Getting to Madrid by Train
Madrid is at the centre of the extensive railway network run by Renfe, providing access into the city from all over Spain as well as easy train travel within the city. It also has free Wi-Fi. The two main stations are Atocha and Estación de Madrid - Chamartín - Clara Campoamor, where you can catch medium distance, long distance, high speed, and suburban trains. You can also catch international trains to and from France and Portugal in Madrid.
PLEASE NOTE
As a result of engineering work in Chamartín station, the services for mid-distance trains to and from the north of Spain will be disrupted. From 1 June 2020, the following trains will depart from and arrive at Princípe Pío instead of Chamartín:
- MD Madrid–Valladolid–Palencia/León
- MD Madrid–Burgos-Vitoria/Irún
- MD Madrid–Salamanca
Mid-Distance
The Mid-Distance lines bring passengers to the capital from all over Spain. Trains from major cities arrive at and depart from Chamartín (calle Agustín de Foxa, s/n) and Atocha (Plaza del Emperador Carlos V, s/n) stations daily.
- High Speed-Mid-distance (Avant)
- Avant Madrid-Ciudad Real-Puertollano: Departing from Atocha Station. Journey Time: 53 minutes to Ciudad Real and 1 hour and 13 minutes to Puertollano.
- Avant Madrid-Toledo: Departing from Atocha Station. Journey Time: 30 minutes.
- Avant Madrid-Segovia-Valladolid: Departing from Chamartín Station. Journey Time: around 28 minutes to Segovia and 1 hour and 5 minutes to Valladolid.
Other Mid-Distance Services
MID-DISTANCE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN TRAINS
- Line R-1. Madrid-Ávila: Departing from Atocha Station via Chamartín. Journey Time: around 2 hours. The Express train departs from Chamartín Station and takes around 1 hour and 20 minutes.
- Line R-2. Madrid-Segovia: Departing from Atocha Station via Chamartín. Journey Time: around 1 hour and 40 minutes. The Talgo departs from Chamartín Station and takes 31 minutes.
- Line R-3. Madrid-Soria: Departing from Atocha Station. Journey Time: around 3 hours.
- Line R-4. Madrid-Arcos de Jalón-Zaragoza: Departing from Chamartín Station. Journey Time: around 2 hours and 10 minutes to Arcos de Jalón and around 3 hours and 49 minutes to Zaragoza.
- Line R-20. Madrid-Salamanca: Departing from Chamartín Station. Journey Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes.
- Line R-21. Madrid-Valladolid-León: Departing from Chamartín Station. Journey Time: approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes to Valladolid and 4 hours and 40 minutes to Leon.
- Line R-27. Madrid-Valladolid-Vitoria: Departing from Chamartín Station. Journey Time: around 2 hours and 45 minutes to Valladolid and around 5 hours and 30 minutes to Vitoria.
MID-DISTANCE LEVANTE TRAINS
- Line R-6. Madrid-Cuenca-Valencia: Departing from Atocha Station. Journey Time: around 6 hours and 25 minutes.
- Line R-7. Madrid-Alcázar-Albacete-Valencia: Departing from Chamartín Station via Atocha Suburban. Journey Time: around 2 hours and 50 minutes to Albacete.
MID-DISTANCE EXTREMADURA-CASTILLA LA MANCHA TRAINS
- Line R-8. Madrid-Ciudad Real-Jaén: Departing from Chamartín Station via Atocha. Journey Time: around 4 hours to Jaén.
- Line R-9. Madrid-C. Real-C. de Buey-Badajoz: Departing from Atocha Station. Journey Time: 7 hours and 47 minutes.
- Line R-10. Madrid-Cáceres-Badajoz: Departing from Atocha Station. Journey Time: 5 hours and 47 minutes. The Talgo departs from Chamartín Station via Atocha Station. Journey Time: 5 hours and 28 minutes.
Long-distance / High Speed
As well as the wide range of services offered by Renfe, the following services are available:
TREN ALTARIA
- Madrid-Algeciras: Departing from Atocha Station. Journey Time: around 1 hour to Ciudad Real; 2 hours to Cordoba and 5 hours and 30 minutes to Algeciras.
- Madrid-Granada: Departing from Atocha Station. Journey Time: 4 hours and 25 minutes.
- Madrid-Murcia-Cartagena: Departing from Chamartín Station via Atocha Suburban. Journey Time: around 4 hours to Murcia and 5 hours to Cartagena.
- Madrid-Alicante: Departing from Puerta de Atocha Suburban. Journey Time: around 3 hours and 15 minutes.
- Madrid-Cadiz: Departing from Atocha Station. Journey Time: around 1 hour to Ciudad Real, 2 hours to Cordoba, 2 hours and 40 minutes to Seville and 4 hours and 30 minutes to Cadiz.
- Madrid-Huelva: Departing from Atocha Station. Journey Time: 1 hour and 47 minutes to Cordoba and 3 hours and 50 minutes to Huelva.
- Madrid-Logroño: Departing from Atocha Station. Journey Time: 3 hours and 23 minutes.
- Madrid-Pamplona: Departing from Atocha Station. Journey Time: around 3 hours and 10 minutes.
