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Train (and ferry) from Tenerife to London

 
Del Teide, Tenerife

Overview

Route: Tenerife to London via either Cadiz, Huelva or Portimao
Journey time: Quickest route via Huelva (From 49 hours)
 

Detailed itinerary

Option 1: Ferry from Santa Cruz de Tenerife to Cadiz and then train via Madrid and Paris

Sample itinerary: Take the ferry from Santa Cruz to Cadiz, which leaves every Friday at 2330. Arriving in Cadiz on monday at 1230, transfer to the train station in time to catch the 1300 train to Madrid Atocha, arriving at 1815. Transfer to Madrid Chamartin for the 1900 sleeper to Paris, arriving in Paris early enough to get breakfast before hopping on the 1013 Eurostar service to London
Price: The combined cost of trains and ferry costs around £420
Leg 1:

The Ferry from Santa Cruz leaves every Friday at 2330, getting in the following Monday at 1230

Frequency of service: Every Friday at 2330
Operator:

Transmediterranea

Journey time: Around 60 hours
Transfer

It is only a short walk from the ferry port to Cadiz train station the Plaza de Sevilla.

Short hop

Transfer time: Allow 15 minutes
 
 
 
 
Leg 2:

The train from Cadiz to Madrid Atocha leaves at least once every hour, with a short stop in Sevilla.

Frequency of service: At least once an hour
Operator:

European Train, AVE

Journey time: Around 5 hours
Transfer The journey from Madrid Atocha to Madrid Chamartin takes only around ten minutes on the Cercanias local rail service. It's three stops, and costs €1, but is free with a valid trainhotel (sleeper service) ticket.

Long hop

Transfer time: Allow 45 mintues.
 
Book a hotel near Madrid Atocha
 
 
Book a hotel near Madrid Chamartin
 
Leg 3: Madrid Chamartin to Paris Gare d'Austerlitz (sleeper)
Frequency of service: Daily.
Operator:

EuroNight

Journey time: 14 hrs 08 mins
Transfer

Cross the centre of Paris by metro from Gare d'Austeritz to Gare du Nord. Follow the signs for Metro line M5 to Gare du Nord (which is signposted 'direction Bobigny Pablo Picasso'). It's 9 stops from Gare d'Austerlitz to Gare de Nord and takes 20-30 minutes, but we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer and don't forget the 30-minute check-in for Eurostar.

Transfer time: Allow 50 mins
 
Book a hotel near Gare d'Austerlitz
 
 
Book a hotel near Gare du Nord
 
Leg 4: Paris Gare du Nord to London St Pancras International in the heart of London. Don't forget check-in time for Eurostar is at least 30 mins before departure.
Frequency of service: About 15 trains a day
Operator:

Eurostar

Journey time: From 2 hrs 16 mins
Destination

Welcome to London. St Pancras International now has lots of lovely shops, restaurants and gastro pubs... and free wifi throughout the station. If you're planning to stay in the capital, there are over 60 hotels within a one mile radius of St Pancras (by the way, the new spectacular St Pancras Midland Grand Hotel - a 5-star Marriott hotel - has now opened!).

From St Pancras, there are mainline rail connections to Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield, as well as First Capital Connect trains on the cross-London Thameslink route which continues north as far as Bedford or south to Gatwick Airport and Brighton.

Across the street is Kings Cross station, which has rail connections to the north of England and Scotland, and it's a 15-minute walk (in the opposite direction, heading west) to Euston Station for connections to the West Midlands, the West Coast (including Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester) and Glasgow (including the Scotrail sleeper service).

 
Book a hotel near St Pancras
 

Option 2: Ferry from Santa Cruz de Tenerife to Huelva and then train via Madrid and Paris

Sample itinerary: Catch the weekly Thursday ferry from Santa Cruz to Huelva, leaving at 1200 to arrive at 1900 on Friday. Spend the night in Huelva then catch the 0750 train to Madrid Atocha, arriving at 1145. Transfer to Chamartin before catching the 1900 sleeper service from Madrid Chamartin, which arrives in Paris at 0831, then head across to Gare du Nord for the 1013 Eurostar service to St Pancras.
Price: Ferry and train travel comes to around £332
Leg 1:

The ferry from Santa Cruz de Tenerife to Huelva leaves every Thursday at 1200, arriving at 1900 on Friday.

Frequency of service: The ferry leaves every Thursday at 1200
Operator:

Naviera Ferries

Journey time: Around 30 hours
Transfer

It is only a short walk from Huelva ferry port to the train station

Short hop

Transfer time: Allow 15 minutes
 
 
 
 
Leg 2:

The direct train from Huelva to Madrid Atocha leaves daily at 0750 and arrives at 1145.

Frequency of service: The direct train leaves daily at 0750
Operator: n/a
Journey time: Just under 4 hours
Transfer The journey from Madrid Atocha to Madrid Chamartin takes only around ten minutes on the Cercanias local rail service. It's three stops, and costs €1, but is free with a valid trainhotel (sleeper service) ticket.

Long hop

Transfer time: Allow 45 mintues.
 
Book a hotel near Madrid Atocha
 
 
Book a hotel near Madrid Chamartin
 
Leg 3: Madrid Chamartin to Paris Gare d'Austerlitz (sleeper)
Frequency of service: Daily.
Operator:

EuroNight

Journey time: 14 hrs 08 mins
Transfer

Cross the centre of Paris by metro from Gare d'Austeritz to Gare du Nord. Follow the signs for Metro line M5 to Gare du Nord (which is signposted 'direction Bobigny Pablo Picasso'). It's 9 stops from Gare d'Austerlitz to Gare de Nord and takes 20-30 minutes, but we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer and don't forget the 30-minute check-in for Eurostar.

