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Want to travel from Basel to Madrid by train? Start your journey with us.
The train from Basel to Madrid usually takes 22 hours 15 minutes on average to travel 1201 km, although the quickest services can take as little as 19 hours 36 minutes. You can expect to find 4 trains per day running on this popular route. As there aren't any direct services running between Basel and Madrid, you'll need to make 2 changes on your way to Madrid. You can choose to travel with AVE, Avlo or ICE to get to Madrid. As the main rail operators on this route, their trains offer modern comfortable seating and plenty of space for luggage as standard.
To help you get the best train deals, we'll highlight the cheapest train ticket prices from Basel to Madrid in our Journey Planner. Just remember, the sooner you book your tickets, the more you'll save, as advance tickets start from $186.72.
Keep reading for more information about the train journey to Madrid, including FAQs, timetables with first and last train times and tips on booking cheap train tickets. If you're ready to book, just start a search for tickets with us today.
| First train | 8:25 am | |
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| Last train | 9:56 pm | |
| Departure station | Basel | |
| Arrival station | Madrid | |
| Journey time | From 19h 36m | |
| Distance | 746 miles (1201 km) | |
| Frequency | 4 trains per day | |
| Changes | 2 changes | |
| Price | From $186.72 | |
| Train and bus operators | ALSA, BlaBlaCar Bus, Deutsche Bahn, Flixbus, FlixTrain, iryo, OUIGO, Renfe, SNCF Voyageurs, TGV Lyria |
The Deutsche Bahn Group is owned by the German State and controls the majority of rail traffic in Germany as well as in many border regions of the country. Every year, Deutsche Bahn transports several million passengers and many stations in Germany are served exclusively by DB trains, including the ICE, IC and EC fleet.
Operating alongside its sister coach company FlixBus since 2018, FlixTrain provides cheap intercity connections using 100% green energy. The main routes served by FlixTrain are Cologne-Hamburg, Aachen-Cologne-Berlin, and Berlin-Stuttgart. The network will expand in future to include more routes to Munich and Leipzig. FlixTrain carriages are fitted with free WiFi and power outlets or USB charge points. Plus, every ticket comes with a seat reservation, guaranteeing you a seat for the journey.
Operating since the end of 2022, iryo is a new high-speed train company in Spain. It’s a consortium between the Spanish airline Air Norstrum and the train company Trenitalia, one of the greatest leaders in European rail transport. The first private Spanish high-speed company to operate, iryo runs high-speed services on the Madrid – Zaragoza – Barcelona route and connects Madrid – Cuenca – Valencia/Alicante and Madrid – Cordoba – Seville/Malaga. They are doing this all with a fleet of ETR1000 model trains that offer the highest level of comfort in Spain, with a combination of advanced propulsion and highest quality onboard services, including WiFi connection and catering service. 98% of the parts of the trains are 100% recyclable, making this trip sustainable as well!
OUIGO is the low-cost, high-speed train service operated by the French national train company SNCF. Despite having only one class on board, OUIGO trains offer the same comfort as Second Class seats on TGV trains, although OUIGO tickets are only available to purchase online. To make your journey as smooth as possible, arrive at least 30 minutes before departure and bear in mind that there's an additional fee for bringing a suitcase with you, having a seat with power sockets and travelling with a stroller/buggy.
If you're looking for a reasonably-priced experience without compromising on the best service and comfort, Inicial Class is ideal for you!
Inicial Superior Class is ideal for business travelers looking for flexibility and comfort. If you need to, you can adapt your ticket to your needs at the time.
If you're looking for added comfort and full flexibility, Infinita class is a fantastic choice.
iryo's Infinita Bistró Class offers plenty of amenities on board, including wider leather reclining seats, free WiFi and in-seat meal service offering a complimentary gourmet meal. You'll need to book your meal 24 hours in advance.
