Trains to Granada

Granada is famous for its Moorish heritage, and most particularly for the Alhambra complex. Real devotees of Granada often assert that this is by far the finest city in all of Spain. It is certainly remarkable, well-deserving of a stay of two or three days. The Alhambra is just the start - and even that is much more than merely one palace. It is a huge complex stretching from the old Alcazaba fortress through the royal palaces to the shady gardens of the Generalife. On the far side of the River Duoro from the Alhambra is the Albaicín Quarter. Granada is made all the better by its setting; it lies in the shadow of the magnificent Sierra Nevada.

Reaching Granada by train can be tricky, and it's not always fast as the city is rather tucked away off the main rail routes. Several regional trains each day shuttle between Granada and Almería on the coast, serving Guadix along the way.

Links to Madrid with a useful once-daily direct train from Madrid to Granada. This train follows a route passing by Cordoba, taking 3 hrs 18 mins to reach Granada from the Spanish capital. If the timings of the direct train don't suit, there's a Renfe fast railway line linking Granada with the high-speed network at Antequera, which connects Granada with Antequera-Santa Ana in just 52 minutes, from where there are high-speed AVE trains to not just Madrid but also to Barcelona, Valencia and Málaga. With the opening of that new link, Granada have direct trains to many other cities in Andalucía, including regular departures for Seville.