Perpignan station transfer
 

HI Everyone!

Hope everybody enjoying the last summer season :)

I have got 1 question about Perpignan station as my plan is quite tight to make it real but please let me know if someone has some experience with this kind of situation.

Basically i am off to Paris from Barcelona on 26th Aug and ticket price is too expensive with direct way route, so below is what i found for cheapest way.

1. Barcelona - Perpignan
06 : 20 (off from Barcelona) - 07:30 (Arrive at Perpignan) with renfe SNCF

According to timetable for this schedule, next train to Paris is below (Paris is my destination)

2. Perpignan - Paris
07:37 (off from Perpignan) - 12: 46 (Arrive at Paris) with IDTGV


As you can see this 2 mixed schedule for Paris, i do have only 7 minutes to transfer the train renfe SCNF to IDTGV and i do think Perpignan station is not complicate to make this.

Doe anybody have this quite narrow time slot for change the train in Perpignan?

I guess there will be only 2 platform in there and 2nd train (Perpignan to Paris) must be running after leave 1st train (Barcelona to Perpignan) as i guess only 1 platform to north way in there.

Please give me a little help if anybody had this sort of experience :)

Many thanks!!

It's a small station, often they arrange schedules so you just have to walk across the quai to the other train, but you do have to hustle and pay attention to the overhead signs, etc.

No, there are four quais there, 6 voies or platforms, I guess.

7 minutes is enough. The schedules are set that way on purpose for maximum efficiency.

There are only 3 platforms.

They wouldn't have those schedules if they didn't think you'd be able to make the transfer. Unless you have limited mobility or are carrying too much luggage, you should be fine. People do transfers of this kind all the time in France.

It is very tight if the train from Barcelona arrives at the old station in which case you have to go down one flight of stairs, walk along the underground passageway and take the escalator to the new station ground level. If it stops at the new TGV station, it is still tight as IdTGV tickets are screened before you board the train and there may be a queue.
What if the train from Barcelona is late?
There are 4 platforms at the station.

-What if the train from Barcelona is late?-

This is a good question. I got stuck in Perpignan en route to Paris once, due to a late train that made me miss my connection.

I had to pay for a hotel and argue with the train guys to get them to put me on another train the next day (even though it was all in the French system.)

I wouldn't risk a 7 minute connection there unless you have a flexible ticket and you can go on the next train if you miss the first one.