Trains and stations in Spain

Hi, I’m planning an 11-day trip in Castile, visiting Madrid, Toledo, Segovia, Ávila, and Salamanca, with train travel. But for Toledo-Segovia and then Segovia-Salamanca (or Ávila), there’s no direct train—the shortest route means going back through Madrid. So, I was wondering if the Toledo-Madrid train arrives at the same station as the Madrid-Segovia train, and the same question for Segovia-Madrid and then Madrid-Salamanca (or Ávila). Thanks in advance for any info—I haven’t been able to find this anywhere.

Trains to Toledo leave from Madrid Atocha. Trains to Salamanca leave from Chamartín. All trains to Segovia go through Chamartín, but some stop at Atocha first (regional/cercanías trains and long-distance trains coming from elsewhere: Alicante-Santander, Alicante-Gijón trains).

Thanks, Floriant, for this info. So, just to make sure I’ve got it right—if I’m doing the Segovia-Madrid-Salamanca route, no problem, it’s Chamartín? Thanks again

Yes, Salamanca arrives at Chamartín. For intercity connections without going through Madrid, don’t forget to check out the buses—they’re really comfortable and reliable. Train info can be found on the Renfe website (Google it).

Thanks for your reply! I already knew about the train website, but I only noticed today that you can see the station by clicking on the train number. As for buses, I haven’t found a site with schedules and routes. If you know of one, could you share it with me? Thanks in advance

When it comes to connections with large and even medium-sized cities, check out alsa.es. It's pretty much the biggest company.

Thanks so much!

hi there if I may, Eze is right apart from the main train lines, it’s much easier to travel by bus in Spain it’s faster, friendlier, and way simpler safe travels! Michèle

Hi everyone,

I’m bumping this post to get updated info.

I’ll be in Madrid for the first time in April, for 4 days, and I’d like to spend a day in Toledo.

My question is: what’s the most convenient way to get there (without a rental car)?

If it’s the train, I assume it’s from Atocha station in the city center. In that case, do I need to book in advance, or can I just go there the same morning and buy tickets on the spot? Where can I find the schedules and fares? I don’t speak Spanish.

Also, any tips on the metro and its fare options would be great.

Thanks

In Spain, you travel by bus, especially to connect Castilla y León / Castilla la Mancha to Madrid. Trains are mainly for the AVE (Spain’s equivalent of the TGV) to go from Madrid to Seville, Ourense, Barcelona, or Valencia.

You can buy tickets on the same day at the "estación de autobuses" in each city. It’s a bit tricky to find all the schedules and services on one page because private companies run the routes, but I think there are websites that compile all the offers and timetables. Check out Omio or ALSA (from what I remember).

Thanks so much for your reply. I checked Omio, but the issue is that the bus station (Plaza Eliptica) is far from my hotel, which is near Gran Via. I guess I’d probably need to take the metro on top of that to get there. I was hoping for a simpler solution, especially since I need to reach Toledo early for a booked visit. And the metro, in a city I’m visiting for the first time, would need to be easy to use and with straightforward pricing—especially since I don’t speak a word of Spanish.