- Must visit
Centro Botín
Contemporary art center on the waterfront, known for major exhibitions, architecture by Renzo Piano, and bay views.
Cheapest price
$53
Average price
$79
Fastest journey
5 h 3 m
Average duration
5 h 14 m
Trains per day
63
Distance
334 km
The best way to find a cheap train ticket from Madrid Barajas Airport 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 Barajas Airport to Santander will cost around $79 if you buy it on the day, but the cheapest tickets can be found for only $53.
It's difficult to get from Madrid Barajas Airport to Santander without transferring at least once.
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18105
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37193
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18105
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08389+
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18105Omio recommends booking the bus as it is the most popular option from Madrid Barajas Airport to Santander among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the train with prices starting from $45. For those with little time consider booking a flight which can get you there in 2h 39m. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a train costs an average of $45, and a flight costs an average of $37.
Distance: 207 miles (334 km)
| Train | Most popular Bus | Flight | Driving |
|---|---|---|---|
$45 Average price Cheapest | $50 Average price | $145 Average price | $77 Average price (fuel + tolls) |
4h 20m Average total duration 3h 50m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 6h 38m Average total duration 6h 8m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 5h 39m Average total duration Fastest 2h 39m Onboard + 3h 0m Additional time* | 4h 5m Average total duration (door-to-door) |
![]() Most popular train company | ![]() Most popular bus company | ![]() Most popular airline | Your own car or car rental |
Direct Options | Direct Options | Direct Options | Direct Options |
This is compared to other travel options from Madrid Barajas Airport to Santander:
A train is $5 (€4) less than a bus for this route with tickets for a bus from Madrid Barajas Airport to Santander costing on average $50 (€41).
A train is $100 (€82) less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Madrid Barajas Airport to Santander costing on average $145 (€119).
Other travel options to Santander take longer:
Train takes on average 3h 50m.
Bus takes on average 6h 8m.
The journey is about 15m faster (3h 50m by train vs 4h 5m by car) and roughly $32 (€26) cheaper once you factor in fuel and tolls ($45 (€37) vs $77 (€63)). You'll also arrive in the city centre rather than hunting for parking, and you can work, read, or watch the landscape go by instead of concentrating on the road.
Direct services run with Renfe ALVIA.
Driving is still worth considering if you want to stop along the way or need a car once you arrive.
The table below shows live departures for Madrid Barajas Airport to Santander trains for today, Thursday, July 2. You can also manually refresh the results below to see updated train journeys.
| Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Transfers | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
04687+ 04143 | On time 8:40 AM Madrid Chamartín | 9h24 | 6:04 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
18061+ 04143 | On time 9:06 AM Madrid Príncipe Pío | 8h58 | 6:04 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
18061+ 18105 | On time 9:06 AM Madrid Príncipe Pío | 13h23 | 10:29 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
04091 · 04143 | On time 9:15 AM Madrid Chamartín | 8h49 | 6:04 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
05763+ 04143 | On time 9:25 AM Madrid Chamartín | 8h39 | 6:04 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
05763+ 18105 | On time 9:25 AM Madrid Chamartín | 13h04 | 10:29 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
05071+ 04143 | Delayed 7:58 AM 9:56 AMMadrid Chamartín | 8h08 | 6:04 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
05071+ 18105 | Delayed 7:58 AM 9:56 AMMadrid Chamartín | 12h33 | 10:29 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
08109+ 04143 | On time 10:15 AM Madrid Chamartín | 7h49 | 6:04 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
08109+ 18105 | On time 10:15 AM Madrid Chamartín | 12h14 | 10:29 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
04121+ 37193 | On time 11:23 AM Madrid Chamartín | 12h05 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
04121+ 04143 | On time 11:23 AM Madrid Chamartín | 6h41 | 6:04 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
04121+ 18105 | On time 11:23 AM Madrid Chamartín | 11h06 | 10:29 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
08129+ 04143 | On time 12:05 PM Madrid Chamartín | 5h59 | 6:04 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
