Barcelona to Madrid by train

Prices explained

Cheapest Price $38.00
30 day advance $52.93

89% based on 52,371 reviews

First train

05:50
Last train

21:25

Avg changes

0
Fastest journey

2hr 30m

Distance

503 kilometres
Trains per day

25

Avg. journey time

2hr 50m
Train operators

Travelling from Barcelona to Madrid by train

Fast trains from Barcelona to Madrid take around 2 hours and 30 minutes, covering a distance of approximately 503 kilometres. There are frequent services on the rail route between Barcelona and Madrid.

1. Are there direct trains from Barcelona to Madrid?

Direct trains from Barcelona to Madrid have been found.

We usually find around 27 direct trains on the route from Barcelona to Madrid every weekday.

There are typically fewer departures at weekends, when we found around 19 departures.

2. How long is the train journey from Barcelona to Madrid?

The Barcelona to Madrid train travel time is normally about 2 hours and 30 minutes, whatever time you make the journey.

3. What are the Barcelona to Madrid train times and schedule?

On weekdays the earliest direct train to Madrid is usually scheduled to depart Barcelona around 05:50 and the last train is around 21:25. At weekends the first train of the day leaves Barcelona around 06:05, and the last at 21:25.

What's the Barcelona to Madrid train price?

The earlier you book the better, and the cheapest tickets we've found for trains from Barcelona to Madrid are $38.00.

Trains departing 30 days in advance will cost around $52, and when booking 7 days in advance the price is usually the same. Booking on the day of travel may be more expensive.

When to book Barcelona to Madrid train tickets?

Trains in Spain usually open for booking around 4 months in advance. If booking is not yet open for your dates then you can set a booking alert to receive an email on the day that the cheapest tickets are released for your journey from Barcelona to Madrid by train.

Help with booking alerts

Which train companies operate between Barcelona and Madrid?

More than one train company operates on the route from Barcelona to Madrid, so you’ll be travelling with one or more of the following rail operators:

AVE
AVE-TGV

You can check which train you’ll be travelling on by looking for the train name in search results.

Madrid to Barcelona by train

Other journeys to Madrid View all journeys to Madrid

From Paris From $83.46
From Lisbon From $29.18
From London From $131.64
From Bilbao-Abando From $65.14
From Montpellier From $40.03
From Perpignan From $68.53
From Lyon From $113.32
From Girona From $72.60
From Valencia From $15.61
From Córdoba Central From $33.93
From Ronda From $24.43
From Granada From $45.46

AVE

Travelling by train from Barcelona to Madrid is easy and so fast that the train is now taking a lot of trade away from Europe's busiest air route. This new rail route opened in 2008.

There is also a once-a-day Regional Express from Barcelona to Madrid. With three dozen stops en route, it leaves from Barcelona França, then stops also at Sants and arrives in Madrid at Chamartin. The overnight Estrella train from Barcelona to Madrid was withdrawn in April 2015.