Harry Potter Train in Scotland: The Complete Guide to the Jacobite
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You may have already heard of the Train Jaune, sometimes nicknamed The Canary, in the Pyrénées-Orientales. But what exactly makes it so special? The Train Jaune is the Cerdagne line: a small meter-gauge train that climbs from Villefranche-de-Conflent (427 m) to Latour-de-Carol (1,231 m), just a stone’s throw from Spain. Since 1910, it has wound its way up the slopes of the Têt Valley, crossed two now-legendary bridges, and traversed the Catalan Pyrenees Regional Nature Park, adorned in Catalonia’s “blood and gold” colors. On sunny days, you can even take the trip in a convertible, with the wind in your hair as you gaze toward Mount Canigou.
And it’s a trip that’s made entirely by train from France: take the TGV to Perpignan, then a regional train to Villefranche, or a night train from Paris to Latour-de-Carol. Here’s everything you need to know: the route, tickets, the best time of year, how to get there from Paris, and the history of this unique line.
Where can I take the Train Jaune? In Villefranche-de-Conflent, about 50 minutes from Perpignan by train, or at the other end, in Latour-de-Carol. See the Train Jaune's route, station by station, below.
How long does the trip take? About 3 hours from start to finish, covering 62.6 km. You can also stop along the way, for example in Mont-Louis or Font-Romeu.
How much does the ticket cost? The fare depends on the distance traveled, and there are many special offers, including a 1-euro fare on the first weekend of the month. See our tips for saving money below.
Does the Yellow Train run year-round? Yes, but the line is regularly closed for maintenance and may be blocked by landslides. We'll explain below how to check traffic information.
Is it possible to get there from Paris without a car? Yes, by TGV to Perpignan or by night train to Latour-de-Carol. See the route from Paris.
| Yellow Train (Cerdagne Line) | |
|---|---|
| Operator | SNCF, network liO Train Occitanie (Occitanie Region) |
| Route | Villefranche-Vernet-les-Bains → Latour-de-Carol-Enveitg, 22 stops (8 stations and 14 on-demand stops) |
| Distance | 62.6 km |
| Duration | About 3 hours from start to finish |
| Notable feature | 1,593 meters above sea level at the Bolquère-Eyne station; 650 engineering structures, including 19 tunnels and 40 bridges |
| Frequency | several round trips a day |
| Season | Open year-round, with closures for maintenance (usually in April and October) |
| Price | LiO regional fare based on distance (simulation at ter.sncf.com/occitanie); €1 on the first weekend of the month, except in July and August |
| Cars | covered or uncovered, depending on the season |
| Reservation | Tickets available on ter.sncf.com/occitanie, SNCF Connect, or at ticket windows at 5 stations; no seat reservations |
In three hours, the Train Jaune climbs more than 1,100 meters: it first winds its way up through the gorges of the Têt Valley to Mont-Louis, then descends gently across the Cerdagne plateau to the Spanish border.
The line connects Villefranche-de-Conflent, at an elevation of 427 m, to Latour-de-Carol-Enveitg, at 1,231 m, over a distance of 62.6 km. It has 22 stops: 8 stations where the train always stops, and 14 stops where it stops only on request or if passengers are waiting by the tracks, according to the official website. Destination: The Yellow Train. It takes about 3 hours from start to finish.
The journey is divided into two distinct parts. Up to Mont-Louis, the train winds its way up the mountainside through the Têt Valley, passing through Olette, Thuès-les-Bains, and Fontpédrouse. After reaching the line’s highest point, at 1,593 meters at the Bolquère-Eyne station, it crosses the high plateau of Cerdagne: Font-Romeu, Saillagouse, Bourg-Madame on the border, and then Latour-de-Carol.
© By Poudou99, CC BY 4.0, commons.wikimedia - Data sources: list of stations extracted from SNCF Open Data, file containing the shapes of the National Rail Network lines extracted from Open Data, compiled and enhanced in fr:QGis
The two highlights of the trip are the bridges in the Têt Valley, built to bypass the unstable terrain on the steepest slopes:
On these structures, the track climbs at a 6% grade, and you can really feel the train working hard. That’s where the open-air cars really come into their own: there’s nothing between you and the void, just like in a panoramic movie.
