How to get to Madrid from Barcelona

Sat, 21 Sept
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Travel Information between Barcelona and Madrid

distanceDistance312 miles
modeAvailable travel modesTrain, coach or flight
priceTicket price range£17 - £18
cheapestCheapest modeCoach • £17 • 7 h 20 min
fastestFastest modeFlight • £18 • 1 h 25 min
carriersPopular travel companiesAlsa, Vueling Airlines or AVE

Travel 312 miles by train, coach or flight from Barcelona to Madrid. The most popular travel providers which serve this route are Alsa, Vueling Airlines or AVE among others. Travellers can even take a direct coach, flight or train from Barcelona to Madrid.

Travel options
from Barcelona to Madrid

How to get to Madrid from Barcelona by train, bus, flight or ferry.

Our recommendation
bus

The best way to travel from Barcelona to Madrid is by taking a coach because it’s the best combination of price and speed.

Alsa
15:007h50
Barcelona, Estació d'Autobusos Nord
22:50Madrid
£191One-way
0 changes
Cheapest
Alsa
15:007h50
Barcelona, Estació d'Autobusos Nord
22:50Madrid
£191One-way
0 changes
Fastest
Vueling
15:251h25
Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN)
16:50Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD)
£911One-way
0 changes
Other options
SNCF OUIGO
20:402h55
Barcelona Sants
23:35Madrid-Puerta de Atocha-Almudena Grandes
£341One-way
0 changes
Renfe REGIONAL EXPRESS
09:039h06
Barcelona Sants
18:09Madrid Chamartín
£381One-way
0 changes
Renfe AVLO
20:003h12
Barcelona Sants
23:12Madrid-Puerta de Atocha-Almudena Grandes
£431One-way
0 changes
Alsa
16:307h50
Barcelona, Estació d'Autobusos Nord
00:20Madrid
£191One-way
0 changes
Alsa
09:307h35
Barcelona, Estació d'Autobusos Nord
17:05Madrid
£341One-way
0 changes
Alsa
10:307h40
Barcelona, Estació d'Autobusos Nord
18:10Madrid
£341One-way
0 changes
Air Europa
20:301h30
Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN)
22:00Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD)
£501One-way
0 changes
Iberia
13:301h25
Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN)
14:55Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD)
£1081One-way
0 changes
Vueling
07:301h25
Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN)
08:55Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD)
£1321One-way
0 changes

Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .

Compare prices and tickets Prices for trains, coaches, flights and ferries

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21 Sept
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How to Travel from Barcelona to Madrid

It is possible to make a direct journey between the two cities by plane train or bus. Journey times are between 3.5 and 9 hours approximately. Travelling by train is the quickest route, as although actual flight times are short, journey times to and from airports and security checks add to the time taken when flying. The slowest journey time between the two cities is by bus.

Barcelona to Madrid Travel Comparison

Average Price

Travel Time

Cheapest Time to Book

buses

£29

7:50 h

1 Week Before

trains

£80

2:30 h

2 Months Before

flight

£40

1:25 h

2 Months Before



What is the best way to travel from Barcelona to Madrid?

Cheapest way to travel from Barcelona to Madrid


cheap

Buses are definitely the cheapest option for travel from Barcelona to Madrid, however, it’s also the slowest by some distance. ALSA operates a route from Barcelona which takes around 7.5 hours to reach Madrid. Buses leave from Barcelona Nord Coach Station, arriving at Madrid Intercambiador Avenida de America. There are around 16 departures a day, seven days a week.


Fastest way to travel from Barcelona to Madrid


fast

The Spanish provider RENFE operates its high-speed AVE route between the two cities, leaving from Barcelona Sants Train Station and arriving at Madrid Puerta de Atocha. There is at least one departure an hour throughout the day, seven days a week. The journey time is approximately 3 hours. There are also two slower early morning trains which take around 9 hours. When Check-In and Journeys to and from the airport are included, the train proves the quickest option between the two cities.


Most popular way to travel from Barcelona to Madrid


popular

The total flight time between Barcelona Prat Airport and Madrid Barajas Airport is around 1 hour 15 mins, with three airlines offering a direct service, seven days a week. Iberia has 7 departures a day, Vueling and Air Europa have 3 departures each. The frequency of departures and low cost of the flights mean that they remain a popular choice.


More than 1,000 travel companies trust us to sell their tickets all in one place.

Trenitalia
Easyjet
Deutsche Bahn
SNCF

All travel companies: All Airlines, Train and Coach Companies from Barcelona to Madrid

Travel on Renfe, Vueling Airlines and Alsa travel to Madrid from Barcelona at great prices. Omio finds you travel times and tickets for over 1000 travel companies all in one place.