In AVE's Estándar Class, you'll enjoy comfortable fuss-free travel. With baggage storage and air-conditioning throughout, there's access to their dining car serving drinks and snacks and seats are usually in a row of 2 or 4 around a table. On board, you'll enjoy:
Onboard AVE's Confort Class, you’ll enjoy all the amenities of Estándar Class as well as extra perks, such as complimentary food and drinks, free newspapers and more. Don't forget to enjoy access to Renfe's Club Rooms before your trip to kick it off in style. On board, you'll enjoy:
OUIGO comes with only one class, Standard Class, which is the equivalent of TGV's Second Class. On board you'll find WiFi and a café-bar (on services in Spain). There may be a trolley service on Train Classique services in France. You can pay extra to guarantee a seat with a power outlet, as not all seats currently have one.
Travel in Avlo’s Economy Class and you can connect to the free WiFi and grab some snacks from the vending machine.
What baggage limits are there? | Iryo's baggage policy varies by class. With an Inicial ticket, you can take one carry-on bag measuring 36 x 27 x 15 cm and one cabin suitcase measuring 55 x 35 x 25 cm. With a Inicial Superior or Infinita ticket, you can also take one large suitcase measuring 80 x 55 x 35 cm. The Infinita Bistró fare includes all of the above and also allows travel with one pet inside a carrier. |
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What food and drink is available? | iryo offers different menus with high-quality products in all classes. You can buy your favorite meal from their onboard restaurant/bar car, which is usually near car 2. If you’re traveling in the Infinita Bistró Class, you can enjoy the Infinita Bistró food service – your meal will be served straight to your seat. Please note that you’ll need to book your meal at least 24 hours in advance. |
What onboard entertainment is available? | You can enjoy free WiFi in all classes on iryo trains, as well as an onboard entertainment platform providing a wide selection of movies, TV series, live news and Spotify. |
What facilities are there for travel with children? | Kids aged 0-3 travel for free on all iryo trains. Kids aged 4-13 get a discounted ticket while those aged 14-18 need to pay the full price. Please note that kids aged under 18 need to be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians. |
Can I bring a bike on board? | You can take your bike on board iryo trains for free if it’s folded and does not exceed 90 x 120 x 40cm. Also, your bike must travel without the pedals and with the handlebar rotated 90 degrees. |
Can I bring pets on board? | iryo allows pets that do not exceed 10kg (22lbs) in weight, as long as they travel inside a carrier with a maximum size of 60 x 35 x 35cm (23.6 x 13.7 x 13.7 inches). You'll need to buy a ticket for your pet in advance. In addition, guide dogs can travel at no additional cost. |
What special assistance is available? | There are 2 seats for people with reduced mobility on iryo trains. Step-free access is also available both when boarding and when getting off the train. |
What baggage limits are there? | With AVE, you can travel with up to 3 pieces of baggage that do not exceed 290cm (114.1 inches) and 25kg (55.1 pounds). In total, the maximum measurements of each piece of baggage are 85 x 55 x 35cm (33.4 x 21.6 x 13.7 inches). Musical instruments also count as hand baggage as long as they do not exceed the dimensions 30 x 120 x 38cm (11.8 x 47.2 x 14.9 inches) and are stored in a case. |
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What food and drink is available? | If you’d like to stretch your legs and grab a coffee during your journey, AVE trains have an onboard dining car. If you’d prefer to stay in your seat, AVE staff will pass through each car with a food and drink cart. |
What onboard entertainment is available? | On AVE trains, you can take advantage of PlayRenfe – their free WiFi and entertainment pass. Giving you access to exclusive content and fast connection speeds, PlayRenfe can be downloaded from the app store on your phone. Once you’re connected, you can access the PlayRenfe portal, where you’ll find exclusive live sport, news, films and TV series. |
What facilities are there for travel with children? | Children under 3 years old travel for free with AVE, as long as they do not occupy a seat and have their free child ticket. Children from 3 to 14 years old can take advantage of a 40% discount on ticket prices. |
Can I bring a bike on board? | On all AVE trains, each passenger can take one bicycle or scooter on board, as long as it’s folded and carried inside a case. Also, the pedals must be removed and handlebars turned 90 degrees. Lastly, if the sum of the dimensions of the case is less than 180cm (70.8 inches), it's considered as hand luggage. However, if it’s bigger, it will be considered as special luggage (max dimensions 120 x 90 x 40 cm or 47.2 x 35.4 x 15.7 inches). |
