn... At least I know to recommend friends in the future to look at your site before they make any decisions.
regards,
Alice1