Renfe is a Spanish train company that operates throughout the country including trains from Barcelona to Madrid. It offers a wide range of services, including high-speed AVE trains, regional trains, and night trains. The AVE trains are the fastest and most comfortable way to travel, with speeds of up to 300 km/h. Regional trains are slower but offer more stops and are ideal for shorter trips. Night trains are a great way to save money and time, as they allow you to travel overnight and arrive at your destination in the morning. Renfe offers several types of tickets, including single tickets, return tickets, and season tickets. Onboard facilities include comfortable seating, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and power outlets. The most popular routes for Renfe are Madrid-Barcelona, Madrid-Seville, and Madrid-Valencia. These routes offer travelers the chance to explore some of Spain's most beautiful cities in comfort and style.

    Alsa is the main provier of travel travel in Spain. As a subsidiary of the UK travel operator National Express, Alsa offers a plethora of regional, national and international routes and transports more than 300 million passengers per year. Alsa has an impressive fleet of travel with different levels of comfort and amenities on offer. Aside from the Alsa Normal travel with free WiFi, toilets, footrests and entertainment on board, the Alsa Supra, Alsa Eurobus and Alsa Premium travel provide more luxurious services when travelling by road, depending on the specific route. Apart from the Standard ticket, Alsa offers other travel tickets like Minimum, Reduced and Flexible fares on select routes.

      Vueling is one of Spain’s leading low-cost airlines where you can choose between Basic, Optima or Time Flex tickets for your next travel to Madrid from Barcelona.

        FAQs: Barcelona to Madrid

        FAQs: Travel to Madrid easily. Whether you want fast, cheap or something entirely different, our travel experts have collected everything you need to know so you can find the best option from Barcelona to Madrid.
        FAQs

        There are 3 travel options from Barcelona to Madrid. You can take a train, coach or flight.

        The cheapest way to get from Barcelona to Madrid is by taking a coach with average ticket prices of £17 compared to other travel options to Madrid:

        Taking a coach costs £1 less than taking a flight, which costs on average £18 for the same trip.

        A coach is £1 less than a train for this trip with tickets for a train from Barcelona to Madrid costing on average £17.

        The fastest way to get to Madrid from Barcelona is by flight with an average travel time of 1 h 25 min.

        Other travel options to Madrid take longer:

        Coach takes 7 h 20 min on average.

        Train takes on average 2 h 30 min.

        You should expect to travel around 312 miles from Barcelona to Madrid.

        The average frequency per day from Barcelona to Madrid is:

        • 5 coaches per day.
        • 10 trains a day.

        However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your journey between Barcelona and Madrid as scheduled services by train, coach or flight can vary by season or day of the week.

        These are the most popular departure and arrival points for travellers from Barcelona to Madrid:

        • Coaches most often depart from Barcelona at Barcelona, Estación de Autobuses de Sants and arrive in Madrid at Madrid, Estación Sur de Autobuses.
        • Flights mostly leave from Barcelona El Prat Airport and tend to arrive in Madrid Barajas Airport.
        • Trains mostly depart from Barcelona Sants and arrive in Madrid-Puerta de Atocha-Almudena Grandes.

        Omio works with many trusted partners that can help you travel the best way from Barcelona to Madrid:

        • You can travel by coach between Barcelona and Madrid with Alsa, BlaBlaCar, Infobus or Agreda, and you can find Alsa Barcelona to Madrid tickets for £17 on Omio.
        • You can travel by plane to Madrid from Barcelona with Vueling Airlines, Iberia, Air Europa, getjet_airlines or Air France, and you can find Iberia Barcelona to Madrid tickets for £18 on Omio.
        • You can go to Madrid from Barcelona by train with AVE, Ouigo, Renfe AVLO, iryo, Renfe Regional Exprés, Renfe or Renfe AVE INT. You'll see cheap train tickets for £17 with Ouigo from Barcelona to Madrid on Omio.

        Yes, there are direct services available from Barcelona to Madrid with the following travel companies:

        • Direct trains with AVE, Ouigo or iryo with 10 direct trains per day.

        Direct services tend to save you time and add more convenience in getting you to Madrid as you won't need to transfer at another stop in between, so it's worth paying attention to before booking your tickets to Madrid from Barcelona.

        Omio customers who travel from Barcelona to Madrid often also extend their holiday to go to Valencia, Seville, Málaga or Paris. Omio can help you plan your trip by finding the best connections between Madrid and these popular destinations at a great price.
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