Trains from Barcelona to Madrid

Catching the train at Barcelona Sants

To catch a train from Barcelona to Madrid, I traveled from Barcelona-Sants station. As it’s a high-speed route, I had to go through security first, so I arrived about one hour before my train was scheduled to leave. After security, I had to wait to access the platform as boarding only begins 30 minutes before departure. The waiting area was quite crowded, but the line quickly disappeared when boarding opened.

The platform staff scanned my e-ticket on my phone at the gate, so I didn’t need to bring a printed copy of my ticket. OUIGO also asks you to bring your passport, though mine wasn’t checked on the journey – but it’s a good idea to keep it with you just in case.

Inside a OUIGO train

OUIGO trains are known for their signature pink and blue color scheme, so they’re easy to recognize! Seat reservations are included with your ticket, so I headed to my assigned seat on the lower deck of car 3 to get settled.

Since OUIGO trains are usually double-decker trains, I thought it might be dark downstairs, but I was impressed at how light both the upper and lower decks were.

At my seat, I had a fold-down table and footrest, and I was pleased to find a power outlet – you can pay extra on OUIGO Spain trains to guarantee getting one, but this time I was lucky! There was a slow WiFi connection on board, plus the option to buy faster WiFi and movie streaming services. There were also baggage storage racks at the end of each carriage, as well as some smaller storage spaces within the seating area.

The journey from Barcelona to Madrid

We left on time at 10:40am. Soon after we left the station, you could see the Catalonian landscape whoosh by as we sped through the countryside (a OUIGO train’s top speed is 300km/h!). We stopped once at Zaragoza-Delicias for a few minutes, and then we were back on our journey.

Onboard announcements were in both Spanish and English, and the crew also spoke both languages, so you could order your café con leche without needing to know the local lingo.

OUIBAR, the onboard café-bar, was on the top deck of car 4. It provided a good selection of food and drink for the journey ahead. There’s no at-seat trolley service on OUIGO trains, so this is the place to go if you want to pick up some snacks before arriving in Madrid. I liked that there was space to sit and eat while watching the gorgeous Spanish countryside go by from the top deck!

Arriving at Madrid Atocha station

The train pulled into Madrid Puerta de Atocha station on time, and we arrived in Spain’s capital at 1:25pm, just 2 hours and 45 minutes after leaving Barcelona. Overall, I was impressed with OUIGO Spain especially considering I paid just €19 for the almost three-hour journey – and it was much less hassle than flying!

Kristina, a Trainline employee, chose to share their experience of the journey between Barcelona and Madrid.

Booking my ticket 

Just over a week before my trip, I booked my train ticket to Madrid online.

On this route, there are 4 train companies to choose from. Despite the slightly slower journey, I opted for Avlo, as they generally offer the cheapest fares.

The booking process was simple and I received a confirmation email as soon as I purchased the ticket. My digital ticket was attached as a PDF in the booking confirmation email, so I didn’t have to worry about queueing up at the station for a paper ticket!

On the day before my trip, I received an email from Avlo with lots of helpful information about my trip, such as my seat number, when to arrive at the station and baggage allowance restrictions.

Getting to Barcelona Sants train station

On a warm May morning in 2023, I walked from my hotel to Barcelona Sants station. Finding the station entrance was very simple, as it’s next to a large square called Plaça dels Països Catalans. On top of the station building, there’s a huge Barcelona Sants sign – which is pretty hard to miss!

Boarding the train

Before my journey, I purchased some snacks from one of the various shops inside Barcelona Sants station. If you’re hungry, there are plenty of cafés and fast-food restaurants too.

To travel from Barcelona to Madrid, you have to go through security before making your way to the platform. However, you can’t go through security until an hour before your train is due to depart, so don’t arrive too early, or too late either! I joined the line for security checks and it moved very quickly. They checked my ticket and rucksack before pointing me in the direction of my platform.

I then joined another line for the check-in desk to board the train. I was both surprised and impressed by the number of times my ticket was checked before accessing the platform. The queue moved quickly and before I knew it, I was heading down the escalator to my platform where the Avlo train was waiting for me. The car numbers are clearly labelled on the side of the train, so I found my car and seat without a fuss. Despite the lines at the station, the train was surprisingly quiet.

The journey from Barcelona to Madrid

When traveling with Avlo, there is only one class to choose from – Economy Class. Despite what the name suggests, I was very impressed with the interior of the train. The car was modern, clean and spacious. After storing my bag in the overhead baggage space, I took advantage of the leather seats, generous legroom, fold-down table, adjustable footrest and, most important of all considering the time of year – air conditioning.

Once the train had departed at 10am, I connected my phone to the free WiFi, which was more than sufficient for messaging friends, checking social media and replying to emails. Unfortunately, there weren't any power outlets on board, so I had to use my phone sparingly.

After a while, I used the onboard toilet, which was fine, albeit quite small. As the journey went by, the sun started to shine directly into my eyes, so I simply pulled the blinds down.