Can I bring pets on board? | With AVE, you can travel with a pet as long as it weighs no more than 10 kg (22 pounds) and travels inside a cage or carrier that measures max 60 x 35 x 35 cm (23 x 13 x 13 inches). Your pet must have their own pet ticket, unless you’re traveling with a Premium ticket, in which case the pet ticket is free. Guide and assistance dogs travel for free. |
What special assistance is available? | AVE offer a free assistance and care service for people with reduced mobility. To request the service, passengers should contact AVE directly. |
What baggage limits are there? | One piece of hand baggage (36 x 27 x 15 cm) and one piece of cabin baggage (55 x 35 x 25 cm) can be taken onboard. You can take additional or larger bags with you (max. 30kg) for an extra fee or by paying for OUIGO Plus. |
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What food and drink is available? | On OUIGO trains in France: an at-seat service of snacks is available on Train classique services. This service is not available on high-speed OUIGO trains. |
What onboard entertainment is available? | WiFi (OUIFI) and an entertainment portal (OUIFUN) are available at an additional cost. |
What facilities are there for travel with children? | For OUIGO trains in France: Passengers under 12 years old pay a fixed price for tickets all year round - €5 for journeys on Train classique services, and €8 for high speed services. |
Can I bring a bike on board? | You can take your bicycle on board OUIGO trains if you add the 'Bike' option onto your ticket for an additional fee of at least €5. Your bike must be folded or dismantled and placed in a storage bag for transport. |
Can I bring pets on board? | Pets are only allowed on board OUIGO trains if the 'Pets' option is added to your ticket at the time of booking. (1 pet per adult, per booking, €10 per pet.) |
What special assistance is available? | For disabled passengers or those with reduced mobility, you can request assistance through 'Accès Plus'. With this service, a member of staff will meet you at the station and help you get to your seat on the train. To book assistance, contact Accès Plus after you book your tickets (and no later than 48 hours before your train is due to depart). |
What baggage limits are there? | Traveling with a Básica ticket on an Avlo train? You can travel with 1 piece of hand baggage and 1 suitcase. Both pieces of baggage are not subject to a weight limit, but the hand baggage cannot exceed 27cm (10.6") x 36cm (14.1") x 25cm (9.8") and the suitcase cannot exceed 55cm (21.6") x 35cm (13.7") x 25cm (9.8") in dimensions. If you’d like to add 1 extra piece of baggage, you’ll need to pay a fee of €10 if you buy it at the time of purchase and €30 if you get it at the station. |
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What food and drink is available? | On Avlo trains, there is no onboard dining service. However, you will find a vending machine, serving a diverse variety of hot and cold drinks and snacks. Please note that the vending machine only accepts card payments. |
What onboard entertainment is available? | If you’re traveling with Avlo, you can enjoy free WiFi through the PlayRenfe platform. As soon as you’re connected you can enjoy films, television shows, newspapers and much more. |
What facilities are there for travel with children? | Children under 3 years old travel for free with Avlo, as long as they do not occupy a seat. Children under 14 travel for €5 (maximum of 2 child tickets per adult). |
Can I bring a bike on board? | Only folding bikes and scooters are allowed on board Avlo trains, as long as they do not exceed the dimensions permitted for suitcases – 55 x 35 x 25cm (21.6" x 13.7" x 9.8"). |
Can I bring pets on board? | You can travel with your pet for only €10 ($11.01), provided that you have a small pet, such as a dog, cat, ferret or bird (not poultry). Your pet must not weigh more than 10 kg (22 lbs) and must travel inside a cage or carrier, which must not exceed dimensions of 60 x 35 x 35 cm (23.6" x 13.7" x 13.7"). Please note there is a maximum of 1 pet per person and all pets must always travel with their own pet ticket and not take up a seat. Guide and assistance dogs are allowed on the train free of charge. |
What special assistance is available? | With Avlo, passengers with reduced mobility can request the assistance service. For more information, contact Avlo directly. |
For specific information about how to get your hands on cheap tickets, check out our European train tickets hub.