A safety rule you should never forget—even if it’s just common sense: the Train Jaune is powered by a third rail that runs at ground level alongside the tracks. Only cross the tracks at designated crossings.
The fortified town of Villefranche-de-Conflent: a chance to take a little trip back in time
The Train Jaune is part of the liO Train regional network: it runs year-round, can be booked just like any other regional train, and offers many promotions from the Occitanie Region.
Fares follow the liO regional pricing structure: they depend on the distance traveled, and SNCF discount cards are accepted. The operator does not publish a fare schedule for this line: to find out the exact price of your trip, run a fare simulation on ter.sncf.com/occitanie or on SNCF Connect.
There's no shortage of great deals:
Please note: The summer promotion offering liO train rides for €1 to passengers under 27 does not apply to the Train Jaune.
Tickets can be purchased at ter.sncf.com/occitanie, on SNCF Connect, at the ticket windows of the 5 stations equipped with this service, or from the conductor if you board at a stop. As with all liO trains, there is no seat reservation: the ticket does not guarantee a seat, according to the liO Train FAQ. During peak season, the Conflent Canigó tourist office recommends arriving at least 30 minutes before departure, especially if you're planning to take the open-top car. And if you want to make a stop along the way on a round-trip, be sure to mention it when you make your reservation.
© Herbert Ortner, CC BY 3.0, commons.wikimedia
The Yellow Train runs year-round, with several round trips a day, regardless of weather conditions: in winter, a snowplow based in Mont-Louis clears the tracks starting at 4 a.m. The open-air cars, however, operate only on sunny days, depending on the season.
In the middle of summer, convertibles are very exposed to the sun: be sure to bring water and something to cover up with. And winter has its perks, too: the snow-covered valley, fewer people, and sometimes a special offer for 5 €.
This is essential. The line closes twice a year for maintenance, usually in April and October. It can also be shut down due to landslides: following the January 2026 landslide in Thuès-les-Bains, service did not resume until April 18, according to SNCF Réseau.
The line from Perpignan was also closed for a long time: shut down in the summer of 2024 following a derailment and the collapse of a bridge in Eus, it reopened on January 24, 2026.
Before you leave, be sure to check the schedules and traffic information at ter.sncf.com/occitanie. As of the publication date of this article, the 2027 schedule for the Train Jaune has not yet been released: the current schedule is valid through December 12, 2026.
Regarding luggage and travel companions: strollers and bicycles are accepted in limited numbers; as on all liO trains, bike spaces must be reserved in advance at no charge every day in July and August, and on weekends and holidays the rest of the year; dogs travel for an additional €7 one-way, and a muzzle is required for dogs weighing more than 6 kg. There is no elevator to access the upper-level cars.
From Paris, you can reach the Train Jaune from either end: during the day via Perpignan and Villefranche-de-Conflent, or overnight to Latour-de-Carol.
The Intercités night train departs from Paris-Austerlitz in the evening and arrives the next morning in Latour-de-Carol, the terminus of the Train Jaune. You wake up in Cerdagne, at an elevation of 1,231 meters, and then travel down the line to Villefranche. Normally, there is one round trip per day, but the schedule is often adjusted for construction work: from October 18 to December 12, 2026, the Paris–Latour-de-Carol service runs only on Fridays and Saturdays (return trips on Saturdays and Sundays); on other days, the train stops in Toulouse, with a connection to the liO train, according to SNCF Voyageurs. The 2027 schedule has not yet been released as of the date of this article: check SNCF Connect before booking!
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From Toulouse, direct regional trains reach Latour-de-Carol in about 2 hours and 45 minutes.
During the day, the train ride from Paris to Villefranche takes about six hours, not including transfers: the most comfortable option is to spend the night in Villefranche or Perpignan and take the Train Jaune the next morning. If you travel at night, you’ll save an entire day.
