Trains

Trains in Spain

Trains in France

Trains in Italy

Trains in Germany

Trains in United States

Trains in the UK

Trains in Canada

Featured Destinations

Amsterdam to Berlin trains

Amsterdam to Brussels trains

Barcelona to Madrid trains

Rome to Florence trains

London to Paris trains

Rome to Venice trains

Venice to Florence trains

Madrid to Barcelona trains

Paris to Amsterdam trains

Paris to London trains

Boston to New York trains

Buses

Buses in United States

Buses in the UK

Buses in Canada

Buses in France

Buses in Spain

Buses in Italy

Buses in Germany

Featured Destinations

Rome to Florence buses

Rome to Venice buses

Madrid to Granada buses

Brussels to Paris buses

Prague to Vienna buses

Boston to New York buses

Barcelona to Madrid buses

London to Paris buses

Amsterdam to Brussels buses

Paris to London buses

Madrid to Barcelona buses

Flights

Flights to the UK

Flights to Canada

Flights to United States

Flights to Spain

Flights to Germany

Flights to France

Flights to Italy

Featured Destinations

London to Amsterdam flights

Barcelona to Rome flights

Barcelona to Madrid flights

London to Prague flights

Barcelona to Lisbon flights

Madrid to Barcelona flights

London to Edinburgh flights

Paris to Amsterdam flights

Barcelona to London flights

Chicago to New York flights

Amsterdam to Paris flights

Ferries

Fred Olsen Express

Toremar

Snav

Moby Lines

Trasmapi

Tirrenia

Travelmar

Featured Destinations

Ferries from Naples to Sorrento

Ferries from Holyhead to Dublin

Ferries from Mykonos to Santorini

Ferries from Santorini to Crete

Ferries from Naples to Capri

Ferries from Barcelona to Ibiza

Ferries from Copenhagen to Oslo

Ferries from Naples to Palermo

Ferries from Dover to Calais

Ferries from Sorrento to Capri

$
[menuItemContent][menuItemRightSideContent]
Currency
USD
Currency

Travel options
from Barcelona to Madrid

You can get from Barcelona to Madrid by train, bus or flight.

Our recommendation

To get from Barcelona to Madrid on Aug 5 we recommend taking a flight because it’s the best combination of price and speed.

08:30PMBarcelona El Prat Airport1h35 10:05PMMadrid Barajas Airport
0 changes
$851One-way
Cheapest
10:30AMBarcelona, Estació d'Autobusos Nord7h40 06:10PMMadrid, Aeropuerto Barajas T4
0 changes
$421One-way
Other options
11:50AMBarcelona El Prat Airport1h35 01:25PMMadrid Barajas Airport
0 changes
$851One-way
07:00AMBarcelona Sants2h30 09:30AMMadrid-Puerta de Atocha
0 changes
$811One-way
05:00PMBarcelona Sants2h45 07:45PMMadrid-Puerta de Atocha
0 changes
$821One-way

Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, and flight, .

These companies trust us. We sell their tickets all in one place.

Trenitalia
Easyjet
Deutsche Bahn
SNCF
Accommodation

Need a place to stay?

view on map
Top pick hotels
Entire homes & apartments

Find the best accommodation for you, with our partner Booking.com

View all

COMPARE Prices for trains, buses and flights

Wed
Aug 4
$96Renfe AVE
$42Alsa
$123Air Europa
Thu
Aug 5
$54Renfe
$42Alsa
$63Vueling
Fri
Aug 6
$54Renfe
$42Alsa
$84Vueling
Sat
Aug 7
$54Renfe
$42Alsa
$65Air Europa
Sun
Aug 8
$54Renfe
$42Alsa
$88Vueling
Mon
Aug 9
$54Renfe
$42Alsa
$71Vueling
Tue
Aug 10
$48Renfe AVE
$42Alsa
$49Air Europa
Wed
Aug 11
$54Renfe
$42Alsa
$55Vueling
Thu
Aug 12
$54Renfe
$42Alsa
$49Vueling
Fri
Aug 13
$54Renfe
$42Alsa
$65Air Europa
Sat
Aug 14
$54Renfe
$42Alsa
$55Vueling
Sun
Aug 15
$54Renfe
$42Alsa
$63Vueling
Mon
Aug 16
$54Renfe
$42Alsa
$63Vueling
Tue
Aug 17
$48Renfe AVE
$42Alsa
$49Vueling
Wed
Aug 18
$34Renfe AVE
$42Alsa
$31Vueling
Thu
Aug 19
$27Renfe AVE
$42Alsa
$31Vueling
Fri
Aug 20
$48Renfe AVE
$42Alsa
$31Vueling
Sat
Aug 21
$48Renfe AVE
$42Alsa
$49Vueling
Sun
Aug 22
$48Renfe AVE
$42Alsa
$49Vueling
Mon
Aug 23
$41Renfe AVE
$42Alsa
$49Vueling
Tue
Aug 24
$34Renfe AVE
$42Alsa
$31Vueling

Travel Information between Barcelona and Madrid

distanceDistance312 miles (504 km)
modeAvailable travel modesFlight, bus or train
priceTicket price range$19 - $50
cheapestCheapest modeTrain • $19 (€15) • 3 h 12 min
fastestFastest modeFlight • $50 (€40) • 1 h 25 min
carriersPopular travel companiesVueling, Alsa or Renfe AVE

Travel 312 miles (504 km) by flight, bus or train from Barcelona to Madrid. If speed is a priority, then a flight is the best option with an average duration of 1 h 25 min; whereas, if saving money is more important, then a train is the best option with prices starting as low as $19 (€15). The most popular travel companies which serve this journey are Vueling, Alsa or Renfe AVE among others. Travelers can even take a direct flight or train from Barcelona to Madrid.

