Trains and other things: Barcelona to Cologne

Today I'm going back to Stockholm and it will be a much faster way back, with high speed trains and a night train. First I'm taking TGV Barcelona-Paris, then Thalys Paris-Cologne where I'll stop over night.

TGV Duplex is ready for departure in the morning.

It is TGV Duplex 2N2 3UH dual voltage train with French and Spanish automatic control systems. There are totally 10 units of this type of train.

They are manufactured 2013

Second floor is used for passage through the entire train.

8 stops

The service is operated by Renfe-SNCF en Coopération - a joint venture company with 50% ownership by the two rail companies.

More space for bags

Passing over Maçanet-Massanes station

Pyrenees

Highway to France

Girona

Today is a good weather and the windows are clean in this train

Arriving to Figueres Vilafant

AVE S100 from Toulouse to Barcelona.

This part of the line is equipped with ERTMS. Due to the new signalling system, the freight trains are avoiding this line and using the one through Cerbere. Let's see how things will develop.

Approaching Perthus tunnel, which is passing through the French/Spanish border. It's 8,3km long.

After the tunnel we are in France

Due to the difference in track side operations in Spain in France, there is a flying junction located on the French town of Tresserre that allows trains to switch traffic side, from right to left.

Ponteilla

First stop in France - Perpignan

The line here is really close to the sea

On both sides of the train there is water

Passing by Cathédrale Saint-Just et Saint-Pasteur in Narbonne

Z 27500

BB 27000, Alstom Prima locomotive from 2002.

Narbonne

Colombiers station, not in use since 2012

River L'Orb and Cathédrale Saint Nazaire in Beziers.

Passing next to the sea again on a strait from Cap d'Agde to Sete.

Meeting with another TGV

Sete

The port of Sete has ferries to Morocco.

Arriving to Montpellier

BB 69200

Nimes

Attaching here to the new high speed line Contournement Nîmes – Montpellier opening during 2017.

The line towards Avignon and Marseille.

TGV Brussels-Montpellier.

Attaching here LGV Méditerranée

Our train has to wait for a passing TGV Marseille-Paris.

French automatic control system TVM (Transmission Voie-Machine) has same block marker signs as ERTMS.

Rhône river

The last stop before Paris is Valence TGV station

Futuristic station of Gare de Lyon Saint-Exupéry created by Santiago Calatrava (same architect that made Liege Guillemins). Really few trains stops here, we are passing it with 300km/h

The climate is rapidly changing as we travel north with a speed of 300km/h

Approaching Paris

Passengers are literally rushing out of the train. We are delayed, and it is Paris.

The cleaning staff are ready to clean the train before next departure.

Gare de Lyon

After a short ride with RER train (only 2 stops) I'm at Gare de Nord.

BB 22200. While in south of France I could see a similar one BB 7200, they are of no use here since they only support 1,5kV DC. BB 22200 is supporting both 1,5kV DC and 25kV 50Hz.