Madrid to Granada: travel options
Approximate direct distance: 360 km • Travel distance depends on the route and transport you choose.
Compare the options
Recorded fares and journey times. Check each operator before booking.
| Transport Mode | Operator | Duration | Price guide | Stations / Airports | Key Booking Tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bus Direct | Alsa Coach | About 5h 10m |
Check fare
Fare source checked: 6 Oct 2026 Fares vary by departure and ticket conditions. Tickets and times: Alsa Coach |
Dep: Madrid Estación Sur; check the departure
Arr: Granada Estación de Autobuses
|
Alsa lists roughly 4½–6¼ hours according to stops. Check the actual service class and arrival stop; the coach station is separate from Granada railway station. |
| train Direct | Renfe AVE | About 3h 40m |
Check fare
Fare source checked: 7 Oct 2026 Fares vary by departure and ticket conditions. Tickets and times: Renfe AVE |
Dep: Madrid Puerta de Atocha–Almudena Grandes
Arr: Granada railway station
|
Plan about 3½–4 hours on a suitable direct train. Keep the Alhambra ticket on a separate block of time and include the local uphill journey. |
Choosing your journey
A direct train is a useful choice for a Granada stay, with a coach as an alternative. Plan roughly 3½–4 hours by a suitable train or 4½–6¼ hours by coach, plus local travel.
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Choose the arrival that suits your room
Renfe trains leave Atocha for Granada’s railway station. Alsa coaches use Madrid Estación Sur on relevant departures and arrive at Granada’s coach station. Those Granada stations are in different places, so compare the final connection as well as the main fare.
Keep the Alhambra away from arrival pressure
Book the Nasrid Palaces for a time you can reach comfortably. A train or coach arrival followed immediately by an uphill transfer leaves very little room for delays. With two or more nights, use a settled morning for the Alhambra and the arrival afternoon for the lower centre.
Compare service details on the departure
A coach can offer useful times, but not every departure has the same seat layout or facilities. Check the actual product rather than expecting screens, meals or a particular service class. For rail, compare the complete journey when the planner offers a change as well as a direct train.
Plan the arrival
The Madrid guide and Granada guide explain the local journeys, places to stay and visits. Add the main travel ticket separately to your daily spending plan. The distance above is a straight-line comparison between the city centres; your train, road or flight route can be longer.
Put Granada first when the Alhambra fixes your dates
If a suitable Alhambra booking determines the trip, travelling straight to Granada can make more sense than forcing a stop in every city on the way. Compare this route with Madrid–Seville, using the Seville or Granada comparison to decide what you would lose by choosing just one.
The seven-day itinerary reaches Granada at the end instead. Reversing that order is a new travel plan: recheck hotel nights, dated departures and the final airport rather than reusing its daily schedule backwards. In either direction, keep a buffer between the incoming journey and a timed palace entry.
