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High-Speed
Rail Exploration in France & Spain
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Accompanied by Rick Harnish, executive director of Midwest High Speed Rail Association, depart March 14 from Chicago on scheduled overnight flights. Please note: IRT will organize group flight once passengers have completed booking forms.
Train schedules are subject to change
Wednesday, March 15: Arrive Paris
Welcome in Paris! The excitement starts upon arrival when you are met at the airport by our guide, rail expert Werner Schorn, outside of customs and immigration. To start our tour, he will show you the TGV Charles de Gaulle Airport station, and then we move on to the suburban train station at CDG airport and travel into Paris by RER train. Overnight in Paris. Welcome dinner tonight.
Overnight in Paris
Thrusday, March 16: Paris – Irun by TGV through France / Stopover in Bordeaux
This morning, we visit Paris’ Montparnasse station, headquarters for TGV service to Brittany, Bordeaux, Lourdes and Spain via Hendaye. The station was built from the ground up in 1989 for the Atlantique and Aquitaine 186-mph TGV trains. Board the TGV, departing Paris’ Montparnasse station, traveling southwest through France and stopping over in Bordeaux with city tour on the new tram system. The TGV holds the record for the fastest speed of any conventional train in regular service. Our train will make this journey in less than three hours. According to Fodor’s: "No other region of France packs such a concentration of fine wine, extraordinary spirits, and gustatory delights…" And, we might add: trams.
The elaborate, new tram system in Bordeaux is a veritable playground for rail enthusiasts. Inaugurated in December 2003, this magnificent system serves as a model for France and the rest of the world. IRT’s international editor, Zane Katsikis, wrote recently: "I am presently in Bordeaux and am amazed by the new tram network. The system here has a buried third rail in the city center to avoid unsightly catenary through the historic center." We’ll hop aboard a chartered tram for an exclusive city tour. We stop for the night at the border to allow the change from the regular gauge TGV to the broad-gauge Spanish TALGO.
Overnight in IrunFriday, March 17: Irun – Madrid by TALGO & ATR from the border to the heart of Spain
Travel from the border today on one of the new Spanish high-speed ATVs. We will have a stop in Zaragoza to photograph the spectacular train station before we leave for Madrid on a TALGO 350, one of the newest generation TALGOs running on a totally new track/line. There have been initial signalling and alignment problems, which are being solved, which have kept speeds at about 200 km/h. The trains now only travel between Madrid and Lleida, a small town half way between Zaragoza and Barcelona, but plans are for the line to reach Barcelona.
RENFE, the acronym for Spanish Railroads, "Red Nacional de los Ferrocariles Espanoles," is in hot competition with deregulated air carriers and automobiles. The railway operates innovative and comfortable trains which run on wide-gauge–– 5 feet, 6 inches–– except for the AVEs and the high-speed Talgo 200s, which zip along 1992’s 295-mile European standard-gauge (4 feet, 8.5 inches) link between Madrid and Seville.
Overnight in Madrid
Saturday, March 18: Sightseeing in Madrid, including Metro system
Today we see Madrid’s sights and explore its metro system, which opened in 1919 and is one fo the fastest expanding systems in the world with many of its sections very modern. It accommodates a variety of trains, such as underground and suburban rail. We also visit the city’s railway museum, located in the former main line terminus Delicias, from where trains used to depart for Portugal. www.museodelferrocarril.org
Overnight in Madrid
Sunday, March 19: Madrid – Seville by AVE from Madrid to Seville
Today, we take the new AVE Spanish high-speed, standard-gauge train from Madrid to Seville, covering its entire 196-mile distance. AVE stands for "Alta Velocidad Espanola," which means "Spanish high speed." It also means "bird," explaining its logo resembling a flying bird. The vice president of the Spanish government opened the line on April 14, 1992, and then traveled from Madrid to Seville in 2 hours, 55 minutes. Formerly, it took more than 6 hours. The rolling stock bears a close resemblance to the French TGV. We will have time today for photography pending security clearance from Spanish railways.
Since opening, the Madrid-Seville AVE has been a great success with high loadings on both dedicated TGV-style trains and the locomotive-hauled TALGO services, which can operate to destinations away from the standard-gauge AVE line by using gauge changers.
A "light metro" is under construction here with line 1 being all underground through the city, scheduled to open in 2007.
