--- title: "Trains from Granada to Malaga | EveryRail" description: "Renfe's Avant train links Granada and Malaga directly in around 1 hour 30 minutes via Antequera-Santa Ana, longer than the map distance suggests." image: "https://everyrail.com/api/route-image/granada-to-malaga/" --- [Home]()[Europe by train]()[Spain]()Granada to Malaga by train [Home]()[Europe by train]()[Spain]()Granada to Malaga by train **Share** - - [Share on WhatsApp]() - [Share on X]() - [Share on Facebook]() - [Share by email]() **On this page** - [About Granada to Malaga by train]() - [Where to book]() - [Find places to stay in Malaga]() - [Frequently asked questions]() - [More routes]() [Book now]() Last updated September 2026 # Granada to Malaga by train Renfe's Avant train links Granada and Malaga directly in around 1 hour 30 minutes via Antequera-Santa Ana, longer than the map distance suggests. ![Cityscape of Malaga, the destination for this Granada to Malaga train journey]() Origin [Granada]() Destination [Malaga]() Country [Spain]() [Renfe]() runs a direct Avant train between [Granada]() and [Malaga](): no change of train needed, calling at Loja and Antequera-Santa Ana along the way. The three daily departures take between 1 hour 29 minutes and 1 hour 34 minutes, so budget around 1 hour 30 minutes. That is longer than the map suggests, because the train does not travel in a straight line. It uses the high-speed spur into Antequera before turning south for the coast. ## Granada to Malaga train at a glance | Detail | What to expect | | --- | --- | | Service | Renfe Avant, a medium-distance high-speed train, calling at Loja and Antequera-Santa Ana | | Journey time | Around 1 hour 30 minutes, direct, no change of train | | Frequency | About 3 trains a day | | Departure station | Granada station | | Arrival station | Malaga Maria Zambrano | | Operator | Renfe (sole operator on this corridor) | | Coach alternative | Alsa, about 65 coaches a day, 1 hour 30 minutes to 4 hours 35 minutes | | Fare anchor | Not durably available; check current Avant fares directly with Renfe | ## The route is longer than it looks on a map Granada and Malaga sit roughly 90 km apart as the crow flies, close enough that a map makes the journey look like a short hop. The railway does not follow that line. Granada only joined the AVE high-speed network in 2019, through a branch line to Antequera, itself around 126 km long, that meets the existing [Madrid]()-Malaga high-speed line at Antequera-Santa Ana. A Renfe Avant train leaves Granada, calls at Loja, joins the high-speed line at Antequera-Santa Ana, and continues on to the coast without a change of train. It is a real, if indirect, route rather than a shortcut, which is why this corridor takes closer to an hour and a half than the 20 or 30 minutes a map glance might suggest. ## Book the Avant service, not a search default Renfe's own route map names "Granada - Malaga (Avant)" as a current service, distinct from its Granada-[Cordoba]()-[Seville]() Avant route. Avant is Renfe's medium-distance high-speed tier, built for short hops between cities that are close but not adjacent. Not every booking search finds it. Trainline's results for this corridor show only itineraries with a change, taking 3 hours 35 minutes or more, while Omio's live departure board and Rome2Rio both list the same three direct Avant departures that Renfe's own route map names, at matching times. If a search defaults to a long itinerary with a change, look specifically for an Avant departure, or book directly through Renfe. If your plans genuinely do need two trains, Renfe also sells a "ticket with link" fare that covers both legs on one ticket with a guaranteed connection. ## Train or coach: the honest comparison For most travellers, the Alsa coach is the more practical choice on this corridor. It runs about 65 times a day against the train's roughly 3, at a similar best-case journey time of around 1 hour 30 minutes, and the wider spread of departures makes it easier to fit around your plans. Choose the train instead if you want the Avant's ride quality, or one of its few daily departures suits your schedule. Slower Alsa coaches that make more stops can take up to 4 hours 35 minutes. Check the specific departure time and not just the route when comparing prices, since the cheapest coach is not always the fastest one. ## Stations at each end Granada's station serves as the city's only significant rail hub, with trains for Madrid, [Barcelona](), Seville and this Avant service to Malaga. In Malaga, the service arrives at Maria Zambrano, the city's main station and the one to look for if a booking site shows only "Malaga" as the destination. ## Tickets and fares Avant tickets come as a single one-way fare (Sencillo) or a return (Ida y Vuelta), which carries a 20% saving over buying two singles. Both include an assigned seat as standard. No durable published fare could be confirmed for this specific route, so treat any price shown while researching as a guide rather than a promise, and check the live fare for your date