Gay Games XII

València, Spain

An amazing time to compete and meet people from all over the world.

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What and When is Gay Games?

June 27 – July 4, 2026

The Gay Games is a 10-day event celebrating sports and culture, with a focus on LGBTQIA+ identities and allies.

You, along with thousands of other participants, will compete for a chance to win medals in your sport/activity. 
You’ll join the parade and enjoy the concerts at our Opening Ceremony (Saturday, June 27).

You’ll spend your days…

  • Playing sports
  • Enjoying music and culture
  • Making new friends from around the world at our Gay Games Village.

You will also celebrate our achievements at the Closing Ceremony (Saturday, July 4).
And you’ll go home with some incredible memories, and hopefully a medal as well.

Where is València?


València is located in Southeast Spain along the coast of the  Mediterranean Sea. It is the third-most populated city in the country.

How to get to València

València has a major airport but it is not as big as Madrid or Barcelona. There are multiple ways to get to to València.

Easiest: Fly directly to València Airport (VLC)
Cheaper Options: Fly into Barcelona (BCN) or Madrid (MAD) and take the train to València
*I live in Barcelona so I am more familiar with components of this route*
Another Option: Fly into Alicante (ALC) and take the train. I’ve not been to Alicante so I cannot speak on this option

Fly into Madrid

**Note: Madrid Pride is June 25 to July 5, 2026 so this may affect pricing and general accessibility to get from the airport to the train station.

  1. Reserve your flight to Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD).
  2. Purchase your train ticket originating at one of the two main station (Chamartín or Atocha) to València-Estació Joaquín Sorolla via Omio.
    • Iryo is a nicer train but more expensive.
    • Ouigo tends to be cheaper but will get you there just as fast.
      • **Ticket prices increase as dates approach.
    • Renfe Avlo and Renfe AVE are two other options
    • As of 3/10/2026, tickets start at:

Train Ticket Starting Prices (03/10/26)

€

$

Madrid to Valencia
Fri, June 26

€10

$11.65

Madrid to Valencia
Sat, June 27

€17

$19.80

Valencia to Madrid
Sun, July 5

€15

$18.63

Valencia to Madrid
Mon, July 6

€10

$11.65


When you get to Madrid
  1. Grab your bags.
  2. Get to your Train Station from the airport.
    • Call an Uber, FreeNow, or grab a Taxi to a train station.
      • Madrid Chamartín Station
        • ~14 mins
        • €26-50 = $30-58 (03/10/2026)
      • Madrid Atocha Station
        • ~20 mins
        • €30-50 = $35-58 (03/10/2026)
      • If you take a taxi, tell the driver “Estació Atocha” because Atocha is also a neighborhood. I learned the hard way.
      • ****Train operators stop scanning tickets about 5 minutes before the departure time.
    • Use public transport from the airport.
      • Madrid Estació Chamartín €3 = $3.50 (03/10/2026)
        • ~40 mins by metro/train but must transfer
      • Madrid Estació Atocha €3 = $3.50 (03/10/2026)
        • ~40 mins by bus 203 that runs every 15 minutes.
        • ~40 mins by metro/train but must transfer
    • The trip from Madrid to València is around 2 hours.
  3. Arrive in València at Estació València Joaquín Sorolla.
  4. Grab a cab, rideshare or public transport to your accommodations.

MAD to Train Statin Prices (03/10/26)

€

$

Time

Car – MAD to Chamartín

€26-50

$30-58

~14 mins

Car – MAD to Atocha

€30-50

$35-58

~20 mins

Public Transport MAD to Chamartín

€3

$3.50

~40 mins

Public Transport MAD to Atocha

€3

$3.50

~40 mins

Fly into Barcelona

**Note: There are temporary speed restrictions on traines on this route. Tickets purchased after January 30, 2026, are not be eligible for compensation due to delays.

