European trains
Trains from Barcelona to Madrid
Barcelona to Madrid is the spine of Spanish rail travel: coast to capital, Catalonia to Castile, across the dry uplands of Aragon with Zaragoza in between. It is a working route as much as a holiday route, with business travellers moving between the Mediterranean city and the capital alongside visitors doing both on the same trip. Pick a date and the number of passengers below and the live times and fares for that day will appear.
Availability and prices are checked live when you search.
- Straight-line distanceabout 500 kmThe rail route is longer; live times appear when you search
- RouteDomesticWithin Spain
- ReturnCoveredMadrid to BarcelonaTrains from Madrid to Barcelona →
- Hotels338
- 5-star46
- 4-star204
- 3-star88
About the Barcelona to Madrid train
Departures are from Barcelona Sants, the main station west of the city centre with the metro beneath it. The line climbs away from the coast, crosses the Ebro valley at Zaragoza and then rolls on to the plateau on which Madrid sits. Decide before booking whether you need Madrid to Barcelona as well; the return is covered on its own page and priced separately for each day. You arrive at Madrid Puerta de Atocha, south of the centre, a station with a glasshouse garden in its old train shed. From there the Retiro park, the Prado and the Reina Sofía are within walking distance, and the metro connects to the rest of the city. Madrid is a capital built on a high plain, with hot summers and cold winters; its centre is dense and walkable, from Sol and the Plaza Mayor out to the broader streets of Salamanca and Chamberí. The Where to stay in Madrid section shows a sample of the hotels in the catalogue, and the Spain eSIM plans linked on this page cover data for a stay that does not involve a border.
Where to stay in Madrid
4 of the 338 hotels in the catalogue for Madrid. The hotels listed are 13–14 km from MAD.
El Autor Hotel, Madrid, Autograph Collection★★★★★Hotel· Marriott InternationalZorrilla 19 · Spa · Fitness centre · Restaurant · Barfrom₹29,438per night, indicative14 km from MAD
Four Seasons Hotel Madrid★★★★★Hotel· Four SeasonsCalle De Sevilla 3 · Pool · Spa · Fitness centre · Restaurantfrom₹1,56,668per night, indicative14 km from MAD
Caterina Pacifico, Madrid★★★★★Hotel· Triumph HospitalityAv. de la Ciudad de Barcelona · Wi-Fi · Family rooms · Pets allowed13 km from MAD
Brach Madrid - Evok Collection★★★★★Hotel· Evok HotelsCalle Gran Vía 20 · Pool · Spa · Restaurant · Barfrom₹55,295per night, indicative14 km from MAD- Prices are indicative: the lowest rate found for 2 adults, 1 night on 10 Jan 2027, in INR, checked 10 Nov 2026. Live prices for your dates appear when you search.
Plan the rest of your trip
- TrainsTrains from Madrid to Barcelona
- TransfersMadrid airport transfers
- Mobile dataSpain eSIM plans
- HotelsHotels in Barcelona
- TransfersBarcelona airport transfers
- TrainsTrains from Barcelona to Paris
- TrainsTrains from Berlin to Amsterdam
- TrainsTrains from Berlin to Cologne
- TrainsTrains from Berlin to Hamburg
Trains from Barcelona to Madrid: questions
How far is Madrid from Barcelona by train?
Barcelona and Madrid are about 500 km apart in a straight line; the rail route is longer. Live journey times and fares for your date appear when you search trains from Barcelona to Madrid.
Can I book the return from Madrid to Barcelona?
Yes. AI Concierge covers Madrid to Barcelona as well; search each direction for its own times and fares.
Is Barcelona to Madrid an international train journey?
No. Both Barcelona and Madrid are in Spain, so this is a domestic rail journey.
Destination, hotel and service details come from AI Concierge travel data; distances are straight-line. Availability and prices are shown live when you search.