Our favorite route is the loop: take the overnight train to Latour-de-Carol, ride the entire Train Jaune line all the way to Villefranche, then return via Perpignan on the TGV. That way, you travel the entire line without having to go back the same way.
As for the cost, the price of the Train Jaune depends on the distance traveled (use the calculator at ter.sncf.com/occitanie), and the Perpignan–Villefranche route starts at 1 €. The TGV and the night train depend mainly on when you book.
Latour-de-Carol is a gateway to Spain: the Rodalies R3 line reaches Barcelona in about 3 hours and 30 minutes for €12; tickets can be purchased at the station. The Pyrenees are also home to another legendary line, the Canfranero, which runs between Zaragoza and Canfranc—a great option to combine for a true trans-Pyrenean journey.
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Launched in 1910 to open up the high-altitude cantons of the Pyrénées-Orientales, the Train Jaune took thirty years of delays and construction work to complete, and today it remains a true everyday train for the residents of Cerdagne.
At the end of the 19th century, the villages of the Cerdan Plateau were isolated from the rest of the department. Two men spearheaded the plan for a railroad: Jules Lax, director of operations for the Chemins de fer du Midi, and Emmanuel Brousse, a journalist and elected official from the upper cantons, according to the website Destination: The Yellow Train.
In 1901–1902, the government made its decision: the line would use a metric-gauge track—which was less expensive and better suited to sharp curves—and electric traction, a bold choice at a time when electric trains were still rare. The first section, from Villefranche to Mont-Louis, opened on July 18, 1910, followed by Bourg-Madame in 1911. It was not until 1927 that the line reached Latour-de-Carol and connected with the French and Spanish trans-Pyrenean lines.
More than a century later, it remains essential: National Route 116, which runs through the valley, is regularly closed due to snow or rockfalls.
© Jordi Roqué - commons.wikimedia
Power is supplied via a contact rail installed alongside the track, a system borrowed from the Paris Metro. It was chosen for three reasons: there is no need to raise the tunnels as with an overhead wire system, it offers better weather resistance, and snow removal is easier.
To generate electricity for the train, a dedicated dam—the Bouillouses Dam—was even built at an altitude of nearly 2,000 meters, connected to a hydroelectric plant in the valley. Today, the line is powered by the national grid.
The Gisclard Bridge is named after its designer, Commander Albert Gisclard, who conceived of a suspension bridge rigid enough to support trains—an idea that was unprecedented at the time. Its history is also tragic: on October 31, 1909, after successful tests on the bridge, a test train lost its brakes on the incline and crashed into the mountain. Six men lost their lives, including Gisclard himself. After the accident, an electromagnetic emergency brake was added to the railcars.
The Séjourné Viaduct, built between 1906 and 1908 by engineer Paul Séjourné, is one of the last great stone masonry bridges. According to industrial heritage historian Michel Wienin, quoted on the official website, it marks the “swan song of a two-thousand-year-old technique.”
The Train Jaune offers a three-hour journey that feels like stepping back in time: from the Têt Gorges to the wide-open spaces of Cerdagne, crossing over the abyss on two century-old bridges—ideally in an open-air car. It’s a legendary route that’s easily accessible by train from Paris—either by day via Perpignan or by night to Latour-de-Carol. Just keep an eye on traffic updates before you go, and take advantage of the region’s promotions to travel on a budget.
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Issue du monde de la communication et des médias, Sophie est Responsable éditoriale chez HOURRAIL ! depuis août 2024. Elle est notamment derrière le contenu éditorial du site ainsi que La Locomissive (de l'inspiration voyage bas carbone et des bons plans, un jeudi sur deux, gratuitement dans ta boîte mail !).
Convaincue que les changements d’habitude passent par la transformation de nos imaginaires, elle s’attache à montrer qu’il est possible de voyager autrement, de manière plus consciente, plus lente et plus joyeuse. Son objectif : rendre le slow travel accessible à toutes et tous, à travers des astuces, des décryptages et surtout, de nouveaux récits.