The Window Seat

Read more about Madrid

Capital Gains
Capital Gains

Europe’s biggest capital cities are all mesmerizing in their own right but depending on what type of person you are, one of the big five—Berlin, London, Madrid, Paris and Rome—will call to you more...

Continue reading
Daytrippers: Madrid
Daytrippers: Madrid

From the Art Deco esplanade of Gran Via to the myriad bustling streets made for bar-hopping between mouthwatering tabernas, Madrid has a rich history of attracting artists from all over the world—long before Ernest Hemingway sipped his first...

Continue reading
Book Voyage!
Book Voyage!

Sometimes you don’t need to travel to visit a new destination. A well-written travel book, be it fiction or guidebook, can transport you from the comfort of your own home or daily commute to another place. To kickstart...

Continue reading

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

Whether it is for business or leisure, in order to travel from Barcelona to Madrid, 64,59% of our customers choose the train as their preferred mode of transportation. By traveling by train on this route, you can enjoy the comfort of spacious seats, spectacular views—and in some cases free Wi-Fi—in both second and first class. Our customers have decided that the train is the best way to get from Barcelona to Madrid and have chosen to enjoy this fast, safe and efficient way to arrive at their destination. Taking the train also avoids long lines or potential expenses for transfers to/from the station—especially since most main railway stations are located in the city center. Train companies in Europe vary from country to country, but most of them offer high-speed train routes, therefore when you add up at the end-to-end journey time, the train is often also the fastest way to get to your destination.

Search on Omio to find cheap tickets from Barcelona to Madrid. It’s easy to find the most attractive prices and choose your preferred route for your journey. Book on web or app, and travel with your mobile ticket —without the stress of printing your ticket.


Travel Tips

Travel from Barcelona to Madrid
Travel to Madrid easily. Whether you want fast, cheap or something entirely different, our travel experts have collected everything you need to know so you can find the best option from Barcelona to Madrid.
FAQs
How do I travel from Barcelona to Madrid?

There are 3 travel options from Barcelona to Madrid: flight, bus or train.

What is the cheapest way from Barcelona to Madrid?

The cheapest way to go to Madrid from Barcelona is by taking a train, which costs on average $19 (€15).

This is compared to other ways of getting to Madrid:

A train is generally $31 (€25) less than a flight for the same route. Taking a flight costs on average $50 (€40) from Barcelona to Madrid.

Taking a train is about $23 (€18) less than taking a bus, which costs on average $42 (€33) for this route.

What is the fastest way to travel from Barcelona to Madrid?

The quickest way to travel between Barcelona and Madrid is by flight, which takes on average 1 h 25 min   compared to other travel options that may take you longer to get to your destination:

In comparison, getting to Madrid by bus can take on average 7 h 5 min.

In comparison, going by train can take 3 h 12 min   on average.

What is the distance between Barcelona and Madrid?

The distance from Barcelona to Madrid is approximately 312 miles (504 km).

What are the departure and arrival points in Barcelona and in Madrid?

These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Barcelona to Madrid:

  • Flights mostly depart from Barcelona El Prat Airport and arrive in Madrid Barajas Airport.
  • Buses mostly leave from Barcelona, Estació d'Autobusos Nord and tend to arrive in Madrid, Estación Sur/Gare routière Méndez Alvaro - 83.
  • Trains most often depart from Barcelona at Barcelona Sants and arrive in Madrid at Madrid-Puerta de Atocha.
Which travel companies can help me find a way to get from Barcelona to Madrid?

Omio works with many trusted partners that can help you travel the best way from Barcelona to Madrid:

  • You can take a flight from Barcelona to Madrid with Vueling. Cheap tickets can be found for $50 (€40) with Vueling from Barcelona to Madrid.
  • You can travel by bus to Madrid from Barcelona with Alsa, and you can find Alsa Barcelona to Madrid tickets for $42 (€33) on Omio.
  • You can take a train from Barcelona to Madrid with Renfe AVE. Cheap tickets can be found for $19 (€15) with Renfe AVE from Barcelona to Madrid.
Is there a direct service between Barcelona and Madrid?

Yes, there are direct services available from Barcelona to Madrid with the following travel companies:

  • You can take a direct flight with Air Europa or Iberia with direct flights per day.
  • You'll find direct trains per day with Renfe or Renfe AVE.

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.

What other destinations are worth visiting after traveling from Barcelona to Madrid?
Many of our customers traveling from Barcelona to Madrid don't make Madrid their final stop. Some of the destinations worth visiting after Madrid are Valencia, Sevilla or Málaga, either of which you could add to your trip itinerary. Check Omio for the best and cheapest ways to travel from Madrid to any of these top destinations today!
How early should I book Barcelona to Madrid tickets online to score the best deals?

When planning your trip from Barcelona to Madrid, it’s good to keep in mind what tickets to book and their prices in the next 7 days:

  • Plane tickets cost on average $50 (€40) one way.
  • Bus tickets are costing on average $42 (€33) one way.
  • Train tickets are costing on average $19 (€15) 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.

Stations

Important Stations and Airports for this Journey

Barcelona
Madrid
Barcelona, Estacion de Autobuses de Sants
Amenities
Estació d'autobusos Barcelona-Nord
Amenities
Barcelona Estació De França
Amenities