08129+ 37193 | On time 12:05 PM Madrid Chamartín | 11h23 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
08129+ 18105 | On time 12:05 PM Madrid Chamartín | 10h24 | 10:29 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
18063 · 37193 | On time 12:25 PM Madrid Príncipe Pío | 11h03 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
18063+ 04193 | On time 12:25 PM Madrid Príncipe Pío | 11h03 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
18063+ 18105 | On time 12:25 PM Madrid Príncipe Pío | 10h04 | 10:29 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
34101+ 04143 | 1:03 PM Madrid Chamartín | 5h01 | 6:04 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
34101+ 18105 | 1:03 PM Madrid Chamartín | 9h26 | 10:29 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
34101+ 37193 | 1:03 PM Madrid Chamartín | 10h25 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
04143 · 04193 | 1:40 PM Madrid Chamartín | 9h48 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
04143+ 37193 | 1:40 PM Madrid Chamartín | 9h48 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
04143+ 18105 | 1:40 PM Madrid Chamartín | 8h49 | 10:29 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
05817+ 04193 | On time 2:23 PM Madrid Chamartín | 9h05 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
05817+ 37193 | On time 2:23 PM Madrid Chamartín | 9h05 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
05817+ 18105 | On time 2:23 PM Madrid Chamartín | 8h06 | 10:29 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
04257+ 37193 | On time 2:46 PM Madrid Chamartín | 8h42 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
04257+ 18105 | On time 2:46 PM Madrid Chamartín | 7h43 | 10:29 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
04151+ 18105 | On time 2:59 PM Madrid Chamartín | 7h30 | 10:29 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
08359+ 04193 | On time 3:40 PM Madrid Chamartín | 7h48 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
08359+ 37193 | On time 3:40 PM Madrid Chamartín | 7h48 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
08359+ 18105 | On time 3:40 PM Madrid Chamartín | 6h49 | 10:29 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
08169+ 37193 | On time 4:15 PM Madrid Chamartín | 7h13 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
08169+ 18105 | On time 4:15 PM Madrid Chamartín | 6h14 | 10:29 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
18003 · 37193 | On time 4:26 PM Madrid Príncipe Pío | 7h02 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
04161+ 37193 | On time 4:37 PM Madrid Chamartín | 6h51 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
04161+ 04193 | On time 4:37 PM Madrid Chamartín | 6h51 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
04161+ 18105 | On time 4:37 PM Madrid Chamartín | 5h52 | 10:29 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
08179+ 37193 | On time 5:00 PM Madrid Chamartín | 6h28 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
08179+ 18105 | On time 5:00 PM Madrid Chamartín | 5h29 | 10:29 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
18065 · 37193 | On time 5:06 PM Madrid Príncipe Pío | 6h22 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
04179+ 04193 | On time 5:30 PM Madrid Chamartín | 5h58 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
04179+ 37193 | On time 5:30 PM Madrid Chamartín | 5h58 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
04267+ 37193 | On time 5:37 PM Madrid Chamartín | 5h51 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
08389+ 04193 | 6:15 PM Madrid Chamartín | 5h13 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
08389+ 37193 | 6:15 PM Madrid Chamartín | 5h13 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
08189+ 04193 | On time 6:40 PM Madrid Chamartín | 4h48 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
08189+ 37193 | On time 6:40 PM Madrid Chamartín | 4h48 | 11:28 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
08069+ 04073 | 6:36 AM Madrid Chamartín | 5h13 | 11:49 AM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
08069+ 18101 | 6:36 AM Madrid Chamartín | 9h00 | 3:36 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
18001+ 18101 | 6:40 AM Madrid Príncipe Pío | 8h56 | 3:36 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
04073+ 18101 | 6:48 AM Madrid Chamartín | 8h48 | 3:36 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
04261+ 18101 | 7:04 AM Madrid Chamartín | 8h32 | 3:36 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
04187+ 18101 | 7:20 AM Madrid Chamartín | 8h16 | 3:36 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
04087+ 18101 | 7:20 AM Madrid Chamartín | 8h16 | 3:36 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
08079+ 04153 | 7:51 AM Madrid Chamartín | 12h22 | 8:13 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
08079+ 18101 | 7:51 AM Madrid Chamartín | 7h45 | 3:36 PM Santander station | 1 transfer | |
This is the last train 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.
