Wave goodbye to the Calle Gran Vía and let the train take you to the South of Spain to see Seville’s stunning Royal Alcázar palace and riverside parks.
The best way to get from Madrid to Seville? The train.
Specifically, the high speed train from Madrid to Seville.
In our humble opinion, there’s not enough talk about how convenient it is to get around Spain by train without a car.
Sure, you can spend ages in Madrid compiling an encyclopedic knowledge of tapas bars, but this country has so much more to see: like the South of Spain.
Seville is the ideal introduction to Andalusia and you can reach it in 3 hours from Madrid.
5 reasons you won’t be mad you left Madrid for Seville
- Madrid’s Atocha station is magnificent and has an enormous garden with thousands of plants.
- There’s nothing better on a hot night in Seville than a cold bowl of gazpacho.
- Parque de Maria Luisa’s museums, monuments, and manicured gardens can fill an afternoon with equal parts sightseeing and serenity.
- A soak in the ancient Arab baths is the ultimate way to unwind on vacation from your vacation.
- Flamenco will dance its way into your heart and leave you swooning for the South of Spain.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Sylvain Sonnet. Image Location: Plaza de España, Seville, Spain
How to travel from Madrid to Seville by train
Is it better to fly or take the train from Madrid to Seville?
Our vote is always by train, but we’re biased so we’ll let you decide. We will say that train travel tends to have cheaper first-class seats, more flexible luggage allowances, and is much more convenient to get from Madrid’s city center to Seville’s city center.
How long does it take to get from Madrid to Seville?
Madrid to Seville by car is 5 hours, by plane is 1 hour, and by train is 3 hours—on paper. The car is longer depending on traffic and stopping, plus rather costly for gas and the rental itself. The plane is longer when you add in getting to and from the airports outside of the city, plus the early arrival time, delays, and airport obstacles. The train can be as short as 2h 30m, and rather cheap, though you’ll get the best times and ticket prices when you book well in advance.
How far from Madrid to Seville?
Just about 330 miles separate Madrid and Seville by car, which is roughly the same distance between Boston and Philadelphia or Las Vegas and Phoenix. You’re looking at a 5-hour-ish car ride if you don’t need any bathroom breaks or snack stops.
Is there a high-speed train between Madrid and Seville?
Yes, the Renfe AVE and Iryo trains both offer a high-speed train that takes you from Madrid Atocha to Sevilla Santa Justa in 2h 34m with 0 changes.That means you can eat your fill of tapas in Madrid then settle into Sevilla for a late Andalusian dinner.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Gatsi. Image Location: Seville, Spain
How much does it cost to go from Madrid to Seville?
Got $20? Then you’ve got enough for a ticket to Madrid to Seville by train. Tickets can be as low as $18.42 or lower. And that means a comfortable seat in a high-speed train, not riding on the top or leaping into an empty train car while it’s in motion.
Is the train from Madrid to Seville scenic?
The train ride from Madrid to Seville does have scenery, but this swatch of Spain is no Ordesa Valley. You’ll certainly have lovely landscape views whizzing by your window and it’s a much better view than what you’d get at 31,000-feet in the sky. Basically, this train journey was built for speed, not sightseeing.
Can I take a direct, non-stop train from Madrid to Seville?
Sí, both Iryo and Renfe trains have direct trains from Madrid to Seville. Both offer departures from Madrid Atocha to Sevilla Santa Justa and both have an approximate duration of 3 hours, though a 2h 30m train is also available.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Quintanilla
Spain’s trains: The best way to get from Madrid to Seville
The train in Spain is better than the plane.
Want proof? We’ve got receipts:
- Travel from city center to city center; none of that airport-on-the-outskirts business that wastes more of your vacation time.
- Some Renfe trains have meal menus curated by legit Michelin-starred chefs.
- You won’t have to pay extravagant luggage fees just because you couldn’t fit all of your belongings into a fanny pack.
- Free WiFi and onboard entertainment comes standard.
- Some trains have silent carriages which means no crying babies.
Better by train
Did we mention that train tickets are often cheaper than plane tickets? Download the Trainline app and see for yourself just how cheap and easy it is to get from Madrid to Seville by train. Looking for other great day trips from Madrid? See our guide to convenient city breaks from Spain's capital by train. And for all your booking questions, see our guide to booking train tickets online in Spain.
Header Image Credit: Getty Images, Joe Regan. Image Location: Plaza de España, Seville, Spain