directly with Renfe before you commit to a plan. ## Where to book ### Train tickets - Omio Omio connects you with over 1,000 transport providers - trains, buses, flights, and more - to simplify your travel planning. [Check times & prices]() - Rail Europe Rail Europe is a leading travel tech company specializing in European train bookings for over 15,000 travel professionals worldwide. - Trainline Trainline sells rail and coach tickets worldwide on behalf of major UK and European transport companies. ### Train service - [Renfe]() Renfe is Spain’s national railway operator, offering high-speed, long-distance, and regional train services with extensive domestic coverage. [Official website]() [Check times & prices]() ## Find places to stay in Malaga [![Bright bedroom with white bedding and a breakfast tray on the bed]()**Browse stays in Malaga**Hotels and apartments via Booking.com]() ## Frequently asked questions ### Is there a direct train from Granada to Malaga? Yes. Renfe's Avant service runs Granada to Malaga without a change of train, calling at Loja and Antequera-Santa Ana on the way. Book it directly through Renfe or look specifically for an Avant departure, since some booking sites default to longer itineraries with a change instead. ### Is there a high-speed train from Malaga to Granada? Yes. Avant is Renfe's medium-distance high-speed tier, and it covers this corridor in both directions without a change of train. ### How long does the train from Granada to Malaga take? Around 1 hour 30 minutes on the direct Avant service, with about three departures a day. If a search shows something closer to four or six hours with a change, it has usually found a different combination rather than the direct Avant train. ### Is it better to take the bus or the train from Granada to Malaga? For most travellers, the Alsa coach works out more practical: around 65 departures a day compared with about 3 by train, at a similar best-case journey time. Take the train if you prefer rail travel or one of its few departures suits your schedule better. ### Which station do I need in Malaga? Malaga Maria Zambrano, the city's main station. If a booking page only shows "Malaga," open the train details to confirm that is the station listed before you pay. ## More routes [![Madrid cityscape, the destination for this Granada to Madrid train journey]()Granada to Madrid by Train: Route, Times and TicketsTravel Granada to Madrid on Renfe's AVE, direct four times a day in around 3 hours 30 minutes, with no low-cost operator currently on this corridor.]()[![Alhambra palace complex in Granada with the Sierra Nevada mountains]()Madrid to GranadaFast Madrid-Granada trains take about 3h14m. Compare Renfe AVE, AVLO, Iryo and OUIGO options, and book early for lower EUR fares.]()[![Panoramic view of Malaga and the coast from Gibralfaro hill]()Madrid to MalagaMadrid to Málaga by AVE in as little as 2h 30min over 417 km. High-speed trains reach 310 km/h, with Avlo tickets from €7 and AVE advance fares from around €30.]()[![Alhambra palace complex in Granada with the Sierra Nevada mountains]()Malaga to GranadaDirect Renfe Avant trains link Málaga and Granada in about 1h23-25m, with three direct departures each way on checked June 2026 schedules.]()[![Madrid's Gran Via street at dusk with the Metropolis Building]()Málaga to Madrid by Train: Times, Tickets and StationsDirect Renfe and iryo trains cover Málaga to Madrid in about 2h39, arriving at Puerta de Atocha (Almudena Grandes); departures vary by date.]()[![Ronda's cliffside old town above the El Tajo gorge]()Malaga to RondaNo direct Málaga to Ronda train, change at Antequera-Santa Ana or Bobadilla. Journey takes 1h50m to 3h with 1 to 4 daily services from €13.80.]()[![Seville Cathedral and Giralda tower at sunset]()Malaga to SevilleDirect trains run between Málaga María Zambrano and Sevilla-Santa Justa in around 2 hours. Renfe operates the route with AVE and Avant services covering the 156 km corridor.]()[![Panoramic view of Malaga and the coast from Gibralfaro hill]()Seville to Málaga by Train: Renfe Services, Stations and TimesRenfe Avant and AVE trains link Sevilla-Santa Justa with Málaga María Zambrano, where Cercanías, metro and bus connections continue into the city.]() ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://everyrail.com/#organization", "name": "EveryRail", "url": "https://everyrail.com/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://everyrail.com/_astro/everyrail-logomark-2026.VJ4vNX1T.webp", "@id": "https://everyrail.com/#organization-logo-1" } }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://everyrail.com/#website", "name": "EveryRail", "url": "https://everyrail.com/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://everyrail.com/#organization" }, "inLanguage": "en" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://everyrail.com/trains/granada-to-malaga/#webpage", "name": "Trains from Granada to Malaga | EveryRail", "description": "Train travel information for Granada to Malaga. 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