Cheap Train Tickets to Spain | Timetables & Prices
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Trains in Spain
Train travel in Spain allows travellers to admire the scenic landscape, while conveniently reaching their destination in a timely fashion. Spain has an extensive train network, allowing travellers to easily explore the vast country. Trains in Spain are modern and work on a complete railway network, known to be the largest in Europe and second-largest in the world. The Spanish train network also offers several high-speed trains (known as AVE trains) that connect Spain's main cities with one another, as well as to other major cities around Europe.
The most popular train stations in Spain include Madrid Atocha, Barcelona Sants, València Nord, and Sevilla Santa Justa. The main train providers in Spain is Renfe and Renfe AVE. The company has also partnered with French train operator, SNCF, to create direct routes into France. Renfe has trains that cater to regional rural routes, commuter routes, and high-speed long-distance routes.
Some of the most popular domestic train routes in Spain go from Madrid to Barcelona, Barcelona to Valencia, Madrid to Seville, Seville to Cordoba, Alicante to Madrid, and Zaragoza to Barcelona. There are also popular international routes including Madrid to Lisbon, Barcelona to Montpellier, and Madrid to Paris. With the Omio app, travellers can find all the best routes for trains in Spain.
Popular destinations in Spain by train
Popular Train Journeys in Spain
Booking train in Spain with Omio
If you want to travel to Spain by train, or within the country, you can easily book train tickets to Spain with Omio in your language. You can plan your trips efficiently and smoothly thanks to our journey app planner. To book a trip, select your destination in Spain as well as the dates of your trip. Once you have decided on these details, you'll see clear and up-to-date information on which options are available to you—including train types. At this point, travellers will have the choice to pay in different currencies, add on any personal discount cards, as well as have the chance to decide how to travel (i.e. slower for lower price or by picking the fastest travel time). You can also filter by price, making it easier to find cheap train tickets in Spain. Once booked, you'll have access to your tickets directly on your mobile—no printer needed!
Popular international routes from Spain by train
Travellers wishing to visit Spain from other countries around Europe by train will find that the Omio app and website is a useful and convenient tool for booking their tickets. The main international routes for the trains in Spain usually depart and arrive from Madrid and Barcelona. Some of the most popular international routes that arrive and depart to Madrid go to Lisbon, Portugal and Paris, France. On the other hand, the most popular international routes from Barcelona are to Montpellier and Perpignan in France.
Most Popular Trains to Spain
Train companies in Spain: Renfe
Travellers who planned on using trains to explore Spain may want to get acquainted with the country's main travel company. Renfe is Spain's national train company and main train company. The company offers several types of trains within their regional and intercity lines. One type of train travel that Renfe provides is Media Distancia (medium distance) trains which have routes that connect regional and high-speed trains. Another service provided by Renfe is the Cercanias (suburban trains) which have routes around the major cities of Spain.
Renfe also offers international routes which lead to France (with the Renfe-SNCF collaboration) and Portugal from the main cities in Spain. Moreover, the Renfe AVE trains typically provide long-distance routes which connect the major cities of Spain. Some of the routes Renfe AVE trains provide include Madrid to Seville, Barcelona, Valencia, Toledo, Cordoba, and Malaga. The Renfe AVE route that connects Madrid to Barcelona is, in fact, the most popular domestic route in Spain.
Exploring Spain by train
Spain is a delight, that will please any visitor. One of the most popular places for tourists in the entire world, Spain has more than just sunshine. Madrid is interesting as capitals get, in the heart of Spain. Filled with grand parks and ornate buildings, you can spend many hours wandering through its myriad streets, discovering fantastic tapas bars and restaurants. Being in the centre of the country means Madrid is well connected to the rest of Spain by train.
Hop on a train from the Madrid Atocha, and in just a matter of hours, you can be in Catalonia’s capital, Barcelona, or you can be by the beach in Malaga. You can even buck the trend of guaranteed sunshine, and head to the often neglected north with a visit to Galicia. Its rugged coastline isn’t that dissimilar to that of the United Kingdom. From exploring cultural highlights to eating some of the freshest seafood to swimming in the Mediterranean sea, Spain won’t disappoint. Are you ready to travel Spain by train? Book with Omio today!
Train companies in Spain
AVE: The fastest way to travel between the main Spanish cities, such as Seville and Madrid. Some AVE trains have also free Wi-Fi.
Euromed: Connects the cities of Mediterranean Sea. It is the train type offering breathtaking landscapes such as the ones one can admire on the train from Barcelona to Valencia.
Alvia: Alvia trains run on both high speed and traditional routes; therefore they arrive to destinations, which are not reached by high speed trains, e.g. the trains from Madrid to Valladolid.
- Altaria: Altaria trains operate on high-speed routes and connect Madrid to cities such as Granada and Murcia.
- Talgo: It is a long-distance train, where journey times are much longer than the ones operated by the AVE for the same routes. Some connections are Barcelona—Murcia and Madrid—Almeria.
- Trenhotel: These are trains that travel at night and have limited connections.
- Media Distancia: These trains link regional destinations with the country's larger cities with long-distance high-speed trains.
- Larga Distancia: These are trains whose presence is all over the country for both high-speed and non-high-speed routes.
- Cercanías: Suburban trains operating in and around the country's major cities such as Barcelona and Valencia.
Renfe also offer tourist trains that run through some Spanish regions. In particular, the Transcantábrico, which crosses the entire Cantabrian region, the Tren Al Andalus, which offers the possibility to travel to the north and walk the Camino de Santiago. There are numerous trips to neighbouring countries, such as Portugal and France, where Renfe and SNCF offer combined high-speed services, such as with the TGV INOUI trains between Barcelona and Paris.
There are also a number of domestic Estrella and Trenhotel trains, as well as international sleeper trains connecting Spain with France, Portugal, Luxembourg and Switzerland.
Main train stations in Spain
Explore other ways to travel Spain
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