If you’re planning to travel in Europe, you may look at Lisbon and Madrid as the capital cities of two relatively small countries next to each other and think “wow, there must be an efficient way to get from one to the other”. You’d think, wouldn’t you? Well, unfortunately, you’d be wrong. It’s actually much easier to travel between, say, London and Paris, which are literally separated by the ocean. But I digress – you didn’t click on this article to hear me complaining!
If you want to skip the waffle, here’s a contents section:
- How to Get from Lisbon to Madrid
- Is There a Train from Lisbon to Madrid?
- How to Take a Flight from Lisbon to Madrid
- How to Take the Bus from Lisbon to Madrid
- How to Hire a Car and Drive from Lisbon to Madrid
- How to Use BlaBlaCar to Get from Lisbon to Madrid
- FAQs About Getting from Lisbon to Madrid
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How to Get from Lisbon to Madrid
Lisbon and Madrid are two of my favourite cities. Lisbon is my home; I’ve lived here for three years now, and I’ve been an official resident of Portugal for the last two. Madrid is an amazing place that I visit frequently. In fact, I went five times this year (although that’s a lot even for me). Madrid airport is one of the biggest and most well-connected in Europe, so I sometimes take long-haul flights from there rather than from Lisbon, too.
So, as you can imagine, I’m pretty clued up on the journey from Lisbon to Madrid. I’ve done it pretty much every way possible, from a round trip via Salamanca (a true hidden gem in Spain, by the way, I highly recommend that you put it on your list of places to visit if you’re heading in this direction!), to a much more simple plane ride.
Personally, I don’t really like to take short-haul planes. I think they’re a real waste of fuel, especially as I travel a lot already. So, I usually travel from Lisbon to Madrid overground. Which brings me to what is probably your first question…
Is There a Train from Lisbon to Madrid?
Short answer: no.
Can you believe it?! There’s essentially no way to travel from Lisbon to Madrid by train, and in my opinion this is a huge tragedy. It’s not even for lack of train lines; the train line exists, and there used to be an overnight train from Lisbon to Madrid, but it was shut down during the Covid pandemic and never re-started again.
There are so many high-speed and modern trains throughout Spain and northern Portugal that it really is surprising to me that this train from Lisbon to Madrid hasn’t been reinstated in some form or another. As far as I can tell, from all of the research I’ve done, there isn’t any train that you can take from Portugal to Spain at all.
When I did this journey most recently, I took a five hour bus from Lisbon to Salamanca, and then took the train from Salamanca to Madrid. So, that journey used a bit of a train, I supposed, but that’s certainly not the answer you came here for.
🇵🇹 Read more: The Ultimate Packing List for Travelling in Portugal
How to Take a Flight from Lisbon to Madrid
Now, after that disappointment, you’re hopefully happy to learn that there are direct flights from Lisbon to Madrid. Hallelujah! Just some of the airlines that run this flight are Air Europa, Tap Portugal, and Easyjet.
There’s just one airport in Lisbon (Humberto Delgado Airport) and one airport in Madrid (Madrid Barajas Airport), so you won’t make a mistake I’ve almost made twice in my life, and accidentally turn up to the wrong airport…
Getting to and from the airport in both cities is relatively easy.
How to Get to Lisbon Airport
In Lisbon, you can take the metro from Lisbon centre to the airport, but you have to switch lines. Take the green line north from Cais do Sodre or Baixa Chiado (terminating at Telheiras) to Alameda, switch onto the red line going east (terminating at the the airport) and, of course, stay on it until you arrive at the airport. It won’t take you longer than 30 minutes, depending on the times of the trains.
How to Get to Madrid Airport
In Madrid, you can take the Cercanias train directly from the central stations of Recoletos or Mendez Alvaro on the C1 or C10 lines.
If you want to find cheap flights, the best way to do it is to book in advance. You can get some good last-minute deals, but flights tend to fill up and become more expensive closer to the day of travel.
I always use Google Flights to find the best deals.
🇵🇹 Read more: A Guide to Solo Travel in Portugal
How to Take the Bus from Lisbon to Madrid
Taking the bus is how I usually travel from Lisbon to Madrid. It’s not the most fun ride ever – the bus is anywhere between 7.5 and 9.5 hours depending on the route and the time of day (the travel times you see on your ticket will account for traffic, although sometimes they do still arrive late).
Buses from Lisbon generally leave from Oriente Bus Station, which is a little far from Lisbon centre. In fact, it’s just three stops before the airport on the metro, so scroll up a little if you want to know how to take the metro to Lisbon bus station from the city centre. Be sure to check your ticket, as other bus stations do exist(!) but in my experience, buses have always departed from Lisbon Oriente.