Transfer time: Allow 50 mins
 
Book a hotel near Gare d'Austerlitz
 
 
Book a hotel near Gare du Nord
 
Leg 4: Paris Gare du Nord to London St Pancras International in the heart of London. Don't forget check-in time for Eurostar is at least 30 mins before departure.
Frequency of service: About 15 trains a day
Operator:

Eurostar

Journey time: From 2 hrs 16 mins
Destination

Welcome to London. St Pancras International now has lots of lovely shops, restaurants and gastro pubs... and free wifi throughout the station. If you're planning to stay in the capital, there are over 60 hotels within a one mile radius of St Pancras (by the way, the new spectacular St Pancras Midland Grand Hotel - a 5-star Marriott hotel - has now opened!).

From St Pancras, there are mainline rail connections to Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield, as well as First Capital Connect trains on the cross-London Thameslink route which continues north as far as Bedford or south to Gatwick Airport and Brighton.

Across the street is Kings Cross station, which has rail connections to the north of England and Scotland, and it's a 15-minute walk (in the opposite direction, heading west) to Euston Station for connections to the West Midlands, the West Coast (including Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester) and Glasgow (including the Scotrail sleeper service).

 
Book a hotel near St Pancras
 

Option 3: Ferry from Santa Cruz de Tenerife to Portimao and then train via Lisbon, Madrid and Paris

Sample itinerary: Take the weekly Friday ferry from Santa Cruz de Tenerife at 1600, arriving in Portimao at 0830 on Sunday. Catch the 1320 train from Portimao to Tunes, then change stations for the 1355 train to Lisbon. Hop from Entrecampos to Sant Apolonia. The 2230 sleeper service from Lisbon gets to Madrid at 0903 the next morning, where you can spend a day enjoying all the Spanish capital has to offer. Take the 1900 sleeper service from Madrid Chamartin, which arrives in Paris at 0831, giving you enough time to grab a croissant and head across to Gare du Nord for the 1013 Eurostar service to St Pancras.
Price: The ferry crossing costs around €105, one way, while trains from Lisbon to London cost around £217. Trains between Portimao and Lisbon can only be booked in country
Leg 1:

The ferry from Santa Cruz de Tenerife to Portimao leaves every Friday at 1600, arriving on Sunday at 0830

Frequency of service: Every Friday at 1600
Operator:

Naviera Armas

Journey time: 40 hours, 30 minutes
Transfer

The ferry port in Portimao is around 1 mile away from the train station - a short taxi ride.

Short hop

Transfer time: Allow 1 hour
 
 
Leg 2:

Trains stopping at Tunes leave Portimao daily at 0624, 0850, 1320, 1424, 1642, 1828, 1933 and 2035

Frequency of service: Around 8 trains daily
Operator:

Local trains

Journey time: Around 25 minutes
Transfer

A quick, same-station change to catch the train to Lisbon

Short hop

Transfer time: Allow 10 minutes
 
 
Leg 3:

The train from Tunes to Lisbon Entrecampos leaves daily at 0947 and 1355.

Frequency of service: Twice daily
Operator:

InterCity trains

Journey time: Around 3 hours, 30 minutes
Transfer

To transfer from Entrecampos to Sant Apolonia, you can use the comprehensive Metro service. Sant Apolonia is nine stops away from Entrecampos, with a change from Linha Azul to Linha Amarella at Marques de Pombal.

Short hop

Transfer time: Allow 1 hour
 
 
Leg 4: Lisbon Sant Apolónia to Madrid Chamartin (sleeper)

Train departs Lisbon Sant Apolónia daily at 2230, arriving in Madrid Chamartin at 0903 the next morning.
Frequency of service: Daily
Operator:

Hotel Train

Journey time: 10 hours 33 minutes
Transfer A quick same-station change of platform at Madrid Chamartin.

Change of platform

Transfer time: Allow 20 mins
 
Book a hotel near Madrid Chamartin
 
Leg 5: Madrid Chamartin to Paris Gare d'Austerlitz (sleeper)
Frequency of service: Daily.
Operator:

EuroNight

Journey time: 14 hrs 08 mins
Transfer

Cross the centre of Paris by metro from Gare d'Austeritz to Gare du Nord. Follow the signs for Metro line M5 to Gare du Nord (which is signposted 'direction Bobigny Pablo Picasso'). It's 9 stops from Gare d'Austerlitz to Gare de Nord and takes 20-30 minutes, but we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer and don't forget the 30-minute check-in for Eurostar.

Transfer time: Allow 50 mins
 
Book a hotel near Gare d'Austerlitz
 
 
Book a hotel near Gare du Nord
 
Leg 6: Paris Gare du Nord to London St Pancras International in the heart of London. Don't forget check-in time for Eurostar is at least 30 mins before departure.
Frequency of service: About 15 trains a day
Operator:

Eurostar

Journey time: From 2 hrs 16 mins
Destination

Welcome to London. St Pancras International now has lots of lovely shops, restaurants and gastro pubs... and free wifi throughout the station. If you're planning to stay in the capital, there are over 60 hotels within a one mile radius of St Pancras (by the way, the new spectacular St Pancras Midland Grand Hotel - a 5-star Marriott hotel - has now opened!).

From St Pancras, there are mainline rail connections to Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield, as well as First Capital Connect trains on the cross-London Thameslink route which continues north as far as Bedford or south to Gatwick Airport and Brighton.

Across the street is Kings Cross station, which has rail connections to the north of England and Scotland, and it's a 15-minute walk (in the opposite direction, heading west) to Euston Station for connections to the West Midlands, the West Coast (including Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester) and Glasgow (including the Scotrail sleeper service).

 
Book a hotel near St Pancras
 

Your route back from Santa Cruz

The lines on the map are for illustrative purposes only - they don't show the exact route taken by the train.

 

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