4.9
4.6The cheapest and fastest buses from Madrid to Santander
Cheapest price
$30
Average price
$50
Fastest journey
4 h
Average duration
4 h 30 m
Buses per day
18
Distance
339 km
The best way to find a cheap bus ticket from Madrid to Santander is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
The average ticket from Madrid to Santander will cost around $50 if you buy it on the day, but the cheapest tickets can be found for only $30.
Of the 18 buses that leave Madrid for Santander on Wed, Nov 19, 17 travel direct so it’s quite easy to avoid journeys where you’ll have to change along the way.
On Wed, Nov 19 the direct buses cover the 339 km distance in an average of 4 h 30 m but if you time it right, some buses will get you there in just 4 h .
On Wed, Nov 19 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.
Travel Information
Compare train, bus, and flight for Madrid to Santander
Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Madrid to Santander among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from €33. For those with little time consider booking a flight which can get you there in 1h 29m. 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 bus costs an average of €33, and a flight costs an average of €59.
Distance: 210 miles (339 km)
Compare bus with
| Bus | Most popular Train | Flight |
|---|---|---|
€50 Average price Cheapest | €57 Average price | €268 Average price |
8h 28m Average total duration 7h 58m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 5h 3m Average total duration 4h 33m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 4h 29m Average total duration Fastest 1h 29m Onboard + 3h 0m Additional time* |
0.3 - 0.8kg CO2 emissions | 0.1 - 0.3kg CO2 emissions Lowest | 1.0 - 2.0kg 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.
Madrid to Santander Bus Timetables
| Operator | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Duration | Departure days | Cheapest price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 12:30AM | Arrival Time 06:30AM | Duration 6h00 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $57 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 12:45AM | Arrival Time 06:30AM | Duration 5h45 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $59 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 03:10AM | Arrival Time 08:00AM | Duration 4h50 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $30 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 07:00AM | Arrival Time 11:50AM | Duration 4h50 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $39 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 08:00AM | Arrival Time 01:50PM | Duration 5h50 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $48 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 08:15AM | Arrival Time 01:50PM | Duration 5h35 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $48 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 10:00AM | Arrival Time 02:50PM | Duration 4h50 | Departure days Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat | Cheapest price $30 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 10:30AM | Arrival Time 04:15PM | Duration 5h45 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $42 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 10:45AM | Arrival Time 04:15PM | Duration 5h30 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $49 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 01:00PM | Arrival Time 06:30PM | Duration 5h30 | Departure days Everyday | Cheapest price $49 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 01:15PM | Arrival Time 06:30PM | Duration 5h15 | Departure days Everyday | Cheapest price $49 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 02:00PM | Arrival Time 07:00PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Tue | Cheapest price $33 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 02:30PM | Arrival Time 07:30PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $36 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 03:00PM | Arrival Time 08:30PM | Duration 5h30 | Departure days Everyday | Cheapest price $48 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 03:00PM | Arrival Time 08:10PM | Duration 5h10 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Sun | Cheapest price $35 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 03:15PM | Arrival Time 08:30PM | Duration 5h15 | Departure days Everyday | Cheapest price $54 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 03:30PM | Arrival Time 07:20PM | Duration 3h50 | Departure days Wed, Sun | Cheapest price $38 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 04:00PM | Arrival Time 07:50PM | Duration 3h50 | Departure days Tue, Sun | Cheapest price $28 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 04:20PM | Arrival Time 08:40PM | Duration 4h20 | Departure days Wed, Fri | Cheapest price $27 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 04:30PM | Arrival Time 10:15PM | Duration 5h45 | Departure days Everyday | Cheapest price $42 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 04:30PM | Arrival Time 08:40PM | Duration 4h10 | Departure days Sun | Cheapest price $45 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 04:40PM | Arrival Time 09:20AM | Duration 16h40 | Departure days Everyday | Cheapest price $70 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 04:45PM | Arrival Time 10:15PM | Duration 5h30 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat | Cheapest price $49 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:00PM | Arrival Time 09:10PM | Duration 4h10 | Departure days Thu, Sun | Cheapest price $34 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:10PM | Arrival Time 09:30PM | Duration 4h20 | Departure days Thu | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:30PM | Arrival Time 09:40PM | Duration 4h10 | Departure days Tue | Cheapest price $28 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:50PM | Arrival Time 10:30PM | Duration 4h40 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $30 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 06:00PM | Arrival Time 10:20PM | Duration 4h20 | Departure days Thu | Cheapest price $39 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 06:30PM | Arrival Time 12:00AM | Duration 5h30 | Departure days Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat | Cheapest price $51 |
Operator Alsa | Departure Time 06:45PM | Arrival Time 12:00AM | Duration 5h15 | Departure days Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat | Cheapest price $51 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 07:00PM | Arrival Time 11:00PM | Duration 4h00 | Departure days Tue | Cheapest price $28 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 07:10PM | Arrival Time 12:40AM | Duration 5h30 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $28 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 07:20PM | Arrival Time 12:10AM | Duration 4h50 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $31 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 09:00PM | Arrival Time 01:20AM | Duration 4h20 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $38 |
Live departures
Madrid to Santander bus times
The table below shows live departures for Madrid to Santander buses for today, Tuesday, November 18. You can also manually refresh the results below to see updated bus journeys.
| Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Transfers | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | 12:00 PM Madrid, Intercambiador de Avenida de América | 5h30 | 5:30 PM Santander, Estación de Autobuses | 0 transfersDirect | |
| Normal | 12:15 PM Madrid, Terminal de autobuses T4 (Aeropuerto de Madrid) | 5h15 | 5:30 PM Santander, Estación de Autobuses | 0 transfersDirect | |
| Supra Economy | 2:00 PM Madrid, Intercambiador de Avenida de América | 5h30 | 7:30 PM Santander, Estación de Autobuses | 0 transfersDirect | |
| Supra Economy | 2:15 PM Madrid, Terminal de autobuses T4 (Aeropuerto de Madrid) | 5h15 | 7:30 PM Santander, Estación de Autobuses | 0 transfersDirect | |
| Normal | 3:30 PM Madrid, Intercambiador de Avenida de América | 5h45 | 9:15 PM Santander, Estación de Autobuses | 0 transfersDirect | |
 FlixBus · FlixBus | 3:40 PM Madrid, Estación Sur de Autobuses | 16h40 | 8:20 AM Santander, Estación de Autobuses | 1 transfer | |
| Normal | 3:45 PM Madrid, Terminal de autobuses T4 (Aeropuerto de Madrid) | 5h30 | 9:15 PM Santander, Estación de Autobuses | 0 transfersDirect | |
| Supra Economy | 11:30 PM Madrid, Intercambiador de Avenida de América | 6h00 | 5:30 AM Santander, Estación de Autobuses | 0 transfersDirect | |
| Supra Economy | 11:45 PM Madrid, Terminal de autobuses T4 (Aeropuerto de Madrid) | 5h45 | 5:30 AM Santander, Estación de Autobuses | 0 transfersDirect | |
| Wednesday, November 19 | |||||
| Normal | 7:00 AM Madrid, Intercambiador de Avenida de América | 5h50 | 12:50 PM Santander, Estación de Autobuses | 0 transfersDirect | |
| Normal | 7:15 AM Madrid, Terminal de autobuses T4 (Aeropuerto de Madrid) | 5h35 | 12:50 PM Santander, Estación de Autobuses | 0 transfersDirect | |
| Normal | 9:30 AM Madrid, Intercambiador de Avenida de América | 5h45 | 3:15 PM Santander, Estación de Autobuses | 0 transfersDirect | |
| Normal | 9:45 AM Madrid, Terminal de autobuses T4 (Aeropuerto de Madrid) | 5h30 | 3:15 PM Santander, Estación de Autobuses | 0 transfersDirect | |
This is the last bus of the day. | |||||
Find all the dates and times for this journey
Compare prices and tickets Madrid to Santander by train, bus, or flight
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.
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Journey information
Overview: Bus from Madrid to Santander
SpainSpain
Buses from Madrid to Santander run on average 15 times per day, taking around 7h 58m. Cheap bus tickets for this journey start at $41 (€33) but you can travel from only $27 (€22) by train.
There are 14 buses per day. The earliest bus runs at 00:30, the last at 23:45. The fastest bus covers the 210 miles (339 km) distance in 4h 25m.
Distance 210 miles (339 km) |
Average bus duration 7h 58m |
Cheapest ticket price $41 (€33) |
Buses per day 15 |
Direct buses 14 |
Fastest bus 4h 25m |
First bus 00:30 |
Last bus 23:45 |
Bus providers: Alsa, Alsa Supra, BlaBlaCar, FlixBus from Madrid to SantanderYou can travel by bus between Madrid to Santander with Alsa, Alsa Supra, BlaBlaCar, FlixBus for as low as $27 (€22). When you search for schedules and tickets, Omio will show you the best journey
Alsa
Alsa Supra
FlixBus
BlaBlaCar
Buses Madrid to Santander
Bus trips through Spain are a great way to see as much of the country as possible and travel at very low cost. Especially for travellers with a lot of luggage, the bus option is usually the cheapest way to get from one place to another. Those who want to get from Madrid to the north coast of Spain can use the bus Madrid - Santander. The cities are about 400 kilometres apart, which takes about 5 hours by buses. Several buses travel this route every day, so travellers can travel from the capital to the north at many times.
Which bus companies operate from Madrid to Santander?
For the Madrid - Santander bus connection, the Spanish company ALSA offers all the services. ALSA is by far the largest bus tour operator in Spain. Travellers have been able to travel between cities in the country on ALSA buses for more than 60 years.
How long does the bus ride from Madrid to Santander?
take?The direct journey from Madrid to Santander by buses takes about 5 to 6 hours. For all connections with a stopover, part of the route is covered by train, offered by Renfe or Renfe AVE. In most cases you will first take the train to Palencia and from there take the buses to Santander. Travellers must allow at least 7 hours for this connection.
