- Must visit
Museo del Prado
World-class art museum with masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya, and Bosch; essential for Spanish and European painting.
Cheapest price
$51
Average price
$68
Fastest journey
5 h 20 m
Average duration
5 h 31 m
Buses per day
8
Distance
391 km
The best way to find a cheap bus ticket from Cartagena to Madrid is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
The average ticket from Cartagena to Madrid will cost around $68 if you buy it on the day, but the cheapest tickets can be found for only $51.
Of the 8 buses that leave Cartagena for Madrid on Sun, Jul 19, 6 travel direct so it’s quite easy to avoid journeys where you’ll have to change along the way.
On Sun, Jul 19 the direct buses cover the 391 km distance in an average of 5 h 31 m but if you time it right, some buses will get you there in just 5 h 20 m .
On Sun, Jul 19 the slowest buses will take 5 h 40 m 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
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06205
Supra Economy
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Supra EconomyOmio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Cartagena to Madrid among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the train with prices starting from $16. For those with little time consider booking a flight which can get you there in 1h 44m. In case you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint the train is your best bet as it emits only 0.1 - 0.4kg. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a train costs an average of $16, and a flight costs an average of $27.
Distance: 242 miles (391 km)
| Bus | Most popular Train | Flight |
|---|---|---|
$50 Average price | $27 Average price Cheapest | $76 Average price |
5h 27m Average total duration 4h 57m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 4h 40m Average total duration 4h 10m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 4h 44m Average total duration Fastest 1h 44m Onboard + 3h 0m Additional time* |
0.4 - 1.0kg CO2 emissions | 0.1 - 0.4kg CO2 emissions Lowest | 1.2 - 2.3kg CO2 emissions |
![]() Most popular bus company | ![]() Most popular train company | ![]() Most popular airline |
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 Cartagena to Madrid:
A train is $23 (€19) less than a bus for this route with tickets for a bus from Cartagena to Madrid costing on average $50 (€41).
A train is $49 (€40) less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Cartagena to Madrid costing on average $76 (€62).
Other travel options to Madrid take longer:
Train takes on average 4h 10m.
Bus takes on average 4h 57m.
| Operator | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Duration | Departure days | Cheapest price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 12:00AM | Arrival Time 05:00AM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Mon | Cheapest price $33 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:00AM | Arrival Time 10:20AM | Duration 5h20 | Departure days Tue | Cheapest price $30 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:20AM | Arrival Time 09:20AM | Duration 4h00 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $41 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 07:15AM | Arrival Time 12:55PM | Duration 5h40 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun | Cheapest price $76 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 08:30AM | Arrival Time 12:20PM | Duration 3h50 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $39 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 08:45AM | Arrival Time 02:10PM | Duration 5h25 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri | Cheapest price $39 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 09:00AM | Arrival Time 01:40PM | Duration 4h40 | Departure days Mon, Fri, Sun | Cheapest price $28 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 09:30AM | Arrival Time 02:20PM | Duration 4h50 | Departure days Mon | Cheapest price $34 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 09:45AM | Arrival Time 04:45PM | Duration 7h00 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri | Cheapest price $39 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 10:00AM | Arrival Time 02:10PM | Duration 4h10 | Departure days Tue | Cheapest price $27 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 10:20AM | Arrival Time 02:20PM | Duration 4h00 | Departure days Thu | Cheapest price $33 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 10:30AM | Arrival Time 02:50PM | Duration 4h20 | Departure days Mon | Cheapest price $34 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 12:00PM | Arrival Time 04:20PM | Duration 4h20 | Departure days Wed, Thu | Cheapest price $31 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 12:40PM | Arrival Time 04:40PM | Duration 4h00 | Departure days Tue | Cheapest price $34 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 12:50PM | Arrival Time 04:40PM | Duration 3h50 | Departure days Sun | Cheapest price $31 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 01:00PM | Arrival Time 07:00PM | Duration 6h00 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $39 |
Operator Bus BAM | Departure Time 01:30PM | Arrival Time 10:39PM | Duration 9h09 | Departure days Fri, Sun | Cheapest price $37 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 02:00PM | Arrival Time 07:00PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $30 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 03:00PM | Arrival Time 07:20PM | Duration 4h20 | Departure days Mon, Sat | Cheapest price $31 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 03:15PM | Arrival Time 08:35PM | Duration 5h20 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun | Cheapest price $39 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 04:00PM | Arrival Time 08:20PM | Duration 4h20 | Departure days Tue, Thu, Fri, Sun | Cheapest price $31 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 04:30PM | Arrival Time 09:00PM | Duration 4h30 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $31 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:00PM | Arrival Time 10:00PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $28 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:30PM | Arrival Time 09:40PM | Duration 4h10 | Departure days Tue, Thu, Sun | Cheapest price $28 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 05:45PM | Arrival Time 11:00PM | Duration 5h15 | Departure days Wed, Thu | Cheapest price $39 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 06:00PM | Arrival Time 10:10PM | Duration 4h10 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $31 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 06:50PM | Arrival Time 11:10PM | Duration 4h20 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $50 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 11:15PM | Arrival Time 04:50AM | Duration 5h35 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun | Cheapest price $51 |
The table below shows live departures for Cartagena to Madrid buses for today, Saturday, July 18. You can also manually refresh the results below to see updated bus journeys.
| Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Transfers | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 2:00 PM Cartagena | 5h00 | 7:00 PM Madrid | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | 3:00 PM Cartagena | 4h20 | 7:20 PM Madrid | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | 4:30 PM Cartagena | 4h30 | 9:00 PM Madrid | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | 5:00 PM Cartagena | 5h00 | 10:00 PM Madrid | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | 6:00 PM Cartagena | 4h10 | 10:10 PM Madrid | 0 transfersDirect | |
Supra Economy | 7:15 AM Cartagena, Estación de Autobuses | 5h20 | 12:35 PM Madrid, Estación Sur de Autobuses | 0 transfersDirect | |
Supra Economy | 7:15 AM Cartagena, Estación de Autobuses | 5h40 | 12:55 PM Madrid, Terminal de autobuses T4 (Aeropuerto de Madrid) | 0 transfersDirect | |
This is the last bus of the day. | |||||
Find all the dates and times for this journey
Compare bus, train, 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 Cartagena to Madrid run on average 11 times per day, taking around 4h 57m. Cheap bus tickets for this journey start at $39 (€32) but you can travel from only $16 (€13) by train.
There are 11 buses per day. The earliest bus runs at 00:30, the last at 23:45. The fastest bus covers the 242 miles (391 km) distance in 5h 20m.
Distance 242 miles (391 km) |
Average bus duration 4h 57m |
Cheapest ticket price $39 (€32) |
Buses per day 11 |
Direct buses 11 |
Fastest bus 5h 20m |
First bus 12:30 AM |
Last bus 11:45 PM |
Cheapest Month Jul |
Cheapest Day Sat |
High Season Jul - Sep |
Low Season Apr - Jun |
Busiest Day Wed |
Least Busy Day Mon |
Best time to book 84 days |
Discover the best of Madrid — top attractions, local food, transport tips, budget advice, and currency essentials. Plan your perfect Madrid trip today.
World-class art museum with masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya, and Bosch; essential for Spanish and European painting.
Leading modern art museum best known for Picasso’s Guernica, plus major works by Dalí and Miró.
Celebrated collection of European masters from Van Eyck to Hopper in a refined palace setting.
Madrid’s most famous park offers gardens, a boating lake, monuments, and relaxed walks in the city center.
Lively grand avenue known for architecture, shopping, theaters, and nonstop energy from day to night.
Elegant boulevard linking major museums and landmarks, ideal for a classic central Madrid walk.
A hearty chickpea stew with meats, vegetables, and broth, especially traditional in Madrid and often served in stages.
Crisp fried squid rings served in a baguette roll. This iconic Madrid street food is especially linked to bars around Plaza Mayor.
Tripe stew with chorizo and morcilla in a rich sauce. A classic old Madrid tavern dish with deep local roots.
Refined two-Michelin-star dining focused on seasonal Spanish produce, with elegant modern cooking in a polished fine-dining room.
Traditional Madrid restaurant known for cocido madrileño served in stages, with an old-school dining room and loyal local following.
Historic century-old tavern famed for roast suckling pig and Castilian dishes in a classic, wood-lined setting near Plaza Mayor.
Moderate for Western Europe: hotels vary, dining is reasonable, and public transport is good value for tourists.
Tipping is modest: round up or leave 5-10% in restaurants for good service. Taxis are usually rounded up. In cafés, small change is enough.
Official public transport app
Madrid Estación Sur de Autobuses -> Puerta del Sol
Every day the travellers have at their disposal numerous buses that depart from the Murcian locality of Cartagena with destiny to Madrid, all of them direct. Buses depart from the Cartagena bus station and, depending on the timetable, end their journey at the Sur station in Madrid or at terminal 4 at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport. Cartagena Madrid buses cover a distance of 441 kilometers and are equipped with the latest Avanzas in safety and comfort.
Cartagena Madrid buses are managed by Alsa, the company with the largest fleet in Spain. For this itinerary operates with the Normal Service and Supra Service, consisting of buses with leather seats, free wifi connection and screens in each seat with audiovisual content.
The fastest Cartagena Madrid buses complete their itinerary in 5 hours and 20 minutes, while the slowest have a duration of 6 hours and 45 minutes. However, most buses last no more than 5 hours and 50 minutes.
From Monday to Friday there are 8 daily buses that cover the journey between Cartagena and the capital of Spain. On the other hand, on weekends the frequency of programmed trips decreases to 6. The timetables of the Cartagena Madrid buses are morning, afternoon and night.
Cartagena bus station : located south of the city, on Avenida Trovero Marín 3. Bus line 8 leads from downtown Cartagena to the bus station in about 10 minutes. The building houses 37 platforms, cafeteria, bank agencies, escalators, lockers and offices.
South station and terminal 4 of Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport : the South station of Madrid is located in the same complex of the Méndez Álvaro station, to the south of the city. From there it is possible to get to the centre of Madrid in 10 minutes by metro line 3. If the journey ends at Airport Terminal 4, travellers can travel to the city centre by taking Metro Line 8, with an estimated travel time of 15 minutes. The South station has a restaurant, cafeteria, shops, parking, free wifi, cloakroom, etc.
Find answers to the most common questions about traveling from Cartagena 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.

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