Sitges Carnival 2027: getting there and getting back at night
The 2027 Sitges Carnival runs from 4 to 10 February. The big nights are Sunday 7 February, with the Rua de la Disbauxa parade, and Tuesday 9 February, with the Rua de l'Extermini. Getting from Barcelona to Sitges is easy. Getting back is harder, and any visitor has every right to feel hard done by: on a normal day the last train to Barcelona leaves at 22:22, just as the evening parades are getting going. At a party like this, Cinderella would have left the ball before it even started.
What we know about the 2027 programme
The full programme for the 2027 carnival has not been published yet, only the main dates. The festivities open on Thursday 4 February, Dijous Gras, and close on 10 February, Ash Wednesday. The 2027 Carnival King and Queen are in the hands of the Casino Prado club, which happens to be turning 150. A respectable age for a club that still throws the loudest parties in town.
The 2027 parade times have not been announced yet, so use 2026 as a guide. That year the Rua de la Disbauxa set off at 19:30 and the Rua de l'Extermini at 21:00. The parade ran from the end of Avinguda Sofia along the Passeig de la Ribera seafront, through La Fragata square and the streets of the old town to Cap de la Vila. The children's parades took place in the daytime, at 12:00 on Sunday and Tuesday, so the youngest carnival-goers keep stricter hours than the grown-ups.
How many people come
Sitges Town Council expected around 250,000 visitors for the 2026 carnival. For comparison, the town itself has about 32,000 residents, so for a few days the population of Sitges grows several times over. Over the three main days, more than 72,000 people arrived or left by train.
The train: how Rodalies coped in 2026
The R2 Sud commuter line runs from Barcelona to Sitges, and the journey from Sants station takes about 40 minutes. For the 2026 carnival, from 14 to 18 February, Rodalies added around 50,000 seats on the line. Ticket validators were set up right on the square in front of the station so the crowd could go straight through to the platform, and the ticket machines offered a return ticket first. A rare case of someone thinking about passengers ahead of time.
On the nights after the parades, Rodalies ran extra trains from Sitges to Barcelona, with the last ones leaving in the early hours. There is no 2027 timetable yet, so check it a week before your trip on rodalies.gencat.cat or by calling 900 41 00 41.
Buy your return ticket straight away, together with your outward one. After the parade the crowd at the ticket machines is as big as the one on the platform, and queuing for a ticket in a pirate costume at two in the morning is unlikely to be your idea of fun.
If you are driving: which streets are closed
In 2026, on Sunday and Tuesday, Avinguda Sofia was closed from 10:00 between Avinguda de Vilanova and the seafront. From 17:00 to 7:00 the next morning, traffic was restricted on Eduard Maristany square by the station and on Salvador Mirabent street. The town council asked bus passengers to board at the stop on Passeig de Vilafranca. Police were also running alcohol and drug checks on the roads, so a carnival cocktail behind the wheel will cost you far more than it would at the bar.
If you are coming in your own car, plan your parking in advance: at these times traffic near the seafront and the station is restricted, and you will spend a long time looking for a free space among thousands of visitors.
A transfer to Sitges and back
In 2026 the night trains left Sitges roughly once an hour. Miss one, and you spend the next hour on the platform in a wet wig with the last of the confetti in your hair. If you book a car in advance, the driver picks you up at the time you chose when booking. A transfer from Barcelona to Sitges takes ~44 min and costs from €62 per car, and there is no extra charge for night-time travel. If you are flying in straight for the carnival, book a transfer from Barcelona airport to Sitges or from Sants station.
On parade days the streets near the seafront and the station are closed, so the driver will drop you off and pick you up wherever the road is open. Send the driver the name of your hotel or the nearest street in the app chat, and you can agree on a meeting point together. Sort this out in advance, while your phone still has some battery left.
We cover what to see in Sitges on a quiet day, without the confetti and the crowds, in our article on a day trip from Barcelona to Sitges.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Sitges Carnival in 2027?
From 4 to 10 February 2027. The Rua de la Disbauxa is on Sunday 7 February and the Rua de l'Extermini on Tuesday 9 February.
Are there night trains from Sitges to Barcelona during the carnival?
In 2026 Rodalies ran night trains after the parades until almost morning. Check the 2027 timetable on the Rodalies website closer to the date.
Can I drive up to the parade route in Sitges?
No. In 2026 Avinguda Sofia was closed from 10:00 on parade days, and the square by the station from 17:00 to 7:00.
Which is better on a Sitges parade night: the train or a transfer?
If you are travelling light and don't mind waiting on the platform, the train will do. If you are in a group or would rather not stand in a crowd at two in the morning, a car booked in advance is more convenient: the price is per car, not per person.
You book in the Let's GO app or on the website: enter the pick-up address and the destination, the price appears straight away, before you confirm.