How to travel from Barcelona to Madrid
Travel optionsfrom Barcelona to Madrid
You can get from Barcelona to Madrid by train, bus or flight.
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To get from Barcelona to Madrid on Sep 27 we recommend taking a train because it’s the best combination of price and speed.
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Travel Information to Madrid from Barcelona
 | Distance | 312 miles (504 km) |
 | Available travel modes | Bus, flight, ferry or train |
 | Ticket price range | $36 - $157 |
 | Cheapest mode | Bus • $36 (€34) • 7 h 20 min |
 | Fastest mode | Flight • $77 (€73) • 1 h 15 min |
 | Popular travel companies | Alsa, Vueling or Renfe AVE |
Travel 312 miles (504 km) by bus, flight, ferry or train to Madrid from Barcelona. If speed is a priority, then a flight is the best option with an average duration of 1 h 15 min; whereas, if saving money is more important, then a bus is the best option with prices starting as low as $36 (€34). The most popular travel companies which serve this route are Alsa, Vueling or Renfe AVE among others. Travelers can even take a direct bus, flight or train from Barcelona to Madrid.
How to Travel from Barcelona to Madrid
The journey from Barcelona to Madrid is popular with both business and leisure travelers in Spain. Direct journeys between Barcelona and Madrid are available by plane, train, and bus. Key departure points include Barcelona Sants train station, Barcelona Nord Bus station, and Barcelona Prat airport.
Cheapest way to travel from Barcelona to Madrid
Taking the bus is the cheapest way to travel from Barcelona to Madrid. Alsa is the main bus company in Spain and operates all the buses from Barcelona to Madrid. Alsa buses take approximately 7:20 h to travel from Barcelona to Madrid and depart 16 times per day. Alsa's buses depart from Barcelona Nord bus station and arrive at Madrid's Intercambiador Avenida de America.
Fastest way to travel from Barcelona to Madrid
Flying is the fastest way to travel from Barcelona to Madrid and is 6 hours faster than taking the bus. Flights traveling from Barcelona to Madrid depart from Barcelona's El Prat airport and arrive at Madrid's Barajas airport. Airlines that travel directly from Barcelona to Madrid include Iberia, Air Europa, and Vueling. Another fast option to get from these cities is to take a high-speed AVE train, taking about 2 hours 30 minutes.
Most popular way to travel from Barcelona to Madrid
Taking the train is the most popular way to travel from Barcelona to Madrid. While the train is often more expensive than taking the bus or flying, the time saved avoiding traveling to and from the airport makes up for the additional cost for most travelers. Some of the train ticket cost can be offset by planning ahead and booking your Barcelona to Madrid travel as far ahead of time as possible. All trains traveling from Barcelona to Madrid are operated by Renfe, and depart from Barcelona Sants train station, and arrive at Madrid Puerta de Atocha. There is at least one departure every hour throughout the day, seven days a week. High-speed trains traveling from Barcelona to Madrid take approximately two and a half hours.
How to get from Barcelona to Madrid
The Best Way According to our Users
Travel Tips: Travel from Barcelona to Madrid
You can travel between Barcelona and Madrid 4 different ways: bus, flight, ferry or train.
The cheapest way to go to Madrid from Barcelona is by taking a bus, which costs on average $36 (€34).
This is compared to other ways of getting to Madrid:
A bus is generally $41 (€38) less than a flight for the same trip. Taking a flight costs on average $77 (€73) from Barcelona to Madrid.
A bus is $120 (€113) less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Barcelona to Madrid costing on average $157 (€148).
The fastest way from Barcelona to Madrid is by flight with an average journey time of 1 h 15 min.
There are alternative travel options to Madrid that can usually take longer:
In comparison, taking a bus requires on average 7 h 20 min of travel time.
In comparison, taking a train requires on average 2 h 30 min of travel time.
The distance from Barcelona to Madrid is approximately 312 miles (504 km).
The average frequency per day from Barcelona to Madrid is:
- 1 bus a day.
- 16 trains per day.
However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your journey to Madrid from Barcelona as scheduled services by bus, flight, ferry or train can vary by season or day of the week.
These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Barcelona to Madrid:
- Buses most often depart from Barcelona at Barcelona, Estació d'Autobusos Nord and arrive in Madrid at Madrid, Estación Sur/Gare routière Méndez Alvaro - 83.
- Flights mostly leave from Barcelona El Prat Airport and tend to arrive in Madrid Barajas Airport.
- Trains most often depart from Barcelona at Barcelona Sants and arrive in Madrid at Madrid-Puerta de Atocha.
If finding a good deal is your main consideration for your trip from Barcelona to Madrid, then we'll help you find the best value travel companies for you:
- Travel with Alsa to go to Madrid by bus. For a good deal on tickets, you can find Alsa Barcelona to Madrid tickets on Omio for $36 (€34).
- Vueling can get you to Madrid by plane. You can find a good deal for plane tickets with Vueling from Barcelona to Madrid for $77 (€73) on Omio.
- Renfe AVE can take you to Madrid by train. If searching for a good deal on trains, you can find tickets for Renfe AVE from Barcelona to Madrid for $157 (€148).
Yes, there are direct services available from Barcelona to Madrid with the following travel companies:
- You can take a direct bus with Alsa with 1 direct bus per day.
- You'll find 16 direct trains per day with Renfe AVE, Renfe AVLO or Renfe Regional Expres.
Direct services tend to save you time and add more convenience in getting you to Madrid as you won't need to transfer at another stop in between, so it's worth paying attention to before booking your tickets to Madrid from Barcelona.
When planning your trip from Barcelona to Madrid, it’s good to keep in mind what tickets to buy and their prices in the next 7 days:
- Bus tickets are costing $36 (€34) one way on average.
- Plane tickets are costing on average $77 (€73) one way.
- Train tickets are costing on average $157 (€148) one way.
However, we recommend buying tickets from Barcelona to Madrid online a few months in advance to get the best deals and save money on your upcoming journey.
Travelling from Barcelona to Madrid: related information
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