Spain Train Travel: Getting Between the 8 Best Cities
Madrid is the hub: direct high-speed trains reach Barcelona in about 3 to 3¾ hours, Seville and Málaga in about 2 h 40 to 3 h 15, Valencia in about 2 hours and Granada in about 3½ hours. Renfe runs every route; Iryo and Ouigo compete on the busiest lines. Bilbao and San Sebastián are about five hours from Madrid, and the ALSA bus links the two in 1 hour 10 minutes. For Barcelona to Seville or Bilbao, compare a flight.
On this page
The short answer
| Route | Fastest direct train | Trains a day | Operators | Madrid station |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madrid – Barcelona | 3 h 02 (up to 3 h 47) | 25 Renfe | Renfe AVE, Iryo, Ouigo | Atocha |
| Madrid – Seville | 2 h 38 (up to 3 h 09) | 18 Renfe | Renfe AVE, Avlo, Alvia; Iryo; Ouigo | Atocha |
| Madrid – Valencia | 1 h 54 (up to 2 h 05) | 15 Renfe | Renfe AVE, Avlo; Iryo; Ouigo | Chamartín (13), Atocha (2) |
| Madrid – Málaga | 2 h 44 (up to 3 h 15) | 12 Renfe | Renfe AVE, Avlo; Iryo; Ouigo | Atocha |
| Madrid – Granada | 3 h 23 (up to 3 h 41) | 4 | Renfe AVE, Alvia | Atocha |
| Madrid – Bilbao | 5 h 10 (up to 5 h 14) | 2 | Renfe Alvia | Chamartín |
| Madrid – San Sebastián | 5 h 25 (up to 5 h 37) | 3 | Renfe Alvia, Intercity | Chamartín |
| Seville – Granada | 2 h 37 (up to 2 h 45) | 4 | Renfe Avant | – |
| Granada – Málaga | 1 h 29 (up to 1 h 34) | 3 | Renfe Avant | – |
| Málaga – Seville | 2 h 07 (Avant) | 6 Avant, 5 slower MD | Renfe | – |
| Barcelona – Valencia | 2 h 47 (Euromed, up to 3 h 26) | 9 | Renfe Euromed and others | – |
| Barcelona – Seville | 6 h 17 | 2 | Renfe AVE | – |
| Bilbao – San Sebastián | No direct train | 12 buses | ALSA bus, 1 h 10 to 1 h 30 | – |
Source: direct Renfe trains on Wednesday 21 October 2026, from Renfe’s published timetable data (downloaded 14 October 2026). “Trains a day” counts Renfe only; Iryo and Ouigo add more on the lines marked. Bus times from ALSA, checked 14 October 2026. Timetables change, so check before you book.
The three train companies
- Renfe, the state operator, runs every route on this page. Its high-speed brands are AVE (standard), Avlo (low-cost, fewer extras) and Alvia (trains that also run on conventional track, used to Bilbao and San Sebastián). Avant trains are shorter regional high-speed runs, such as Seville–Granada. Since 8 September 2025, Renfe has run AVE instead of Avlo between Madrid and Barcelona (Wikipedia).
- Iryo, part-owned by Italy’s Trenitalia, runs Madrid–Barcelona, Madrid–Valencia and Madrid–Córdoba–Seville/Málaga (Wikipedia). Its site blocked our checks, so we couldn’t confirm its current timetable.
- Ouigo, owned by France’s SNCF, runs low-cost double-deck TGV Euroduplex trains. Its route page lists Madrid–Barcelona, Madrid–Valencia, Madrid–Seville and Málaga–Madrid. Ouigo gives an average of 2 h 47 for Madrid–Seville, from Atocha to Santa Justa (Ouigo, checked 14 October 2026).
The three companies share the same high-speed lines, so journey times are close. Compare prices across all three before you book.
Madrid: Atocha or Chamartín?
Madrid has two main long-distance stations, and the wrong one costs you a train.
- Madrid Puerta de Atocha – Almudena Grandes: trains to Barcelona, Seville, Córdoba, Málaga and Granada. It is on the south side of the city centre.
- Madrid Chamartín – Clara Campoamor: trains to Valencia (13 of 15 Renfe trains on our sample day), Bilbao and San Sebastián. It is in the north of the city.
Station names are as Renfe lists them in its timetable data.
Routes in detail
Madrid – Barcelona
Direct AVE trains run from Atocha to Barcelona Sants from about 06:16 to 20:30. On 21 October 2026, the fastest took 3 h 02 (for example 06:57 → 09:59), and others took up to 3 h 47 with more stops. Some trains stop at Zaragoza and Camp de Tarragona. Iryo and Ouigo also run this route.