On our way to Madrid, we stopped in a few cities, including Tarragona, Lleida and Zaragoza. As I ate my lunch, I marveled at the impressive views of the Spanish countryside, comprised of picturesque villages and dramatic mountain ranges.

Arriving at Madrid Atocha station 

At 1:17pm, just over three hours after setting off, the train arrived at Madrid Atocha station. After disembarking the train, I walked for a long time before finding the station exit. Unlike at the start of my journey, I didn’t have to go through any security or ticket checks. I simply walked straight out of the station and began exploring Madrid. One of the highlights of my trip to Madrid was a visit to El Retiro Park, which is close to Madrid Atocha station – make sure to visit! 

Charlie, a Trainline employee, chose to share their experience of the journey between Barcelona and Madrid.

Buying my train ticket

I bought my train ticket about a week before traveling from Barcelona to Madrid – I decided to travel in the Infinita Class (iryo’s First Class) as the ticket cost only a couple of dollars more than the Standard Class one. Booking my ticket online, I was able to get it instantly on my phone, without having to worry about printing it or joining the line at the station’s ticket office. 

Getting to Barcelona Sants station

My train to Madrid was leaving from Barcelona Sants at 09:50 so I arrived at the station half an hour in advance, just to give myself enough time to find my train and have no issues when boarding. As my hotel was only a 15-minute walk away, I decided to walk to Barcelona Sants – that was a great choice as I got to enjoy the sunny weather while taking in the city’s beautiful architecture!

Once I entered the station, I had to go through security before boarding my train. It didn’t take me too long though – I just had to put my bag through the security scanner and show my digital ticket to a member of staff.

Boarding my iryo train

After security, I went down the escalators to access the boarding area of my train and joined another line before getting on board – it was very quick though. There are several departure boards at the station where you can check which platform your train is leaving from, as well as clear signs to the different platforms, so you won’t get lost!

The train journey from Barcelona to Madrid

My seat was in car 2, where the Infinita Class is usually located. It was a solo seat with plenty of legroom, a fold-down table, and an adjustable footrest. It also came with a power outlet, 2 USB ports and a small bin, which I found very convenient.

The onboard WiFi worked very well too – I just had to connect my phone to iryowifigratis and I was able to stay online without any connection issues throughout the whole journey.

There was also a QR code at my seat – you can scan it to see the onboard menu, access iryo’s entertainment portal, and read all about Club Yo (iryo’s loyalty program). There’s even a guide to your destination!

Now here comes the best part – if you travel in Infinita Class, you can make the most of the Infinita Bistró service, the in-seat meal service provided by iryo. A member of staff will come to your seat and serve a meal and drink of your choice. Make sure you choose your meal at least 24 hours in advance when booking your ticket online – I didn’t know I had to book my meal in advance, so I couldn’t enjoy this service, but I went to the bar in car 3 to get a Cola Cao (or hot chocolate) so I was very happy overall.

We only stopped once during the journey – the train pulled into Zaragoza-Delicias station for a few minutes before whisking us through the beautiful Spanish mountain ranges and countryside.

Arriving at Madrid Atocha station

The train arrived at Madrid Atocha station at 12:25pm, 10 minutes earlier than expected. As I needed to wait for some of my friends to arrive, I decided to wander around the station a bit more and explore its famous tropical garden. After following the signs to the exit, I had to cross the road to get to the station’s entrance, where the garden is located.

As soon as I entered the station, I was pleased to find a large and beautiful garden with tropical plants (I even saw some bananas on a banana tree!) and a pond, all surrounded by the metal structure and glazed roof that were covering the station’s platforms. There were also lots of benches, as well as several restaurants and cafés – that’s perfect if people want to grab a bite and relax while surrounded by nature. Make sure you visit this part of the station; you won’t regret it!

Paola, a Trainline employee, chose to share their experience of the journey between Barcelona and Madrid.

I recently took the train from Barcelona to Madrid with iryo, traveling in Inicial (Standard Class). It took two and a half hours to get from Barcelona Sants station to Madrid Atocha station by train, as the train did not make any intermediary stops.

What I enjoyed about the journey

The onboard experience was great. The train was clean and on time, and I was impressed with the comfortable seating and the amount of legroom provided, even in Inicial (Standard Class)! What’s more, there were power outlets so I could charge my devices on the go. I felt that the train trip offered good value for money overall.

I also liked that I could gaze out the window at the Spanish countryside during my journey from Barcelona to Madrid.

What I didn’t like about the journey

I was supposed to have WiFi, as this is provided on all iryo trains, but the connection was very poor.

Overall, this was an enjoyable trip. I was impressed with the standard of the train facilities, though I wouldn’t rely on the WiFi connection!

About Helena

Helena, a Trainline employee, chose to share their experience of the journey between Barcelona and Madrid. The review has been written by one of our travel writers, based on a survey including multiple-choice questions regarding pros and cons of the journey.