- Must visit
Museo Nacional del Prado
Spain’s premier art museum, famous for masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, Rubens, and Bosch. A core stop on Madrid’s Golden Triangle of Art.
Cheapest price
$26
Average price
$46
Fastest journey
4 h 40 m
Average duration
4 h 53 m
Buses per day
10
Distance
360 km
The best way to find a cheap bus ticket from Alicante to Madrid is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
The average ticket from Alicante to Madrid will cost around $46 if you buy it on the day, but the cheapest tickets can be found for only $26.
Of the 10 buses that leave Alicante for Madrid on Mon, May 18, 10 travel direct so it’s quite easy to avoid journeys where you’ll have to change along the way.
On Mon, May 18 the direct buses cover the 360 km distance in an average of 4 h 53 m but if you time it right, some buses will get you there in just 4 h 40 m .
On Mon, May 18 the slowest buses will take 5 h and usually involve a change or two along the way, but you might be able to save a few pennies if you’re on a budget.
Normal
Normal
Supra Economy
Normal
Normal
Supra Economy
Normal
Normal
Supra Economy
NormalOmio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Alicante to Madrid among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the train with prices starting from $9. For those with little time consider booking a flight which can get you there in 2h 4m. In case you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint the train is your best bet as it emits only 0.1 - 0.3kg. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a train costs an average of $9, and a flight costs an average of $28.
Distance: 223 miles (360 km)
| Bus | Most popular Train | Flight | Driving |
|---|---|---|---|
$35 Average price | $27 Average price Cheapest | $100 Average price | $91 Average price (fuel + tolls) |
3h 27m Average total duration 2h 57m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 3h 12m Average total duration 2h 42m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 5h 4m Average total duration Fastest 2h 4m Onboard + 3h 0m Additional time* | 4h 12m Average total duration (door-to-door) |
0.4 - 0.9kg CO2 emissions | 0.1 - 0.3kg CO2 emissions Lowest | 1.1 - 2.2kg CO2 emissions | - CO2 emissions |
![]() Most popular bus company | ![]() Most popular train company | ![]() Most popular airline | Your own car or car rental |
Direct Options | Direct Options | Direct Options | Direct Options |
Additional time: Average total travel duration to departure point, security checks and transfers.
This is compared to other travel options from Alicante to Madrid:
A train is $8 (€6) less than a bus for this route with tickets for a bus from Alicante to Madrid costing on average $35 (€28).
A train is $73 (€59) less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Alicante to Madrid costing on average $100 (€81).
Other travel options to Madrid take longer:
Train takes on average 2h 42m.
Bus takes on average 2h 57m.
You'll arrive about 1h 15m sooner (2h 57m by bus vs 4h 12m by car) and save roughly $56 (€45) compared to fuel and tolls ($35 (€28) vs $91 (€73)). You also skip the drive itself — no traffic stress, no parking, and you can use the time to work, nap, or catch up on a series with the onboard Wi-Fi.
Direct coaches are operated by Alsa, BlaBlaCar, Alsa Supra.
Driving is still worth considering if you're travelling with bulky luggage, need flexibility on departure times, or plan to stop along the way.
