Last Updated on January 4, 2024
Agde Train Station by Train
Train/rail travel in France can be quite relaxing, with reasonable fares and also trains which for the most part, tend to be on time.
The countryside is beautiful and Agde, the nearest station to Le Cap d’Agde, is only 5-hour train travel from Paris.
By considering the French SNCF train network, you will then also be able to consider flying into airports such as Carcassonne, all Paris airports, and Perpignan.
The French train network is both clean and efficient and this can be a great way to travel to Cap d’Agde. Rail Europe also offers excellent deals for travel all around Europe.
Important: Note that there is no train station called Cap d’Agde. The train station is in the center of the town of Agde and is called the Gare Agde.
Agde from Barcelona and Other Areas of Spain
To get to Agde train station from Barcelona, there is a train which travels through to France usually about twice a day.
The train stops at the border sometimes for about half an hour (or at least it did when I traveled this route) and you will likely be asked to show your passports.
The train then travels to stations that connect with Agde.
Make sure to check the SNCF website or talk to a ticketing agent before booking as not all trains stop in Agde.
Learn about getting the buses to Cap d’Agde from the train station.
UK to Agde by Train
The combined Eurostar + TGV return fares from London St Pancras to AGDE can cost as little as £115.
There are two alternative routes, either via PARIS or via LILLE. The fares are normally the same.
Going via Paris involves a cross-city trip between GARE DU NORD and GARE DE LYON.
There are fewer connections via LILLE but the connection is a simple matter of changing platforms.
Both the Eurostar and the TGV travel at 300 kph and the traveling time, excluding changes, is approximately 8 hours.
Another option is to travel overnight on the Corail Lunéa sleeper service.
The bonus is a full day on the beach on the day of arrival and the prospect of another full day on the beach on the day of departure.
An afternoon Eurostar departure from LONDON St PANCRAS may have its attractions for those who live outside London and early afternoon will allow plenty of time to have a leisurely evening meal before joining the train at PARIS GARE AUSTERLITZ. This service goes to NARBONNE.
After breakfast, take a local train from NARBONNE to AGDE (about 20 minutes).
Be aware that the discounted early booking tends to sell out quickly.
Furthermore, French rail bookings cannot be made more than three months in advance, by which time the cheapest Eurostar tickets may have already sold out.
In the high season, it is worth considering making separate purchases of tickets for the two parts of the journey.
Another advantage of separate purchases is that buying the French tickets online, paying in €, and opting to collect the tickets in France avoids an artificial exchange rate (€ at par with £) imposed by the main vendors.
A valuable source of information about European rail travel including sample timetables, how to book, together with other matters such as how to cross Paris can be found below:
Further Advice on Trains from London to Agde
Feedback below from Peter Johnson, a regular Cap d’Agde visitor who loves to travel by train from the UK to the resort.
- In France, you change trains at either Lille or Paris.
- Booking clerks will always try to send you via Paris unless you specifically ask for Lille.
- Admittedly there are more services via Paris but crossing that city by metro can be a pain unless you know your way around. At Lille, the change is no more than a change of platform.
- If you are feeling very adventurous you can take a late afternoon train to Paris. Spoil yourself with an evening Dinner and take the sleeper to Narbonne.
- In the morning, have breakfast at Narbonne and be at the Cap d’Agde gates by 9 a.m. It costs a bit more but is my preference.
- Bearing in mind that the check-in time at St Pancras is 20 minutes (with no baggage check-in or baggage charges) and that the transfer at Agde is a short bus ride (instead of an expensive and time-consuming airport transfer) I suggest it compares well with anything other than the cheapest of cattle class air travel.
Overseas Visitors
Unless one has insider knowledge, taking full advantage of French early booking rail discounts is not easy.
If you are visiting from outside of Europe, you may wish to consider either BARCELONA or PARIS CHARLES de GAULLE airport as a point of entry.
Both provide rail links to AGDE and in both cases, part of the link is high-speed.
Remember that a discounted ticket is not exchangeable. So if, for example, a flight is delayed a full-price fare may be the safer option.
Possible flight delays are also a good reason for considering the option of spending a few hours in PARIS before using the sleeper to AGDE.
Read More Information on Booking Trains from Paris to Agde.
Feedback from the Regular Catherine and Clive, from Bristol UK
- “We have done the journey many times. Trains from Gare Du Lyon take just over 4 hours to Agde the service is usually reliable.
- “My accommodation was not available before 16:00 hrs, which dictated my traveling time.
- Suggest you check when your accommodation in the resort will be available and identify the appropriate TGV to book so that gets you to Agde around that time.
- I was lucky there was a bus outside the station going to the village when I arrived but they are not that frequent so you may have to get a taxi.
- I will be going again by train next year, probably to Avignon direct from Pancras and then getting a local train along the coast to Agde but again access to the apartment will dictate travel times.
- Going by train has my vote every time, except that if I were NOT intending to spend time in Paris I would go via Lille.
- When you take into account airport transfers and airport check-in times, the door-to-door travel times (and costs) are not unreasonable.
- Seat 61 for detailed information. It is a comprehensive site and there is a lot to learn to take the trouble to read all the detail. It is important to book as early as possible to get the best price fares and, in your case, it will probably be cheaper to buy the Paris/Agde tickets from the SNCF site and pay in €.
- You might also consider traveling overnight from Paris Austerlitz via Narbonne and get the best part of two extra sets of daylight hours on the beach.”
