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One of the best things about traveling through mainland Europe is how easy it is to get between most countries. Many European countries allow for visa-free travel between countries, and as a U.S. citizen you don't have to worry about going through customs at each country. Getting from the cosmopolitan city of Barcelona, Spain, to the French coastal city of Marseille, France, is a breeze, for example. Bus service is the most economical and scenic way to get between these two cities.
Bus service from Barcelona to Marseille is available jointly through European bus service Eurolines (eurolines.com) and Spanish bus services Alsa (alsa.es) and Linebus (linebus.es). All are coach buses that have comfortable reclining seats and restrooms. Depending on how many stops the bus makes, it can take between seven and a half and nine hours to get from Barcelona to Marseille.
As Eurolines, Alsa and Linebus work together, the route from Barcelona to Marseille is the same. Buses depart from both the Barcelona Nord and Barcelona Sants bus stations, then stop in the Spanish city of Gerona before crossing the border into France. In France, the bus stops in the French cities of Perpignan, Narbonne, Beziers, Montpellier, Nimes, Avignon and Aix-En-Province before arriving at the Marseille bus station. Some express buses are available that stop at only a few of the cities along the route.
You can book online through Eurolines, Alsa and Linebus. Alsa and Linebus show you all the available buses available in a day, while Eurolines only shows a few. Even if you book a bus through one company, the actual bus might be operated by a different company. For example, you might book a 9 a.m. bus to Marseille through Alsa, but the bus might be operated by Linebus. Spanish transportation site Movelia (movelia.es) shows most available bus schedules and which bus company operates a particular bus.
Although the bus ride between Barcelona and Marseille is scenic, taking the train is a faster alternative. You can take a high-speed Renfe (renfe.com) train from Barcelona Sants station to the Narbonne train station in Narbonne, France. From there, you will have to transfer to a high-speed French TGV (tgv-europe.com) train that will take you to the Marseille St. Charles train station in Marseille. The trip can take less than six hours. You can also fly from Barcelona International Airport to Marseille Provence Airport in a little over four hours.
Marseille: Highlights of Marseille
Spain.info: Traveling to Spain
What Spain: Bus Travel in Spain
Bus Bud: Bus Schedules for Barcelona, Spain to Marseille, France
Eurolines France: Barcelona
Lonely Planet: Introducing Marseille
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