4.9
4.6Travel Information between Barcelona and Madrid
 Distance | 312 miles (504 km) |
|---|---|
 Available travel modes | Train, bus or flight |
 Ticket price range | $21 - $23 |
 Cheapest mode | Bus • $21 (€19) • 7 h 5 min |
 Fastest mode | Flight • $23 (€21) • 1 h 20 min |
 Popular travel companies | Alsa, Iberia or Ouigo |
Travel 312 miles (504 km) by train, bus or flight between Barcelona and Madrid. The most popular travel companies which serve this trip are Alsa, Iberia or Ouigo among others. Travelers can even take a direct bus, flight or train from Barcelona to Madrid.
Travel optionsfrom Barcelona to Madrid
How to get from Barcelona to Madrid by train, bus or flight.
Our recommendation
The best way to travel from Barcelona to Madrid is by taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.
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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
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FAQs: 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.
You can get from Barcelona to Madrid 3 different ways: train, bus or flight.
The cheapest way to get from Barcelona to Madrid is by taking a bus with average ticket prices of $21 (€19) compared to other travel options to Madrid:
Taking a bus costs $2 (€2) less than taking a flight, which costs on average $23 (€21) for the same trip.
Taking a bus costs $2 (€2) less than taking a train, which average ticket prices of $23 (€21).
The quickest way to travel between Barcelona and Madrid is by flight, which takes on average 1 h 20 min compared to other travel options that take longer:
Getting to Madrid by bus takes 7 h 5 min on average.
Getting to Madrid by train takes 2 h 30 min on average.
The distance from Barcelona to Madrid is approximately 312 miles (504 km).
The average frequency per day from Barcelona to Madrid is:
- 20 buses per day.
- Around 23 flights per day.
- Around 34 trains per day.
However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your journey from Barcelona to Madrid as scheduled services by train, bus or flight can vary by season or day of the week.
These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Barcelona to Madrid:
- Buses mostly leave from Barcelona, Estació d'Autobusos Nord and tend to arrive in Madrid, Estación Sur de Autobuses.
- Flights mostly depart from Barcelona El Prat Airport and arrive in Madrid Barajas Airport.
- Trains mostly leave from Barcelona Sants and tend to arrive in Madrid-Puerta de Atocha-Almudena Grandes.
The following travel companies offer services from Barcelona to Madrid:
- Travel with Alsa or FlixBus for buses to Madrid. If you’re looking for a good deal on tickets, check for Alsa Barcelona to Madrid tickets on Omio for $21 (€19).
- Travel with Iberia, Vueling Airlines, Air Europa or GetJet Airlines to go to Madrid by plane. For a good deal on tickets, you can find Iberia Barcelona to Madrid tickets on Omio for $23 (€21).
- Ouigo, AVE, iryo, Renfe AVLO, Renfe Regional Exprés or Renfe Viajeros can take you to Madrid by train. If searching for a good deal on trains, you can find tickets for iryo from Barcelona to Madrid for $23 (€21).
Yes, there are direct routes from Barcelona to Madrid with the following travel companies:
- You can find 18 direct buses per day to take to Madrid with Alsa or FlixBus.
- You can find 13 direct flights per day to Madrid with Iberia, Vueling Airlines or Air Europa.
- You'll find 34 direct trains a day to Madrid with Ouigo, AVE, iryo, Renfe AVLO, Renfe Regional Exprés or Renfe Viajeros.
Direct services to Madrid tend to save you time and add more convenience as you won't need to transfer at another stop in between, so it's worth paying attention to before booking tickets for your journey.
Travelling from Barcelona to Madrid: related information
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