- Must visit
Museo de Ciudad Real
Leading regional museum with archaeology, fine arts, and natural history collections that explain La Mancha’s past and identity.
Cheapest price
$15
Average price
$17
Fastest journey
1 h 50 m
Average duration
2 h 14 m
Buses per day
5
Distance
161 km
The best way to find a cheap bus ticket from Madrid to Ciudad Real is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
The average ticket from Madrid to Ciudad Real will cost around $17 if you buy it on the day, but the cheapest tickets can be found for only $15.
Of the 5 buses that leave Madrid for Ciudad Real on Thu, Aug 06, 5 travel direct so it’s quite easy to avoid journeys where you’ll have to change along the way.
On Thu, Aug 06 the direct buses cover the 161 km distance in an average of 2 h 14 m but if you time it right, some buses will get you there in just 1 h 50 m .
On Thu, Aug 06 the slowest buses will take 2 h 30 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.










Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Madrid to Ciudad Real among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from $27. For those with little time consider booking a train which can get you there in 1h 24m. In case you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint the train is your best bet as it emits only 0.0 - 0.1kg. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of $27, and a train costs an average of $11.
Distance: 100 miles (161 km)
| Bus | Most popular Train | Driving |
|---|---|---|
$27 Average price Cheapest | $35 Average price | $38 Average price (fuel + tolls) |
2h 27m Average total duration 1h 57m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 1h 54m Average total duration Fastest 1h 24m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 2h 10m Average total duration (door-to-door) |
0.2 - 0.4kg CO2 emissions | 0.0 - 0.1kg CO2 emissions Lowest | - CO2 emissions |
![]() Most popular bus company | ![]() Most popular train company | Your own car or car rental |
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 Madrid to Ciudad Real:
A bus is $8 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Madrid to Ciudad Real costing on average $35.
Other travel options to Ciudad Real take longer:
Bus takes on average 1h 57m.
You'll arrive about 13m sooner (1h 57m by bus vs 2h 10m by car) and save roughly $11 compared to fuel and tolls ($27 vs $38). 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 BlaBlaCar, Aisa, AISA.
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 BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 07:40AM | Arrival Time 09:50AM | Duration 2h10 | Departure days Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $16 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 09:30AM | Arrival Time 12:10PM | Duration 2h40 | Departure days Mon | Cheapest price $16 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 10:00AM | Arrival Time 12:00PM | Duration 2h00 | Departure days Mon, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $16 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 11:00AM | Arrival Time 01:20PM | Duration 2h20 | Departure days Mon, Sat | Cheapest price $14 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 03:00PM | Arrival Time 04:40PM | Duration 1h40 | Departure days Tue, Fri | Cheapest price $8 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 03:10PM | Arrival Time 05:00PM | Duration 1h50 | Departure days Thu | Cheapest price $22 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 03:30PM | Arrival Time 06:00PM | Duration 2h30 | Departure days Wed, Thu | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 03:40PM | Arrival Time 05:40PM | Duration 2h00 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Wed | Cheapest price $16 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:00PM | Arrival Time 07:30PM | Duration 2h30 | Departure days Fri, Sat | Cheapest price $14 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:20PM | Arrival Time 07:10PM | Duration 1h50 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $14 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:30PM | Arrival Time 07:10PM | Duration 1h40 | Departure days Wed, Thu, Fri | Cheapest price $15 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 06:00PM | Arrival Time 08:50PM | Duration 2h50 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $14 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 07:00PM | Arrival Time 08:40PM | Duration 1h40 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 11:30PM | Arrival Time 01:40AM | Duration 2h10 | Departure days Sun | Cheapest price $16 |
The table below shows live departures for Madrid to Ciudad Real buses for today, Wednesday, August 5. You can also manually refresh the results below to see updated bus journeys.
| Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Transfers | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 3:30 PM Madrid | 2h30 | 6:00 PM Ciudad Real | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | 3:40 PM Madrid | 2h00 | 5:40 PM Ciudad Real | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | 5:30 PM Madrid | 1h40 | 7:10 PM Ciudad Real | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | 6:00 PM Madrid | 2h50 | 8:50 PM Ciudad Real | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | 7:00 PM Madrid | 1h40 | 8:40 PM Ciudad Real | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | 7:40 AM Madrid | 2h10 | 9:50 AM Ciudad Real | 0 transfersDirect | |
This is the last bus of the day. | |||||
Find all the dates and times for this journey
Compare bus and train 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 Madrid to Ciudad Real run on average 4 times per day, taking around 1h 57m. Cheap bus tickets for this journey start at $27 but you can travel from only $11 by train.