- Madrid-San Sebastián-Irún: Departing from Chamartín Station. Journey Time: around 5 hours and 20 minutes to San Sebastián and de 6 hours to Irún.
- Madrid-Albacete-Valencia: Departing from Puerta de Atocha Station. Journey Time: around 3 hours.
AVE
- Madrid-Granada: It leaves from Atocha at 7.35am, 2.35pm and 7.10pm. It reaches Córdoba in 1h 45min, Puente Genil in 2h 20min, Antequera-Santa Ana in 2h 30min and Granada in 3h 20min. *Operating from 4 Abril 2022, with up to 42 weekly services.
- Madrid-Cuenca-Requena/Utiel-Valencia: Departing from Atocha Station. Journey Time: around 50 minutes to Cuenca, 1 hour and 15 minutes to Requena and 1 hour and 35 minutes to Valencia. 30 trains a day.
- Madrid-Ciudad Real-Córdoba-Seville: Departing from Atocha Station. Journey Time: around 1 hour to Ciudad Real, 2 hours to Cordoba and 2 hours and 40 minutes to Seville.
- Madrid-Zaragoza-Lleida-Tarragona-Barcelona: Departing from Atocha Station. Journey Time: around 1 hour and 20 minutes to Zaragoza, 2 hours and 10 minutes to Lleida, 2 hours and 40 minutes to Tarragona and around 3 hours to Barcelona.
- Madrid-Guadalajara-Zaragoza-Huesca: Departing from Atocha Station. Journey Time: around 25 minutes to Guadalajara, 1 hour and 30 minutes to Zaragoza and 2 hours and 20 minutes to Huesca.
- Madrid-Cordoba-Malaga: Departing from Atocha Station. Journey Time: around 1 hour and 50 minutes to Cordoba and 2 hours and 30 minutes to Malaga.
- Madrid-Segovia-Valladolid: Departing from Chamartín Station. Journey Time: around 30 minutes to Segovia and 1 hour to Valladolid.
- Madrid-Zaragoza-Barcelona-Girona-Figueres: Departing from Atocha Station. Journey time: 3 hours and 32 minutes to Girona and 3 hours and 48 minutes to Figueres.
- Madrid-Cuenca-Albacete-Villena-Alicante: Departing from Atocha Station. Journey time: 2 hours and 20 minutes to Alicante. Nine trains a day in each direction with an extra service on Fridays.
- Madrid-A Coruña: Departing from Chamartín Station. Journey Time: 5 hours and 20 minutes to Ourense, 7 hours and 1 minute to Santiago de Compostela and 7 hours and 38 minutes to A Coruña.
- Madrid-Pontevedra: Departing from Chamartín Station. Journey Time: 5 hours and 20 minutes to Ourense and 8 hours and 6 minutes to Pontevedra.
- Madrid-Badajoz: Departing from Chamartín and stopping at Atocha Suburban. Journey Time: 5 hours and 28 minutes.
- Madrid-Almería: Departing from Chamartín, stopping at Atocha Suburban. Journey Time: 6 hours and 30 minutes.
- The Trenhotel is a first-class overnight train, in which passengers have their own private compartment with a bed. From Madrid, you can travel to Galicia by Trenhotel. The Madrid-A Coruña Line departs from Chamartín Station and the journey takes 9 hours and 35 minutes, stopping at Ávila, Zamora, Orense and Santiago de Compostela. The Madrid-Pontevedra Line also departs from Chamartín Station and takes 9 hours and 35 minutes, stopping at Orense, Pontevedra, Santiago de Compostela and Vigo
- Renfe’s new low-cost train offering travel at a great price with all amenities. More than 400 reclining seats, sockets by each seat, reading light, luggage spaces, and disabled toilets. It runs between Madrid, Barcelona and Zaragoza, with prices starting at 7 euros for high-speed services.
- Low-price high-speed trains to Madrid, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Valencia and Tarragona offering quick, enjoyable journeys. Coming soon there will also be routes to Alicante, Albacete, Córdoba, Sevilla and Málaga.
IRYO (available in 2022)
- Operated by the company ILSA, formed by Trenitalia and Air Nostrum, Iryo high-speed trains offer the following routes: Madrid – Barcelona; Madrid – Seville; Madrid – Malaga; Madrid – Valencia; and Madrid – Alicante.
International Destinations
Two long-distance lines connect Madrid with Lisbon and Marseille.
- Madrid (Chamartín)-Lisbon (Santa Apolonia): The daily Trenhotel Lusitania train takes 9 hours and 5 minutes.
- Madrid (Puerta de Atocha)-Marseille (Saint Charles): A daily AVE service takes 7 hours, stopping in other French towns: Perpignan, Narbonne, Béziers, Montpellier, Nimes, Avignon and Aix-en-Provence (http://www.renfe-sncf.com).
DON’T MISS
Getting to Madrid by Car
Boasting one of the largest road networks in the world, driving to Madrid is a great option if you prefer travelling at your own pace.
Getting to Madrid by Coach
Coach companies run daily bus services to Madrid from cities and towns across Spain, most European countries and from north Africa.