At the heart of Spain, the bus usually makes two stops; one at Madrid’s southern bus station, Estación de Autobuses Madrid Sur (which can be a bit confusing to find on Google Maps, by the way, but it’s attached to the Mendez Alvaro train and metro station), and another at Madrid Airport. So, many times, I have taken the bus from Lisbon to Madrid Airport and then taken an international flight. (If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know that I don’t like airport layovers, so I prefer to do this in order to have a direct flight.)
If you want to make it into Madrid centre, the best place to get off is the southern bus station. It’s just a short train ride into the city centre from there.
To be honest, I’m not sure if there are any particular days that are cheapest to find bus tickets, but, again, it’s cheapest to book them in advance. When you book your bus tickets in advance you can find them for as cheap as 9.99€ with FlixBus, but booking them last minute can be up to 50€. Alsa and BlaBlaCar Bus also run this route, but they tend to start at 20-30€ (although they can still be cheaper than FlixBus if you’re booking last minute). Overall, it tends to be a fair bit cheaper than taking a flight. Sometimes, depending on the routes, I find that tickets are actually cheaper booking through BusBud. (Usually they are a euro or two more expensive because they take a commission, but it’s always best to check all options! I also really like BusBud’s app, interface, and mobile tickets – it’s much easier than downloading ten different apps or searching through your emails for tickets.)
➡️ Go to: FlixBus
➡️ Go to: BusBud
How to Hire a Car and Drive from Lisbon to Madrid
There are plenty of European car hire companies to choose from when you’re travelling from Lisbon to Madrid, but the tricky part is finding a company that will let you pick the car up in one country and drop it off in another. Luckily, you’re staying within the EU, so you have more options.
The drive from Lisbon to Madrid takes six to seven hours without stopping. If you’re a solo traveller or couple, then taking the bus will almost certainly work out cheaper, it will take just as much time, and at least you don’t have to split the driving. However, if you’re in a small group then driving could be an ideal option.
When you’re pricing it up, remember that there are a lot of toll roads in Portugal and Spain! (They’re not very common in the UK, so I always get surprised by how much they cost.)
🇪🇸 Read more: A Guide to Solo Travel in Portugal
How to Use BlaBlaCar to Get from Lisbon to Madrid
Finally, using a ride sharing app like BlaBlaCar is another option for travelling from Lisbon to Madrid. If you don’t know, BlaBlaCar (and other ride sharing apps) are apps where drivers can post information about their journey, and you can join them in the car by paying a fee towards their petrol and upkeep costs. It’s popular across Europe, but especially so in Spain and France.
I often check it before I travel, and although there aren’t direct rides every day, I do see them pop up several times per week.
The great thing about BlablaCar is that you have the luxuries of being in a car without having to drive, and you meet some great people along the way. I’ve had some really interesting conversations and even made good friends in BlaBlaCars.
The downside is that you can rarely book them in advance. Drivers typically post their rides just 1-3 days before they travel, which isn’t ideal if you want to plan ahead. It is a great option for last-minute trips when the busses and flights have gone up in price!
FAQs About Getting from Lisbon to Madrid
Is there a train from Lisbon to Madrid?
No, there is currently no direct train from Lisbon to Madrid. The train service was discontinued during the pandemic and has not been reinstated.
How can I travel from Lisbon to Madrid by air?
Direct flights are available from Lisbon to Madrid with airlines like Air Europa, TAP Portugal, and EasyJet. They are fast and convenient, though costs may vary depending on the time of booking.
How long does it take to travel by bus from Lisbon to Madrid?
The bus journey from Lisbon to Madrid takes between 7.5 to 9.5 hours, depending on the route and traffic. It’s a budget-friendly option, with tickets starting as low as €9.99 if booked in advance.
Can I drive from Lisbon to Madrid?
Yes, the drive takes 6–7 hours. Renting a car is ideal for small groups, but consider the cost of toll roads when planning your budget.
What is BlaBlaCar, and how does it work for this route?
BlaBlaCar is a ride-sharing platform where you can join drivers traveling from Lisbon to Madrid. It’s affordable and offers a chance to meet fellow travelers, though rides are often posted only 1–3 days in advance.
Conclusion
Lisbon and Madrid are both incredible cities that you must visit if you’re coming to this part of Europe. You can check out my guides on things to do in Portugal here (things to do in Lisbon specifically is coming soon!) and things to do in Madrid here.
Whilst it is a real shame that there’s no train service between Lisbon and Madrid, I don’t let that stop me from travelling regularly between these two capital cities, and neither should you!