Trains vers Salamanca

Salamanca is one of Spain’s most elegant cities and it is easy to reach Salamanca by train. Tucked away in the south-west corner of the autonomous region of Castilla y León, and not far from the border with Portugal, the university city of Salamanca boasts some of Spain’s finest urban spaces. From the old Roman bridge to the Catedral Nueva (500 years old, so not as new as its name implies), UNESCO-listed Salamanca is full of fabulous buildings. Star of the show is the stunning central square: the Plaza Mayor.

Salamanca is well served by Spain's national rail operator Renfe. There's a choice of two routes from Madrid; most trains are Media Distancia (MD) services, taking around three hours; it's a memorable journey as the rail route crosses the hills north-west of the Spanish capital. In addition to those regular MD trains, there are also three or four Alvia trains each day from Madrid to Salamanca; they are much faster and take just 96 minutes, even though the route they follow is much longer. But that fast option misses the glorious landscapes traversed by the slower MD trains.

The beautiful walled city of Ávila is just 70 minutes away by train, and so too is Valladolid. Burgos is also within striking distance, though that journey usually requires a change of train at Valladolid. For night owls, there’s a once-a-day train from Salamanca to Lisbon (but it doesn’t leave till after midnight).

The fastest routes from Paris and London to Salamanca are via western France, crossing the Spanish border at Irun. London to Salamanca can be done in 16 hours with just two changes of train. However, you will not arrive in Salamanca until after midnight. There are alternative but slower routes via Barcelona and Madrid.