Madrid – Seville and Madrid – Málaga
Both run from Atocha via Córdoba. Madrid–Seville took 2 h 38 to 3 h 09 (18 Renfe trains), and Madrid–Málaga 2 h 44 to 3 h 15 (12 Renfe trains). Madrid–Córdoba alone takes about 1 h 45 if you want a stop on the way.
Madrid – Valencia
The quickest hop: 1 h 54 to 2 h 05, mostly from Chamartín to València Joaquín Sorolla. Renfe, Iryo and Ouigo all run it.
Madrid – Granada
Four direct Renfe trains on our sample day: 07:20, 13:35, 16:40 and 19:50 from Atocha, taking 3 h 23 to 3 h 41.
Seville – Granada
There’s a direct train now: four Renfe Avant trains (07:40, 09:55, 12:17 and 19:15 from Santa Justa on 21 October 2026), taking 2 h 37 to 2 h 45. The ALSA bus is the back-up: 12 a day, 3 to 5 hours (ALSA, checked 14 October 2026).
Granada – Málaga and Málaga – Seville
Three Avant trains a day link Granada and Málaga María Zambrano in about 1 h 30. Málaga to Seville takes 2 h 07 to 2 h 22 on the six Avant trains, or about 3 h 15 to 3 h 30 on the slower MD regional trains.
Madrid – Bilbao and Madrid – San Sebastián
These are the long ones. Two Alvia trains a day ran from Chamartín to Bilbao Abando (06:55 and 17:48, about 5 h 10), and three trains to San Sebastián-Donostia (about 5 h 25 to 5 h 37). From Bilbao to San Sebastián, take the ALSA bus (1 h 10 to 1 h 30, 12 a day).
Barcelona – Valencia
Renfe’s Euromed trains run Barcelona Sants to València Estació del Nord in 2 h 47 to 3 h 26 (six on our sample day). Slower Alvia, Intercity and regional trains also run.
When a flight makes sense
Some routes are long by train: Barcelona–Seville took 6 h 17 at best (two direct trains), and Barcelona–Bilbao 7 h 03 (one train) on 21 October 2026. Vueling flies direct between Barcelona and both Seville and Bilbao (route lists on Wikipedia for Seville Airport and Bilbao Airport). Add the time to get to and through the airport before you choose.
Stations in each city
| City | Main station |
|---|---|
| Madrid | Puerta de Atocha – Almudena Grandes; Chamartín – Clara Campoamor |
| Barcelona | Barcelona Sants |
| Seville | Sevilla Santa Justa |
| Granada | Granada |
| Valencia | València Joaquín Sorolla (high-speed); València Estació del Nord |
| Málaga | Málaga María Zambrano |
| San Sebastián | San Sebastián-Donostia |
| Bilbao | Bilbao Abando Indalecio Prieto |
Names as listed in Renfe’s timetable data. For which trains go where, use the table above. For full trip plans, see our Spain itineraries.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the train from Madrid to Barcelona?
3 hours 2 minutes on the fastest direct AVE and up to 3 hours 47 minutes on others, from Madrid Puerta de Atocha to Barcelona Sants. Renfe ran 25 direct trains on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Renfe timetable data, downloaded 14 October 2026). Iryo and Ouigo run on the same line.
Which Madrid station do I need?
Puerta de Atocha for Barcelona, Seville, Córdoba, Málaga and Granada. Chamartín for Valencia (most trains), Bilbao and San Sebastián. Check the station on your ticket: the two are about 7 km apart in a straight line (from Renfe's station coordinates).
Is there a train from Seville to Granada?
Yes. Renfe's Avant trains run direct from Sevilla Santa Justa to Granada in 2 hours 37 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes, four times a day on 21 October 2026. The ALSA bus takes 3 to 5 hours, with 12 a day (ALSA, checked 14 October 2026).
How do you get from Bilbao to San Sebastián?
By ALSA bus: 12 a day, 1 hour 10 minutes on the most direct service and up to 1 hour 30 minutes on others (ALSA, checked 14 October 2026). Renfe's long-distance timetable has no direct train between the two.
Do you need to book Spanish trains in advance?
Booking early gives you the widest choice of trains and fares. Ouigo advertised tickets from €9 on its site on 14 October 2026, and from €19 between Madrid and Barcelona. Book early for Easter week and summer weekends.