I booked a first-class seat on a train from Paris to Barcelona for $177, and I didn't even care that it was 5 hours longer than the flight

Since I had to check out of my accommodations before my train departure, I dropped my backpack off at a luggage facility in Paris' Gare de Lyon station. It cost me less than $6 to store it for up to 24 hours.

After putting my bags through a scanner, I followed a staff member to a room, where they helped me find a perfectly sized locker and get enough change to pay for it. They also warned me to keep track of my receipt so I could retrieve my bag safely.

Liberated from my heavy baggage, I took the metro to the Louvre Museum and spent an awestruck morning there before leaving France.

The Parisian train station was full of multiple halls, walkways, and signs, so I got lost a couple of times. But I finally found my way back to the luggage facility to pick up my backpack.

From there, I spotted a departure board that told me which hall to wait in for my train.

As an anxious traveler, I always give myself plenty of time. But I'm often still aimlessly searching for this information, so it was reassuring to know where I needed to be well in advance.

With time to spare, I relaxed in a Starbucks, which offered clear views of an information board.

About 30 minutes before the scheduled departure, boarding began, and I found my assigned platform.

My fellow passengers thronged the ticket barriers and caused a bottleneck, but luckily more gates were swiftly opened.

Getting through was effortless — I scanned a QR code on my e-ticket and reached the platform with 20 minutes to spare.

Each carriage has several luggage compartments, which made it easy to keep track of my belongings.

I chose a seat by the racks so I could always be aware of where my backpack was. There wasn't assistance for storing luggage, but the passengers helped each other.

Once I found my seat, I waited for the train to depart — it ended up being a little late.

Although the connection was sporadic, the Wi-Fi worked well for me and offered a quick download speed. I streamed podcasts and music, and the connection rarely dropped.

My seat's table was big enough to use my laptop, and plenty of passengers seemed to be working during the trip.

Plenty of refreshments were offered in the food car, from sandwiches and burgers to beers, wines, and sodas.

I'm gluten intolerant, so I unfortunately couldn't eat any of the hot food options. Instead, I got a bag of chips and a bottle of Coca-Cola for $7 to complement my prepackaged sandwich.

Although expected, it was disappointing not to have any options for something more substantial. The ride was almost seven hours long, so a hearty meal would've helped.

It was fun to sit back and watch the landscape change as we darted south. But since sunset was around 5:30 p.m., the second half of my journey was in the dark.

The most stunning views were when we reached Montpellier, France, but I could only get a glimpse of the coastline.

If I were to take the train again, I'd book an earlier time to enjoy the scenery.

We arrived in Barcelona on time, which was a big relief.

Although the train's announcements were in Spanish and French, it seemed easy for everyone to understand what to do when we arrived.

After an initial swarm toward the luggage, it was a smooth disembarkation.

Escalators brought us from the track to the main station and deposited us amid a large crowd. After a relaxing trip, it was a pretty hectic environment to get dumped into.

It took me a bit to find the metro, but after weaving through the large crowds of passengers, I made it.

MyClimate.org calculates that a flight between Paris and Barcelona would produce 430 pounds of carbon per passenger. But the train ride emitted just 7 pounds per passenger, according to SNCF.

I was pleased by how drastic the difference was because it made me feel like I really picked the greener option.

I'd do a few things differently next time — like booking further in advance to secure a cheaper ticket — but I'd definitely take this train again.

Even though my trip was a bit expensive, the cost of checking in a bag and buying refreshments in an airport can add up quickly.

The lengthy journey also feels less burdensome when I consider the travel time to the airport and having to arrive early to check bags and find the terminal.