| Operator | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Duration | Departure days | Cheapest price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 12:45AM | Arrival Time 06:30AM | Duration 5h45 | Departure days Mon | Cheapest price $48 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 02:15AM | Arrival Time 07:20AM | Duration 5h05 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat | Cheapest price $48 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 04:00AM | Arrival Time 08:00AM | Duration 4h00 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $22 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:00AM | Arrival Time 09:10AM | Duration 4h10 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $27 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:30AM | Arrival Time 09:40AM | Duration 4h10 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $25 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 06:00AM | Arrival Time 10:10AM | Duration 4h10 | Departure days Tue | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 07:30AM | Arrival Time 11:50AM | Duration 4h20 | Departure days Mon | Cheapest price $25 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 08:00AM | Arrival Time 12:20PM | Duration 4h20 | Departure days Mon | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 08:20AM | Arrival Time 12:30PM | Duration 4h10 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $28 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 08:40AM | Arrival Time 12:50PM | Duration 4h10 | Departure days Tue | Cheapest price $30 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 09:00AM | Arrival Time 01:00PM | Duration 4h00 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $28 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 09:30AM | Arrival Time 02:00PM | Duration 4h30 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $30 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 10:00AM | Arrival Time 02:20PM | Duration 4h20 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 10:15AM | Arrival Time 03:30PM | Duration 5h15 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat | Cheapest price $12 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 10:30AM | Arrival Time 02:30PM | Duration 4h00 | Departure days Tue | Cheapest price $30 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 11:00AM | Arrival Time 04:00PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $24 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 11:30AM | Arrival Time 04:30PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat | Cheapest price $12 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 01:15PM | Arrival Time 06:00PM | Duration 4h45 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $16 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 02:30PM | Arrival Time 06:30PM | Duration 4h00 | Departure days Tue | Cheapest price $27 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 02:45PM | Arrival Time 08:50PM | Duration 6h05 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat | Cheapest price $16 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 03:00PM | Arrival Time 07:40PM | Duration 4h40 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $28 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 03:40PM | Arrival Time 07:50PM | Duration 4h10 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $30 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 04:00PM | Arrival Time 08:10PM | Duration 4h10 | Departure days Mon, Fri, Sun | Cheapest price $22 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 04:10PM | Arrival Time 10:00PM | Duration 5h50 | Departure days Sun | Cheapest price $30 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 04:15PM | Arrival Time 09:15PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat | Cheapest price $36 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:00PM | Arrival Time 08:40PM | Duration 3h40 | Departure days Sun | Cheapest price $30 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:10PM | Arrival Time 10:10PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Sun | Cheapest price $28 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 05:15PM | Arrival Time 10:15PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Everyday | Cheapest price $10 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:50PM | Arrival Time 10:20PM | Duration 4h30 | Departure days Fri, Sun | Cheapest price $28 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 06:00PM | Arrival Time 09:40PM | Duration 3h40 | Departure days Mon, Wed | Cheapest price $28 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 06:30PM | Arrival Time 11:10PM | Duration 4h40 | Departure days Mon, Tue | Cheapest price $30 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 06:40PM | Arrival Time 11:30PM | Duration 4h50 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $28 |
The table below shows live departures for Alicante to Madrid buses for today, Sunday, May 17. You can also manually refresh the results below to see updated bus journeys.
| Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Transfers | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Normal | 5:15 PM Alicante, Estación de Autobuses | 5h00 | 10:15 PM Madrid, Estación Sur de Autobuses | 0 transfersDirect | |
| Monday, May 18 | |||||
Normal | 12:45 AM Alicante, Estación de Autobuses | 5h45 | 6:30 AM Madrid, Estación Sur de Autobuses | 0 transfersDirect | |
Normal | 12:45 AM Alicante, Estación de Autobuses | 6h20 | 7:05 AM Madrid, Terminal de autobuses T4 (Aeropuerto de Madrid) | 0 transfersDirect | |
Normal | 2:15 AM Alicante, Estación de Autobuses | 4h45 | 7:00 AM Madrid, Terminal de autobuses T4 (Aeropuerto de Madrid) | 0 transfersDirect | |
Normal | 2:15 AM Alicante, Estación de Autobuses | 5h05 | 7:20 AM Madrid, Estación Sur de Autobuses | 0 transfersDirect | |
Normal | 10:15 AM Alicante, Estación de Autobuses | 5h15 | 3:30 PM Madrid, Estación Sur de Autobuses | 0 transfersDirect | |
Normal | 11:30 AM Alicante, Estación de Autobuses | 5h00 | 4:30 PM Madrid, Estación Sur de Autobuses | 0 transfersDirect | |
This is the last bus of the day. | |||||
Find all the dates and times for this journey
Compare train, bus, and flight prices over the next three weeks. See the best deals at a glance, find the lowest fares, and choose the option that fits your budget.
Buses from Alicante to Madrid run on average 13 times per day, taking around 2h 57m. Cheap bus tickets for this journey start at $9 (€8) but you can travel from only $9 (€7) by train.