  1. Reserve your flight to Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN).
  2. Purchase your train ticket from Barcelona Sants Train Station to València-Estació del Nord via Renfe or Omio.
    • Renfe is the national railway company of spain and I recommend buying tickets for this journey directly from their site.
    • Be sure to check the travel time because there are no high speed trains directly to València from Barcelona. Iryo & Ouigo trains go to Madrid first then to València, around 6 hours.
    • The Renfe trains on this journey range from 3 to 5 hours.
    • As of 3/10/2026, tickets start at:

    Train Ticket Starting Prices (03/10/26)

    €

    $

    Barcelona to Valencia
    Fri, June 26

    €31.70

    $36.92

    Barcelona to Valencia
    Sat, June 27

    €31.65

    $36.86

    Valencia to Barcelona
    Sun, July 5

    €36.25

    $42.21

    Valencia to Barcelona
    Mon, July 6

    €36.25

    $42.21


    When you get to Barcelona
    1. Grab your bags.
      • *I’ve read stories of bags being stolen at the airport so be vigilant.
    2. Transit to Barcelona Sants Train Station (Sants Estació) from the airport.
      • Call an Uber, FreeNow, or grab a Taxi to a train station.
        • Taxis are by far the easiest way to get from the airport. Read my article about getting to Barcelona City Center from the airport for instructions on how to get a taxi from the airport.
        • From Barcelona Airport to Sants Estació
          • ~15-40 mins depending on traffic & time of day.
          • €30-60 = $35-70 (03/10/2026)
      • Use public transport from the airport
        • The easiest and most direct/no transfer route is the R2Nord (R2N) train that runs roughly every 20 mins.
          • ~25 mins
          • €5.5 = $6.39 (03/10/2026)
        • To Access the train, you need to get to Terminal 2B (T2B) and follow signs with the train and metro symbols. It’s about a 5-8 min walk.
        • To purchase a ticket, there are multiple orange and black machines at the station. If you need help, there is usually an attendant around wearing shiny vest.
        • If you want to do it alone, at the bottom of the screen, there’s a button that looks like a flag. That is how you change the language.
        • The machines take contactless cards.
      • At Barcelona Sants Estació it will seem hectic. Stay calm and look for the digital signs. Look for the departure time and the last stop of your train.
        • For this trip, the last stop will most likely be Valéncia-Estació del Nord.
        • Look for “Via” or “Platform” on the sign. That is the track your train will leave from.
        • Then look for the signs that say # a #. For example “1a6.” That sign is for platforms 1 through 6. Follow the signs and go through security (which is usually quick). Continue to follow signs for your track
        • **There will be employees around to help. They tend to wear shiny vests. If you do not speak Spanish or Catalan, have your phone ready to show your ticket so they can help.
        • ****Train operators stop scanning tickets about 5 minutes before the departure time.
    3. Arrive in València Estació del Nord.
    4. Grab a cab, rideshare or public transport to your accommodation

    BCN to Train Station Prices (03/10/26)

    €

    $

    Time

    Car – BCN to Sants

    €30-60

    $35-70

    15-40 mins

    Public Transport BCN to Sants

    €5.5

    $6.39

    ~25 mins

    Where should I stay in València?

    The LGBTQ+ neighborhood in València is called Ruzafa/Russafa though there are LGBTQ+ establishments throughout the city. Gay Games activities will take place all around the city. It would help you to know where your chosen sport/activity will take place and decide if you want to stay near that area. Additionally, the Village and Opening & Closing Ceremonies will take place at The City of Arts and Sciences (Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias), one of the most iconic locations in València. You can reserve Gay Games València recommended hotels here. You can search for different types of stays using Booking.com.

    What to expect at Gay Games

    I participated in Gay Games Xl in Guadalajara in the A Division of Basketball where my team, SoCal Jurassics, went undefeated and won ‘gold.’ This was my first time attending Gay Games. You really get to curate your own experience. At minimum, you’ll get to experience local culture, try new foods, and meet people from all over the world.

    What’s the weather like?

    You can expect low 60s to low 80s. Plenty of sunshine. Minimal rain.

    How to get around València

    Valencia is pretty walkable, especially the old city.
    All Gay Games Registrants will receive a transit card including 10 free trips: Metrovalencia subway & The Red Bus.
    You can also call a Taxi or use Freenow by Lyft and Uber.

    Apps to Download

    City Mapper – In my experience, it is more accurate than Google Maps in Spain.
    Nesa (In Beta) – Manage your schedule of events. Created by me.
    Uber – Rideshare. Can call a taxi from the app.
    Freenow – An alternate to Uber. Can call a taxi from the app. Now owned by Lyft.
    – Get 50% (up to 6,00 €) off your 1st Freenow trip when you use my referral code: g1njlw6xy.
    Airalo – purchase your eSim for data and phone calls
    WhatsApp – The primary form of communication

    Okay, I’m convinced. How do I register?

    Register now on the Gay Games website. General Registration secures free access to all cultural events including opening and closing ceremonies. General registration fee continues to increase until the Games. Individual sport/activity fees vary. You can view all the sports and activities here.

    Register Now