- Must visit
Museo Nacional del Prado
Madrid’s premier art museum, famed for masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, Rubens, and Bosch. A cornerstone of the city’s Golden Triangle of Art.
Cheapest price
$24
Average price
$24
Fastest journey
6 h 30 m
Average duration
6 h 45 m
Buses per day
3
Distance
416 km
The best way to find a cheap bus ticket from Málaga to Madrid is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
The average ticket from Málaga to Madrid will cost around $24 if you buy it on the day, but the cheapest tickets can be found for only $24.
Of the 3 buses that leave Málaga for Madrid on Wed, May 27, 3 travel direct so it’s quite easy to avoid journeys where you’ll have to change along the way.
On Wed, May 27 the direct buses cover the 416 km distance in an average of 6 h 45 m but if you time it right, some buses will get you there in just 6 h 30 m .
On Wed, May 27 the slowest buses will take 7 h 15 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.
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BASEOmio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Málaga to Madrid among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from $24. For those with little time consider booking a flight which can get you there in 2h 57m. 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 bus costs an average of $24, and a flight costs an average of $50.
Distance: 258 miles (416 km)
| Bus | Most popular Train | Flight | Driving |
|---|---|---|---|
$25 Average price Cheapest | $46 Average price | $262 Average price | $114 Average price (fuel + tolls) |
4h 51m Average total duration 4h 21m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 4h 2m Average total duration 3h 32m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 5h 57m Average total duration Fastest 2h 57m Onboard + 3h 0m Additional time* | 5h 24m Average total duration (door-to-door) |
0.4 - 1.0kg CO2 emissions | 0.1 - 0.4kg CO2 emissions Lowest | 1.2 - 2.5kg 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 Málaga to Madrid:
A bus is $21 (€17) less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Málaga to Madrid costing on average $46 (€37).
A bus is $237 (€191) less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Málaga to Madrid costing on average $262 (€212).
Other travel options to Madrid take longer:
Train takes on average 3h 32m.
Bus takes on average 4h 21m.
You'll arrive about 1h 3m sooner (4h 21m by bus vs 5h 24m by car) and save roughly $89 (€71) compared to fuel and tolls ($25 (€20) vs $114 (€92)). 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 Grupo Interbus, BlaBlaCar.
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 07:20AM | Arrival Time 12:50PM | Duration 5h30 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $40 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 07:30AM | Arrival Time 01:20PM | Duration 5h50 | Departure days Sun | Cheapest price $40 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 08:00AM | Arrival Time 01:10PM | Duration 5h10 | Departure days Mon, Thu, Sat | Cheapest price $30 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 08:30AM | Arrival Time 03:00PM | Duration 6h30 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $37 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 08:40AM | Arrival Time 02:50PM | Duration 6h10 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 08:50AM | Arrival Time 03:00PM | Duration 6h10 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $29 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 09:00AM | Arrival Time 03:00PM | Duration 6h00 | Departure days Wed, Sun | Cheapest price $35 |
Operator Grupo Interbus | Departure Time 09:20AM | Arrival Time 03:50PM | Duration 6h30 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat | Cheapest price $24 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 10:00AM | Arrival Time 03:20PM | Duration 5h20 | Departure days Wed, Sat | Cheapest price $27 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 10:30AM | Arrival Time 03:40PM | Duration 5h10 | Departure days Thu | Cheapest price $34 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 10:40AM | Arrival Time 04:30PM | Duration 5h50 | Departure days Sun | Cheapest price $44 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 10:50AM | Arrival Time 04:40PM | Duration 5h50 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $33 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 11:00AM | Arrival Time 04:20PM | Duration 5h20 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $35 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 11:30AM | Arrival Time 04:40PM | Duration 5h10 | Departure days Mon | Cheapest price $30 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 12:10PM | Arrival Time 05:20PM | Duration 5h10 | Departure days Thu, Sun | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 01:00PM | Arrival Time 07:40PM | Duration 6h40 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $35 |
Operator Grupo Interbus | Departure Time 01:45PM | Arrival Time 08:15PM | Duration 6h30 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat | Cheapest price $24 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 01:50PM | Arrival Time 07:50PM | Duration 6h00 | Departure days Mon | Cheapest price $39 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 02:00PM | Arrival Time 08:20PM | Duration 6h20 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $37 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 03:30PM | Arrival Time 09:30PM | Duration 6h00 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $35 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 04:00PM | Arrival Time 10:00PM | Duration 6h00 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 04:20PM | Arrival Time 09:50PM | Duration 5h30 | Departure days Tue, Thu | Cheapest price $34 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 04:30PM | Arrival Time 10:30PM | Duration 6h00 | Departure days Sun | Cheapest price $44 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:00PM | Arrival Time 10:10PM | Duration 5h10 | Departure days Sun | Cheapest price $40 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:30PM | Arrival Time 10:30PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Mon, Fri | Cheapest price $37 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 06:00PM | Arrival Time 11:10PM | Duration 5h10 | Departure days Tue, Sun | Cheapest price $44 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 07:30PM | Arrival Time 01:40AM | Duration 6h10 | Departure days Tue | Cheapest price $59 |
Operator Grupo Interbus | Departure Time 11:45PM | Arrival Time 07:00AM | Duration 7h15 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat | Cheapest price $24 |
The table below shows live departures for Málaga to Madrid buses for today, Tuesday, May 26. You can also manually refresh the results below to see updated bus journeys.
| Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Transfers | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BASE | 11:45 PM Malaga, Estación de Autobuses | 7h15 | 7:00 AM Madrid, Estación Sur de Autobuses | 0 transfersDirect | |
| Wednesday, May 27 | |||||
BASE | 9:20 AM Malaga, Estación de Autobuses | 6h30 | 3:50 PM Madrid, Estación Sur de Autobuses | 0 transfersDirect | |
BASE | 1:45 PM Malaga, Estación de Autobuses | 6h30 | 8:15 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 Málaga to Madrid run on average 6 times per day, taking around 4h 21m. Cheap bus tickets for this journey start at $24 (€19) but you can travel from only $20 (€16) by train.
There are 6 buses per day. The earliest bus runs at 01:30, the last at 23:45. The fastest bus covers the 258 miles (416 km) distance in 5h 45m.
Distance 258 miles (416 km) |
Average bus duration 4h 21m |
Cheapest ticket price $24 (€19) |
Buses per day 6 |
Direct buses 6 |
Fastest bus 5h 45m |
First bus 1:30 AM |
Last bus 11:45 PM |
Cheapest Month May |
Cheapest Day Sat |
High Season Apr - Jun |
Low Season Oct - Dec |
Busiest Day Wed |
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.
Madrid’s premier art museum, famed for masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, Rubens, and Bosch. A cornerstone of the city’s Golden Triangle of Art.
Spain’s national museum of 20th-century and contemporary art, best known for Picasso’s Guernica and strong collections by Dalí and Miró.
A major art museum spanning Old Masters to modern works, complementing the Prado and Reina Sofía with an exceptionally broad private collection.
Madrid’s grand historic square, lined with arcades and elegant façades, and a classic starting point for exploring the old center.
The symbolic heart of Madrid, known for Kilometer Zero, the clock tower, and constant energy day and night.
Madrid’s most famous park, ideal for walks, boating, monuments, gardens, and popular photo spots such as the Crystal Palace area.
Madrid’s signature chickpea stew, served in courses with broth, vegetables, and assorted meats. It is one of the city’s most traditional comfort dishes.
A classic Madrid sandwich of fried squid rings in crusty bread, especially associated with bars around Plaza Mayor. It is simple, iconic, and widely loved.
A rich stew of tripe, chorizo, and morcilla cooked with paprika. It is a historic Madrid tavern dish with bold, hearty flavors.
Historic restaurant founded in the eighteenth century, famous for roast meats and classic Castilian cooking in an atmospheric old setting.
Legendary traditional restaurant best known for huevos rotos, with a polished yet classic tavern feel and strong local reputation.
Iconic spot for churros con chocolate, open long hours and known for a lively, historic atmosphere near the city center.
Moderate for Western Europe. Museums and transport are reasonable, while central hotels and fine dining cost more.
Service is usually included. Round up or leave EUR 1-2 in cafés; 5-10% in restaurants for very good service. Taxis are often rounded up, but tipping is not obligatory.
Official public transport app
Madrid, Estación Sur de Autobuses -> Puerta del Sol, Madrid
Traveling from the coast of Andalucia to Spain's capital is easy and comfortable, with a wide range of buses from Málaga to Madrid to choose from every day. Ten to eleven buses leave Málaga on most days, and they only take around 6 hours to get to Madrid. That means finding a quick, suitable connection should be simple.
All buses to Madrid from Málaga are operated by Interbus, running services out of Málaga's bus station to both Madrid's airport and the city's Estación Sur. Getting to all parts of the capital should be easy.
Most buses from Málaga to Madrid will take between 6 hours and 6 hours and 30 minutes, with no changes required along the way. However, travelers should be aware that a couple of journeys every day take longer, about 7 hours and 25 minutes. Please check the timetable carefully before booking.
Buses run throughout the year on a regular schedule between Málaga and Madrid. There are 10-11 services on weekdays and Saturdays, and 9 buses on Sundays. Buses leave as early as 7:35 a.m. and there are clusters of departures around lunchtime and mid-afternoon. A late evening service usually leaves just after 11:00 p.m. as well.
Departure bus station: InterBus services to Madrid depart from the Estación de Autobuses, which can be found a short walk southwest of the old city and west of the port. It's also next to Maria Zambrano train station, connecting buses with the Costa del Sol. The C1 bus also runs a circular route through the city center to the bus station.
Arrival bus stations: There are two arrival points in Madrid. The Estación Sur is the most convenient for the city itself, only a couple of miles south of the center. The Cercanias C1 line or the Metro will take travelers to all parts of Madrid in no time. Alternatively, buses run to Madrid's airport in the Barajas neighborhood.
Find answers to the most common questions about traveling from Málaga 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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