Trains from Madrid Barajas Airport to Santander run on average 2 times per day, taking around 3h 50m. Cheap train tickets for this journey start at $45 (€37) but you can travel from only $37 (€30) by flight.
There are 2 trains per day. The earliest train runs at 07:05, the last at 18:45. The fastest train covers the 207 miles (334 km) distance in 4h 43m.
Distance 207 miles (334 km) |
Average train duration 3h 50m |
Cheapest ticket price $45 (€37) |
Trains per day 2 |
Direct trains 2 |
Fastest train 4h 43m |
First train 7:05 AM |
Last train 6:45 PM |
Cheapest Month Feb |
Cheapest Day Thu |
High Season Jul - Sep |
Low Season Jan - Mar |
Busiest Day Sun |
Least Busy Day Tue |
Discover the best of Santander — top attractions, local food, transport tips, budget advice, and currency essentials. Plan your perfect Santander trip today.
Contemporary art center on the waterfront, known for major exhibitions, architecture by Renzo Piano, and bay views.
Excellent archaeological museum with finds from prehistoric cave culture to Roman and medieval Cantabria.
Leading maritime museum covering Cantabrian Sea ecology, fishing, naval heritage, and aquariums.
Signature scenic area with coastal walks, palace grounds, small beaches, and classic Santander views.
Central waterfront gardens beside the bay, popular for strolling and relaxing near major attractions.
Elegant seafront promenade lined with historic buildings, ideal for a first walk through Santander.
Lightly battered and fried squid rings, the classic Santander snack, especially popular as an aperitif by the bay.
Rich buttery sponge cakes from Cantabria, traditionally made in the Pas valleys and widely eaten for breakfast or with coffee.
A dense baked cheesecake-like dessert made with fresh cheese, eggs, sugar, and lemon, one of Cantabria’s signature sweets.
Santander’s landmark fine-dining restaurant, celebrated for modern tasting menus rooted in Cantabrian ingredients and technique.
One of Santander’s best-known dining rooms, serving refined Cantabrian cuisine and polished tapas in a lively central setting.
Historic and atmospheric restaurant famous for traditional Cantabrian dishes, seafood, and classic regional hospitality.
Generally moderate for Spain: meals and coffee are reasonable, while summer hotels and seafront dining cost more.
Tipping is modest. Round up or leave 5-10% in restaurants for good service; small change in cafes; taxis usually rounded up.
Official public transport app
Santander Airport, Santander -> Santander Railway Station, Santander
Find answers to the most common questions about traveling from Madrid Barajas Airport to Santander by train. 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 train, the cheapest option, or tips for making the most of your visit at Santander, this guide helps you travel smarter and with confidence.

Most Madrid Barajas Airport to Santander trains use the Madrid Chamartín to Santander station pair. Use this guide to compare Madrid Barajas Airport and Santander train stations on this route, check city-centre transport, alongside checking practicalities like train station facilities and services.
Santander has practical services for this route, including Parking, Dining, ATM, Taxis, Accessibility, WC, Hotel, Lost and Found Office, Ticket Office, Bike Parking, Bike Rental, Car Rental, and Information Desk.
Food and drink options are available at Santander.
ATMs are available at Santander.
Ticket office support is available at Santander. Information desks are available at Santander.
Lost and found is available at the station.
Available at Santander: Parking, Taxis, WC.
Available at Santander: Bike Parking, Bike Rental, Car Rental.
Accessibility facilities are available at Santander.
Here are some other resources that might have the information you need