Overnight in SevilleMonday, March 20: Seville – Barcelona
Today we experience the improvement in service with the ever-shorter time between Barcelona and Valencia, taking us over the Euromed line connecting Alicante, Valencia and Barcelona. Here, wide-gauge tracks take our train at 124 mph. This is an example of a line that has undergone sectional improvement––instead of a line designed from the outset to handle high speed. The Valencia-Barcelona line will likely be regauged in the future to integrate with the new AVE network, being the busiest of all long-distance routes in Spain.
Overnight in Barcelona
Tuesday, March 21: Barcelona
Today we see the sights of Barcelona, enjoying the five lines of its modern and effective metro. We also visit railway shop and the Vilanova Railway Museum.
Overnight in Barcelona
Wednesday, March 22: Barcelona time for leisure
A suggestion if you’re in the mood for a scenic rail day trip cited by the Thomas Cook Timetable as one of the most scenic in Spain: the trip between Lleida and Pobla de Segur, famous for mountains and lake scenery out of Barcelona. (Recently, this line was transferred to the Catalan Railways; upgrading work may not be completed by time of our departure.)
Overnight in Barcelona
Thursday, March 23: Barcelona – Paris by TALGO & TGV from Spain to Paris
This morning, we board the Catalán Talgo – broad-gauge train until the border, and this time we will be able to watch the fascinating change. RENFE mechanics change gauge by adjusting the wheelsets on the go so smoothly that you feel it only by the slowing of the train through the gauge-change station. Passengers open the doors to watch operation of changing the wheels. We travel to Montpelier, where we change to TGV 6212, which will whisk us back to Paris’ Gare de Lyon.
Overnight in Paris
Friday, March 24: Paris sightseeing; Paris Metro; Metro & TGV shops
As Traveling Europe’s Trains puts it: "The Paris metro system is so good, it’s contagious." The 14th cross-city line, known as Meteor, is driverless, controlled from a computer screen. This allows passengers to look ahead into the tunnel. In the evening, we’ll take the Metro to dinner, admire a few TGVs as they come into Gare de Lyon, and then enjoy our festive final dinner at the famous Belle Epoque railway dining room, Le Tren Bleu Restaurant.
Overnight in Paris
Saturday, March 25: Depart Paris
After breakfast, transfer to the airport. Leave Charles de Gaulle Airport for home.
Price for the journey:
25 passengers: $3,140 per person, double
Single supplement: $1,032
The following rail pass is needed at minimum:
5-day France & Spain Flexipass –for 5 days unlimited train travel within 2 months
$343 –– Regular first class pass for one adult
$299 –– First-class Saverpass for 2 adults traveling together at all times
Please note that train reservations and supplements for all the trains included in the program are not included here. The cost will depend on the number of travelers and will be advised as soon as the passenger list is completed.
Click here to download our 2006 tour booking form.
Included in the cost of the tour:
• Full-time tour director, Werner Schorn, who has led many Society of International Railway Travelers’ railfan tours to Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Central Europe.
• The services of an additional multi-lingual guide, Fred Rotschild, an official guide in France and Spain, who will do all city tours and offer optional non-railfan touring for the spouses.
• Breakfast daily in all hotels
• Four-star hotel accommodations throughout
• All taxes for all included services
• Dinner with three courses, 2 glasses of wine, water and coffee for welcome dinner on March 15
• Transfer by private motorcoach to all train stations
• Transfer by private motorcoach to all hotels in Irun, Madrid, Seville, Barcelona, and Paris on March 23
• Luggage handling throughout the tour of one modest-sized suitcase and one small, light overnight bag per person.
• 3-day transportation pass for Madrid
• 3-day transportation pass for Barcelona
• 3-day transportation pass for Paris
• Entrance fee to railway museum, Madrid
• Entrance to railway shop and museum, Barcelona
• Farewell dinner at Restaurant Le Train Bleu – four-course dinner with wine, water and coffee
• Gratuities for all included services, except those to your tour leaders, which are at your discretion.Please note that international air, rail pass and first class train reservations/supplements and any personal items such as laundry or anything not specifically listed is not included in the price.
To book the tour, please complete a booking form and return by fax or mail with your deposit.
Click here to download our 2006 tour booking form.
Click here for complete tour terms and conditions.
Please call us with questions, bookings:
800-478-4881 or 502-454-0277
www.irtsociety.com
Click here to send us an e-mail
Many thanks to Robert Schwandl / www.urbanrail.net for most photographs.
Send us e-mail with comments or questions
