Train stations in Cádiz

Trains from Madrid and Seville both end at Cádiz station, on the edge of the old town. Most visitors never need another station.

Cádiz station is the one to use

Cádiz is the end of the line, on Plaza de Sevilla beside the port. Alvia trains from Madrid, regional Media Distancia trains from Seville and the Cercanías C1 commuter line all arrive here. The station has ticket sales, a food area, car rental, parking, a taxi rank and a bus stop, and it is adapted for passengers with reduced mobility. Because the line ends here, you cannot ride past your stop, and the old town is within easy walking distance.

The station closes overnight, from around midnight until early morning. A very late arrival or a pre-dawn departure needs planning, and a taxi from the rank is the fallback.

Trains from Madrid

Alvia trains link Madrid Puerta de Atocha with Cádiz, with the first departure from Madrid at 07:05 and more through the day. Allow about 4 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours for the trip in either direction. Timings on this line are adjusted from time to time, by up to 20 minutes, so trust the times on your ticket over an older guide.

The Madrid ticket includes a free Cercanías journey (Combinado Cercanías) in both Madrid and Cádiz, usable in the 4 hours before departure and the 4 hours after arrival. Redeem it with the code on your ticket at a Cercanías machine or ticket office.

Trains from Seville and Jerez

Regional Media Distancia trains run between Seville Santa Justa and Cádiz. The first trains leave Cádiz at around 05:40 and Seville at around 06:40, early enough for a day trip in either direction.

Jerez de la Frontera sits on the same line and is a stop on Cercanías C1, so it makes an easy break on the way to or from Seville. C1 also continues to Aeropuerto de Jerez, so the airport is one direct train from Cádiz.

Cercanías and the other four stations

Cercanías Cádiz is Renfe's local network. Line C1 leaves Cádiz for San Severiano, Segunda Aguada, Cádiz-Estadio and Cádiz-Cortadura, then continues through San Fernando, Puerto Real and El Puerto de Santa María to Jerez de la Frontera. In the morning a C1 train leaves for Jerez roughly every 30 to 60 minutes, the first at around 05:45. The T1 Trambahia line also starts at Cádiz and runs to Chiclana de la Frontera roughly hourly.

The four stops after the main station matter only when your hotel, flat or event is close to one of them.

• San Severiano is the first stop after Cádiz, with city bus links and bike parking.
• Segunda Aguada is the next stop, with city buses, bike parking and some Media Distancia trains.
• Cádiz-Estadio is the stop for the football stadium, and some Media Distancia trains also call here.
• Cádiz-Cortadura is the last of the four, near Cortadura beach, and only Cercanías trains use it.

Each hop between Cádiz and Cádiz-Cortadura takes about two minutes on C1, so the whole run is around eight minutes. Alvia trains do not call at any of the four, so a Madrid train cannot be boarded there.

From the station into the city

The old town begins within minutes of the station on foot. City bus lines 1 and 5 stop at Plaza de Sevilla for onward trips, and taxis wait outside.

If you are staying near Cortadura beach, Cádiz-Cortadura is the closer stop, about eight minutes from Cádiz on C1.

Tickets and fares

Long-distance and Media Distancia tickets are sold by Renfe at the station and online. Fares change with the date and how early you buy, and the lowest prices go to advance purchases. Discounts exist for children, young people, seniors and large families.

Cercanías single tickets are priced by zone:

Buy them at station ticket offices or Cercanías machines. A single ticket must be used within two hours of purchase, and a return ticket must be used on the same day. You can also tap a contactless bank card or phone at the gates. Validate at both entry and exit when you pay this way, or the maximum fare for the whole network is charged. From the fifth journey in a calendar month on the same card, single fares drop by 40 percent.

Practical tips

• Book the Madrid train early for summer and holiday weekends, because the cheaper fares sell first.
• On Cercanías, keep your ticket or card handy until you leave the station, because you tap out as well as in.
• For a day out to Jerez or Seville, note your last train home before you leave, since the station is shut overnight.