RENFE (tel: 902 240 202; website: www.renfe.es) operates the Spanish rail network, which radiates from Madrid to all the major cities. There are also transversal routes and services running from the French border along the Mediterranean coast. Some of the services are swifter and more reliable than others. The least convenient are tranvía, semidirecto and correo trains, all of which chug along at a leisurely pace. Seat reservations are required on all intercity trains. Supplements are payable on many faster trains, even for passengers holding Interail and Eurail passes, although the amount is generally worth paying for a more efficient service.

Estació Central-Sants, Plaça del Països Catalans (tel: (93) 495 6215) is the city's main railway station, serving national and international destinations as well as suburban routes. Facilities in the station building include tourist information, hotel information, left luggage, a bank offering currency exchange, a restaurant and cafeteria, shops, a first-aid point, showers, lockers and secure parking. Another railway station, Estació de França, Avinguda Marqués de l'Argentera, offers mainly southbound regional services. On some train routes, an alternative to both these stations is Passeig de Gràcia station, located close to Plaça de Catalunya and La Rambla.

Rail services: There are direct trains to Barcelona from Paris (journey time - 11 hours 15 minutes), Montpellier (journey time - 4 hours 30 minutes), Milan (journey time - 13 hours 15 minutes) and Zurich (journey time - 13 hours). A new high-speed rail service linking Barcelona with Madrid (journey time - 2 hours 40 minutes) opened in February 2008, and will eventually extend to the French TGV network too.