If you dream of quiet beaches, charming villages and getaways that do not require a car, this is your sign: the R1 Rodalies line is the rail route that connects Barcelona with some of the best beaches of the Maresme and leaves you at the gates of the Costa Brava, all for the price of a train ticket.
We tell you everything you need to know about it for a quick getaway this summer.
How far the R1 goes
The R1 line connects L’Hospitalet de Llobregat with Maçanet-Massanes, crossing the entire Maresme coast and ending at the geographical border of the Costa Brava. From Plaça Catalunya, you can get on the train and in just over an hour be in Blanes, considered the “Gateway to the Costa Brava”, as it is the first municipality in the area.
If you get off in Blanes, you will discover a village with a seafaring atmosphere, the spectacular botanical garden of Marimurtra), and coves such as Sa Forcanera or Cala Sant Francesc, which have little to envy to those in the south. From here, you can continue your adventure to Lloret, Tossa or Sant Feliu de Guíxols by bus or shared car, but arriving in Blanes is already opening the door to paradise.
The other option is to walk. In Blanes you can already take the camí de ronda, an old watchtower path that runs on foot along the entire Costa Brava along the coast, crossing each and every one of the coves.
If you want to continue, from Blanes there are also buses that connect with other towns further inland on the Costa Brava, such as Tossa, Lloret de Mar or Calella.
Where to stop with the R1
Blanes is the gateway to the Costa Brava, but the R1 runs along the entire Maresme and allows you to stop in some of the most charming towns along the coast of Barcelona and Maresmenc.
If you don’t feel like going all the way to Blanes, we recommend getting off at Calella, Sant Pol de Mar, Canet de Mar or Arenys de Mar, all of them beautiful former fishing villages. Although all are now tourist areas, they are also charming places with good food, good beaches and some with access to very secluded and special coves.
Summer schedules and frequencies
During the summer, Renfe has reinforced the R1 until September 28, especially on weekends and holidays. Trains between Barcelona and Mataró have a frequency of 10 minutes during peak hours (morning and afternoon), making it very easy to improvise a beach getaway at the last minute.
Trains to Blanes and Maçanet-Massanes run less frequently, but you can check the updated schedules on the Rodalies website for better planning.
By the way, if you prefer to go in the other direction, we leave you here the article with the other train lines that take you to the beach.