There are 4 buses per day. The earliest bus runs at 14:00, the last at 21:30. The fastest bus covers the 100 miles (161 km) distance in 2h 45m.
Distance 100 miles (161 km) |
Average bus duration 1h 57m |
Cheapest ticket price $27 |
Buses per day 4 |
Direct buses 4 |
Fastest bus 2h 45m |
First bus 2:00 PM |
Last bus 9:30 PM |
Cheapest Month May |
Cheapest Day Tue |
High Season Jan - Mar |
Low Season Oct - Dec |
Busiest Day Tue |
Least Busy Day Sun |
Best time to book 4 days |
Discover the best of Ciudad Real — top attractions, local food, transport tips, budget advice, and currency essentials. Plan your perfect Ciudad Real trip today.
Leading regional museum with archaeology, fine arts, and natural history collections that explain La Mancha’s past and identity.
Contemporary art museum featuring works by López-Villaseñor and other artists inside a historic manor in the old center.
Municipal cultural center that regularly presents art exhibitions, photography, and local cultural events near the city center.
Central square lined with arcades and civic buildings, ideal for orientation, people-watching, and experiencing the city’s daily rhythm.
Compact old-town walking area where visitors can link churches, museums, and plazas on foot through traditional streets.
Tree-lined park with fountains, playgrounds, and shaded walks, popular for relaxing breaks close to the historic center.
Hearty stew of chickpeas, pork, cabbage and vegetables. A classic La Mancha winter dish tied to rural family cooking.
Traditional Manchego ratatouille of tomato, green pepper and zucchini. A staple across Ciudad Real, often served with bread or eggs.
Small fried dough pieces, commonly eaten at fairs and breakfast with hot chocolate. A beloved festive treat in central Spain.
Refined restaurant known for creative Manchego cuisine and polished service in a contemporary setting.
Established traditional venue serving regional dishes, grilled meats and tapas in a classic Castilian atmosphere.
Popular casual spot for tapas, local wines and shared plates, appreciated for lively ambiance and reliable quality.
More affordable than Madrid or Barcelona. Hotels, meals, and local transport are usually lower, making Ciudad Real good value for short stays.
Tipping is optional. Round up or leave 5-10% in restaurants for good service. Small change is fine in cafes; taxis are usually rounded up.
The Madrid Ciudad Real bus line is the most economical solution to go from the capital of Spain to this city of Castile and La Mancha in about 3 hours of travel. The 200-kilometre route is available every day of the week.
Samar is the company in charge of managing the route in Madrid Ciudad Real buses, one of the companies with the longest trajectory in Spain and with numerous itineraries in the region. Despite its long history, it has modern, air-conditioned and adapted vehicles.
The journey of the Madrid Ciudad Real buses takes approximately 3 hours and is completed without transfers, although stops are made at intermediate locations.
Normally there is 1 daily departure for the Madrid Ciudad Real bus line. Part of the bedside at midday, while on weekends it is first thing in the morning.
Station of Madrid Sur: located in Méndez Álvaro 83, is also known by the name of that street. About 3 kilometres from the centre of Madrid and 10 minutes from Atocha, as it has a stop on local lines C1, C5, C7 and C10. It also has a metro line 6 stop, as well as intercity bus lines 8, 37, 58, 102, 113, 148 and 152, and intercity lines 418, 419 and 423. It has a taxi service and public parking. In terms of services, it has restaurants, a pharmacy, a police station, shops, toilets and waiting halls, among others.
Ciudad Real Station: is located on the Fuensanta 2 highway, less than 1 kilometer from the Plaza Mayor and the historic center. In the station there is a bar-restaurant with varied food. It has banks for waiting in the area of the platforms. In the vicinity stop the urban buses of lines 3 and 5. The latter connects it with the other great gateway to the city by public transport: the AVE station. Less than 100 metres away there are supermarkets and a leisure centre with cinemas.
Find answers to the most common questions about traveling from Madrid to Ciudad Real 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 Ciudad Real, this guide helps you travel smarter and with confidence.

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