How often can you travel by bus from Madrid to Santander?
The route between Madrid and Santander is the easiest way to get from the capital to the north coast of Spain. Therefore at least 20 connections between the two cities are offered daily. The first buses in Madrid usually leave very early in the morning. The last buses, on the other hand, run in the evening.
Bus stations on the route Madrid - Santander?
At which bus station does the bus depart from in Madrid? ALSA's buses depart from in Madrid either at the airport or at the bus station Madrid Interc. Av América. The airport is about 12 kilometres from the city centre, while the bus station is in the city centre. Renfe trains also depart from Madrid Chamartín station.
At which bus station does the bus arrive in Santander? In Santander all buses arrive at the bus station at Plaza Estaciones. The bus station is located directly at the harbour and very centrally in the city centre. From here, travellers can either take a taxi or even walk, depending on where their hotel is or where they want to go next.
FAQs: Bus from Madrid to Santander
Find answers to the most common questions about traveling from Madrid to Santander 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 Santander, this guide helps you travel smarter and with confidence.
Passengers board the bus most frequently from Madrid, Avenida de América, which is located around 3.2 miles (5.2 km) away from the city centre, and they get off the bus at Santander, Estación de Autobuses, located 1.1 miles (1.8 km) away from the city centre.
- Alsa
- Assistance
- Priority boarding
- Accessible seating.
- Alsa Supra
- Assistance
- Priority boarding
- Accessible restrooms.
- Avanza
- Assistance
- Priority boarding
- Accessible seating.
- Palacio de la Magdalena, a historic royal palace set on a peninsula offering stunning views and guided tours
- Centro Botín, a modern art center designed by Renzo Piano featuring exhibitions and cultural events
- Playa del Sardinero, a popular beach known for its golden sands and vibrant promenade
- Museo Marítimo del Cantábrico, a maritime museum showcasing marine life and naval history
- Jardines de Piquío, beautifully landscaped gardens offering a peaceful retreat with ocean views.
- Santander Cathedral, a Gothic-style cathedral with impressive architecture and historical significance
- Parque de Mataleñas, a scenic park ideal for hiking and enjoying nature
- Mercado de la Esperanza, a bustling market where you can experience local culture and cuisine
- Paseo de Pereda, a picturesque promenade perfect for a leisurely stroll along the waterfront
- Gran Casino del Sardinero, a historic casino offering entertainment and a glimpse into the city's glamorous past.
- Alsa
- You can cancel your ticket up to 48 hours before departure for a partial refund. Changes allowed for a fee.
- Alsa Supra
- You can cancel your ticket up to 48 hours before departure for a partial refund. Within 48 hours, a fee applies.
- Avanza
- You can cancel your ticket up to 24 hours before departure for a partial refund. No refunds for cancellations within 24 hours.
To find the cheapest bus tickets for your trip from Madrid to Santander, follow these tips:
Start your search now and compare ticket prices to find the best deal!
- Alsa
- One carry-on bag up to 10kg and one checked bag up to 25kg.
- Alsa Supra
- One carry-on bag up to 10kg and one checked bag up to 25kg.
- Avanza
- One carry-on bag up to 10kg and one checked bag up to 25kg.
- Alsa
- Additional luggage can be purchased for a fee.
- Alsa Supra
- Additional luggage can be purchased for a fee.
- Avanza
- Additional luggage can be purchased for a fee.
- Alsa
- Small pets allowed in carriers
- Larger pets must travel in the hold.
- Alsa Supra
- Small pets allowed in carriers
- Guide dogs travel for free.
- Avanza
- Small pets allowed in carriers
- Guide dogs travel for free.
popular bus stations
Popular bus stations from Madrid to Santander
WifiParkingDiningATMTaxisAccessibilityWCTicket Office
- 06:00-23:00
- Free Wi-Fi
- Cafetería de la estación (in the station)
- Restaurante El Rincón (0.5 km)
- La Vaca Argentina (0.7 km).
- Available outside the main entrance.
- Elevators, ramps
- Available in the station.
- Bus: 200, 114, 115, 122 Metro: 4, 6, 7, 9
WifiParkingDiningATMTaxisAccessibilityWCTicket Office- 06:00-23:00
- Free Wi-Fi
- Cafetería de la estación (in the station)
- Restaurante El Brillante (0.5 km)
- La Taberna de Domínguez (0.7 km).
- Available outside the main entrance.
- Elevators, ramps
- Available in the station.
- Bus: 8, 102, 148 Metro: L6 Train: C1, C5
WifiParkingATMTaxisAccessibilityWCTicket Office- 06:00-23:00
- Free Wi-Fi
- Available near the main entrance.
- Elevators, ramps
- Available in the station.
- Bus: 1, 2, 44, 82, 132, C1, C2 Metro: 3, 6
More options for your journey from Madrid to Santander
Here are some other resources that might have the information you need
Most popular buses to and from Santander and Madrid
Most popular bus connections to Santander
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