There are 13 buses per day. The earliest bus runs at 00:30, the last at 23:45. The fastest bus covers the 223 miles (360 km) distance in 4h 40m.
Distance 223 miles (360 km) |
Average bus duration 2h 57m |
Cheapest ticket price $9 (€8) |
Buses per day 13 |
Direct buses 13 |
Fastest bus 4h 40m |
First bus 12:30 AM |
Last bus 11:45 PM |
Cheapest Month Sep |
Cheapest Day Sat |
High Season Jul - Sep |
Low Season Jan - Mar |
Busiest Day Tue |
Least Busy Day Sun |
Best time to book 91 days |
Discover the best of Madrid — top attractions, local food, transport tips, budget advice, and currency essentials. Plan your perfect Madrid trip today.
Spain’s premier art museum, famous for masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, Rubens, and Bosch. A core stop on Madrid’s Golden Triangle of Art.
Spain’s leading museum of modern and contemporary art, best known for Picasso’s Guernica alongside works by Dalí and Miró.
Major collection spanning medieval to modern art, with celebrated works by Caravaggio, Monet, Van Gogh, Hopper, and Kandinsky.
Madrid’s most famous park, ideal for strolling, rowing, people-watching, and seeing monuments such as the Crystal Palace.
The symbolic center of Madrid and Spain’s radial road network, always busy and central to city life and celebrations.
Madrid’s best-known boulevard, lined with landmark architecture, theaters, shops, and rooftop viewpoints popular with visitors.
Madrid’s classic chickpea stew, traditionally served in stages with broth, vegetables, chickpeas, and assorted meats. It is one of the city’s signature comfort dishes.
A famous Madrid sandwich of fried squid rings in crusty bread, especially associated with bars around Plaza Mayor. It is a simple local staple and iconic snack.
A rich Madrid-style tripe stew cooked with chorizo, morcilla, and paprika. It is a traditional cold-weather dish with deep roots in local tavern cuisine.
Historic restaurant founded in the 18th century, famous for roast suckling pig and other classic Castilian dishes in an old-world setting.
Well-known traditional restaurant celebrated for huevos rotos and classic Madrid dining. The atmosphere is polished but rooted in old tavern tradition.
Historic tavern especially known for cocido madrileño cooked in individual clay pots. A strong choice for an authentic, traditional meal.
Moderate for Western Europe: tapas and transit are reasonable, while central hotels and fine dining cost more.
Service is usually included. Locals often round up or leave EUR 1-2 at cafes; about 5-10% in restaurants for great service. Taxis are usually rounded up.
Official public transport app
Madrid, Estación Sur de Autobuses -> Puerta del Sol, Madrid
Buses in Spain are a convenient and affordable way to travel, with numerous companies offering a variety of domestic and international routes. Alsa runs between 8-21 buses from Alicante to Madrid each day. The first Alicante to Madrid bus leaves at 1:45 a.m. while the last departs at 5:15 p.m. Buses from Alicante to Madrid takes at least 4:45 h to arrive in Madrid.
Return buses from Madrid to Alicante | Compare all modes of traveling from Alicante to Madrid | Or learn more about buses to Madrid
Average prices for buses from Alicante to Madrid when you book in advance
Booking Period |
Average Price |
|---|---|
Same Day |
€46 |
1 Day in Advance |
€46 |
1 Week in Advance |
€37 |
2 Weeks in Advance |
€31 |
1 Month in Advance |
€31 |
3 Months in Advance |
€31 |
Alicante to Madrid Buses: General Information
While taking a bus is slower than the train, it is significantly cheaper and can take as little as 4:45 h to arrive in Madrid.
Based on Omio's travel data, as the table above clearly illustrates, ticket prices on Alicante to Madrid buses decrease the further they are booked in advance:
Find answers to the most common questions about traveling from Alicante to Madrid by bus. From journey times and ticket prices to direct connections, first and last departures, and even whether the route is scenic, our FAQs cover everything you need to plan your trip. Whether you’re looking for the fastest bus, the cheapest option, or tips for making the most of your visit at Madrid, this guide helps you travel smarter and with confidence.

Here are some other resources that might have the information you need