How to travel from Madrid to Barcelona
Travel optionsfrom Madrid to Barcelona
You can get from Madrid to Barcelona by train, bus or flight.
Our recommendation
To get from Madrid to Barcelona on Feb 08 we recommend taking a flight because it’s the best combination of price and speed.
Cheapest
Other options
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Travel Information from Madrid to Barcelona
 | Distance | 504 km |
 | Available travel modes | Coach, ferry, flight or train |
 | Ticket price range | €34 - €53 |
 | Cheapest mode | Coach • €34 • 7 h 35 min |
 | Fastest mode | Flight • €53 • 1 h 25 min |
 | Popular travel companies | Alsa |
Take a coach, ferry, flight or train to travel 504 km between Madrid and Barcelona. If speed is a priority, then a flight is the best option with an average duration of 1 h 25 min; whereas, if saving money is more important, then a coach is the best option with prices starting as low as €34. The most popular travel providers which serve this journey are Alsa among others. Travellers can even take a direct coach, flight or train from Madrid to Barcelona.
General Information about the Journey from Madrid to Barcelona
Travelling the 624 kilometres from Madrid to Barcelona can be done quickly and conveniently by bus, train and plane. The plane offers the speediest choice reaching Barcelona in an hour and fifteen minutes. However, the fast AVE train offers a close second with a trip between city centres that takes under three hours. Passengers can also opt for the slower regional train or for the bus for a more leisurely journey.
Buses from Madrid to Barcelona
Direct buses leave Madrid throughout the day for the five and a half to seven and a half hour journey to Barcelona. Exclusively run by Alsa, the buses can be boarded at Aeropuerto Madrid, Barajas T4 bus station, Mendez Alvaro bus station or Avenida America bus station. Buses run from early morning to late evening and terminate at Barcelona (Nord).
Trains from Madrid to Barcelona
Getting to Barcelona from Madrid is a breeze on Spain's highly efficient railway system. Passengers have two options. The fastest is the AVE high-speed train which offers around two dozen daily departures from Madrid Puerta de Atocha station on weekdays and some 16 on the weekend. For a slower option, a regional express train - the Combinado - leaves the same station once a day in the late morning. It takes over six hours to reach Barcelona-Sants making many stops along the route.
Flights from Madrid to Barcelona
Passengers have a choice of around nine flights daily for the 75-minute hop from Barajas airport (MAD) Madrid to Barcelona Airport (BCN). Carriers Iberia, Air Europa and Vueling offer departures throughout the day with Air Iberia offering its Iberia Air Shuttle to Barcelona eight times daily.
Travel Tips: Travel from Madrid to Barcelona
There are 4 ways to travel from Madrid to Barcelona including taking a coach, ferry, flight or train.
The cheapest way from Madrid to Barcelona is by taking a coach. You can find average ticket prices around €34 compared to other travel options to Barcelona:
A coach is generally €19 less than a flight for the same route. A flight costs on average €53 from Madrid to Barcelona.
A coach is about €11 less than a train, which costs on average €45 for this trip.
The fastest way to get to Barcelona from Madrid is by flight with an average travel time of 1 h 25 min.
There are alternative travel options to Barcelona that can usually take longer:
In comparison, getting to Barcelona by coach can take on average 7 h 35 min.
In comparison, travelling by train can take you on average 2 h 30 min.
The Madrid to Barcelona distance is approximately 504 km.
The average frequency per day from Madrid to Barcelona is:
- 1 coach a day.
- 19 trains a day.
However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your trip between Madrid and Barcelona as scheduled services by coach, ferry, flight or train can vary by season or day of the week.
These are the most popular departure and arrival points for travellers from Madrid to Barcelona:
- Coaches from Madrid to Barcelona most often leave from Madrid, Estación Sur/Gare routière Méndez Alvaro - 83 and arrive in Barcelona, Estació d'Autobusos Nord.
- Flights from Madrid to Barcelona most often leave from Madrid Barajas Airport and arrive in Barcelona El Prat Airport.
- Trains from Madrid to Barcelona most often leave from Madrid-Puerta de Atocha-Almudena Grandes and arrive in Barcelona Sants.
If finding a good deal is your main consideration for your trip from Madrid to Barcelona, then we'll help you find the best value travel companies for you:
- Alsa can take you to Barcelona by coach. If searching for a good deal on coaches, you can find tickets for Alsa from Madrid to Barcelona for €34.
Yes, there are direct services available to Barcelona from Madrid with the following travel operators:
- You can take a direct coach with Alsa with 1 direct coach per day.
- You can find around direct flights per day and book this direct flight with Vueling, Air Europa or Iberia.
- You can take a direct train with Renfe AVE, Renfe AVLO, Renfe Regional Expres, SNCF OUIGO or Iryo with 19 direct trains per day.
Direct services tend to save you time and add more convenience in getting you to Barcelona as you won't need to change in between, so it's worth paying attention to before booking your tickets to Barcelona from Madrid.
When planning your trip from Madrid to Barcelona, it’s good to keep in mind what tickets to purchase and their prices in the next 7 days:
- Coach tickets are costing on average €34 one way.
- Plane tickets are costing €53 one way on average.
- Train tickets are costing on average €45 one way.
However, we recommend buying tickets from Madrid to Barcelona online a few months in advance to get the best deals and save money on your upcoming journey.
Travelling from Madrid to Barcelona: related information
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