Valencia Nord & Valencia Joaquín Sorolla: Location map
Valencia has two main stations, both located in the city centre just 10 minutes walk apart: Valencia Estació del Nord is the city's original station handling regional & suburban trains and the Intercity train to Barcelona, Alicante, Murcia & Cartagena. Valencia Joaquín Sorolla is a modern station handling high-speed trains including Euromed trains to Barcelona & Alicante. Estació del Nord is one of Spain's most beautiful stations. Joaquín Sorolla, it's fair to say, isn't.
Valencia Estació del Nord See map
Valencia Nord is one of Spain's classic railway stations, built in Valencian Art Nouveau style and opened in 1917. It's right in the city centre, next to Valencia's bullring, 200m from the town hall. Its name refers not to its location but to the railway company that built it, the Compañía de los Caminos de Hierro del Norte de España which became part of Renfe when nationalised in 1941. It handles regional and Suburban trains and Intercity train to Barcelona, Alicante, Murcia & Cartagena. For high-speed and Euromed trains you'll need Valencia Joaquín Sorolla station, an easy 750m 10-minute walk away see walking map.
Tickets & reservations
The ticket windows are in the booking hall. You'll also find Renfe ticket machines here, although these can't do passholder reservations.
Which platform?
Platforms inside the trainshed are numbered 1 to 6 from left to right. Platforms 7 & 8 are just outside the trainshed, accessed along platform 6.
There are automatic ticket gates at the entrance to the platform area, your Renfe ticket QR code may work the scanner on these, or there's a staffed gate for longer-distance passengers. There is no luggage control when boarding a train at Valencia Nord.
Above, the trainshed, with an Intercity train from Cartagena & Alicante to Barcelona on platform 2.
Luggage lockers
There are no left luggage lockers on the station.
Food and drink
There are various food outlets around the station, including a cafe or two. If you find a good bar or restaurant nearby, let me know!
Taxis
The taxi rank is on the west side of the station, when coming off a train go through the ticket gates and look for an exit to your left. Taxis are usually plentiful.
Valencia Joaquín Sorolla See map
Opened in 2010 when the high-speed line to Madrid was completed, it's named after Valencia-born painter Joaquín Sorolla (1863-1923). It handles the AVE, Ouigo & Iryo trains to Madrid and Euromed trains to Alicante & Barcelona. It's in the city centre, a 750m 10-minute walk from Valencia Estació del Nord, see walking map.
Station facade & forecourt.
Booking hall and ticket office.
Which platform?
There are 9 platforms. 1-7 are in the main trainshed in front of the concourse and numbered from right to left. Platforms 8 & 9 are alongside the main trainshed, go through luggage control and turn left onto platform 8.
Luggage control: To reach all platforms you must go through luggage control, you can see the X-ray scanners in the photo below. Luggage control only takes a few minutes, there are no metal detectors so it's nothing like an airport. Security staff next to each scanner may have a metal-detecting 'wand' but on a recent trip the 'wand' was used on me once in 8 trips and even then they failed to find the corkscrew in my left pocket or iPhone in my right one, it's basically security theatre. Tip: Put any Swiss Army knives or corkscrews in your pocket to avoid arguments if they see them in the scanner.
Above: Access to platforms via luggage control. Below: An AVE S112 to Madrid on platform 4.
Tickets & reservations
The Renfe ticket office is in the main hall opposite the access to the platforms. There's a numbered queuing system, take a number from the pink machine on the right just inside the door, it has a touch screen which can be switched to English. You then wait until your number is shown on the video screen. The Iryo ticket office is to the left of the Renfe one.
Luggage lockers
There are no left luggage lockers in the station itself.
Sala Club lounge
If you've paid the Premium fare for one of Renfe's AVE or Euromed trains, you can use the Sala Club lounge for up to 2h before your train leaves, with complimentary tea, coffee, snacks & beer. To reach it you must go through luggage control and turn left towards platform 8. Open 05:50-21:40 Monday-Thursday, 06:30-21:40 Friday, 07:00-21:40 Saturday & Sunday. You can check opening times at www.renfe.com.
Renfe's Sala Club lounge.
Tourist information
There's an official tourist information office, just around the corner from the Renfe ticket office, check opening hours at www.visitvalencia.com.
Food and drink
There are various food outlets around the station, including this La Pausa cafe-bar. There's another smaller cafe on the concourse. If you find a good bar or restaurant nearby, let me know!
Taxis
The taxi rank is just outside on the north side of the station. Taxis are usually plentiful.
Hotels near the station
The following hotels are all an easy walk from the station, in the city centre a short walk from the sights, and all can be booked with free cancellation at Booking.com to keep your options open while booking trains:
The Hotel Zenit gets great reviews and is just across the road from
Valencia Estació del Nord, right in the
city centre.
The Hotel Vincci Lys is 300m away, in the same price bracket and also gets
great reviews.
The SH Colon Valencia is slightly cheaper, 200m from Valencia Nord, also
with great reviews.
The Venecia Plaza Centro is cheaper still, but with great reviews, 5 minutes
walk from the station.
The Palacio Santa Clara is more expensive, but a top choice with rooftop
swimming pool and superb reviews.