Spain is famous for its attractions and excellent resorts all over the world. Of the total mass, cities such as Barcelona and Madrid stand out, which should be included in the tourist program in the best corners of Spain. We have to talk about how to get from Barcelona to Madrid on our own and, most importantly, cheaply, and what advantages different types of transport have.
To Madrid by plane
Air travel has become an integral part of all those who are used to traveling a lot and in comfort. The plane saves time, and sometimes money, allows in a matter of hours to overcome hundreds and thousands of kilometers over seas and oceans, mountains and plains. Therefore, we will start our review of the best routes from Barcelona to Madrid with the offers of air carriers. The most popular in this direction will be the aircraft of the Vueling and AirEuropa companies, which make direct flights between the two Spanish cities. The cost of a one-way ticket will be 4,800-5,100 rubles (about 70 euros), and you will have to spend no more than 80 minutes in the sky. Airplanes take off every 60-90 minutes, so you can avoid long waiting times in the airport lounges.
As you can see, flying over Spanish territory is very easy and not that expensive. That is why the plane is very popular here, allowing you to be anywhere in an interesting country in a short period of time. Please also note that booking your flight a few weeks or months before your scheduled departure from Barcelona will save you substantial savings. Therefore, follow the promotions and interesting offers of airlines on their official websites.
Experienced tourists say that the cheapest air tickets can be bought in November, and for tickets in September and October, you will have to overpay a little.
Barcelona to Madrid by bus
Traveling from Barcelona to Madrid by bus will take more time. The average duration of such a trip will be 7-8 hours, but it will allow you to save a lot. The average cost of a ticket is 32-40 euros, and if you pay for a round-trip ticket at once, you will receive a discount of up to 7-8 euros. Therefore, the bus is chosen by those who have a small budget.
Buses leave every hour. The first bus leaves from Catalunya bus station at 7 am and the last one leaves at 1 am. Therefore, you can choose the right time for your trip. Look for transport on the Nord platform, which is very easy to get to by metro (the final station will be the Arc de Triomf station on the red line). And one more important point: the fare depends on the class of the bus. If you prefer the more comfortable “express”, you will have to pay a few euros.
A train
High-speed trains AVE
This type of transport, which is able to deliver passengers from Catalonia to the Spanish capital, also has many admirers. Fans of high-speed crossings will have to spend money. In particular, modern AVE trains depart daily from the Catalan train station, which have been operating in the direction since 2008. Among the main advantages of the train: trains leave at intervals of half an hour (from 5.50 to 20.25 hours), travel time is only 2.5 hours, it is possible to choose one of three classes of cars.
One of the main disadvantages is the cost of travel. If the fare in a standard carriage will cost only 55 euros, then for the "luxury" service you will have to pay about 126 euros! Therefore, this way to see Madrid cannot be called a budget way, since in financial terms the trip will cost even more than air travel.
But there are some tricks that can help you save a lot. For example, buying a round-trip ticket allows you to get a discount of up to 20%. And if you buy a ticket over the Internet, you can expect that the ticket will be about 40% cheaper.
Estrella trains
There are also cheaper trains. For example, the Estrella train departs from the platform of Barcelona-Sants station every day at 22.00. It arrives at the Madrid train station platform at 7 a.m. and the fare is only 35 euros one way. In addition to a long journey, you will have to come to terms with another drawback of this type of train. In particular, you can buy a ticket only in a compartment with 8 seats and 6 shelves, so you shouldn't hope that you will be alone with your thoughts.
Tip: If you decide to travel by night train, make sure that you have a ticket to one of the six shelves in your hands before boarding. Otherwise, you will have to sit all the way, which will not really brighten up your impressions of your stay in Spain.
Car
If you have the opportunity to rent a car, or you always travel by private transport, your trip will be even more comfortable and interesting. The roads in Spain are beautiful, and the amazing landscapes that can be seen from the windows of your car will add dozens of great photos to your personal travel photo album. The time to cover the distance on the A2 Autobahn (Madrid-Gerona) will be from 6 to 8 hours.
Now you know how to get from Barcelona to Madrid, which routes are considered the fastest, and which transport you can use to save money.
