Lleida, Girona

I've reached Spain, as I usually do during my Xmax/NY trips. Today was supposed to be a day without trains, but since I got an extra Interrail day, I will use for a trip to Lleida and Girona.

 My cat friends are still in the same place

 I'm first heading to Barcelona-Sants with Media Distancia train

 TGV InOui train at Barcelona Sants. Even though it's a strike in France some TGV trains do actually run.

According to the information from Renfe-SNCF there are 2 trains per day in each direction

 But today I'm not going to France, I'm taking AVE train to Lleida

 The weather is changing rapidly when taking a high-speed train. But I do not expect any sun in Lleida

On this AVE train, a snack is served in Preferrente class

 AVE S103 at Lleida Pirineus

 No, there's no sun here just as I expected

 Regional Express train from Barcelona. With AVE it takes 57min, with this train it takes 3h8min

 Bridge over river Segre

 This bridge is shared with both Iberian and standard gauge railways

 Parc dels Camps Elisis

 La Seu Vella

 Estàtua d'Indíbil i Mandoni

 From Lleida I will take a direct train to Girona

 But before that, I'm visiting Sala Club

 It is the lounge of Renfe, and it is accessible with Interrail 1st class reservation

 A drink before my trip

 In this AVE a 3-course dinner is served

 The main dish is some kind of fish

 Shortly after leaving Lleida, it's sunny again. I don't understand how people can live there.

 The new line to Tarragona

 Passing by the Sagrera station - looks like there is some kind of activity here once again

 Arriving at Girona

 A liquor shop

 No passaran

 Like a postcard

 Cathedral of Girona

 River Onyar

 Former station building in Girona

 The new high-speed station building in Girona, it must be the definition of the word - ugly

For my AVE trains, I purchased the reservations through Interrail.eu in advance, but for the Avant train back from Girona to Barcelona, I decided to purchase reservation at the ticket office. The disadvantage is that it is necessary to queue. Seems that it will be the only option from now on since Renfe does not allow Interrail reservations in advance anymore

 The Avant train is also an AVE train

 As I have Avant reservation, I can only travel in 2nd class

 At Barcelona Sants station, there is an excellent cafeteria Mercat De L'Estació - great food and good price

I'm now taking the metro in Barcelona

The new Avlo (AVE low cost) advertisement in Barcelona metro

 No more cars older than 15 years in central Barcelona