Madrid to Zaragoza by train

High-speed trains link Madrid and Zaragoza in about 1 hour 35 minutes, and every direct departure leaves from Madrid Atocha, not Chamartín.

Start at Atocha

Book from Madrid Puerta de Atocha-Almudena Grandes. Every direct train to Zaragoza starts there, whichever company runs it. Nothing direct leaves from Chamartín-Clara Campoamor, so if you are staying in the north of the city, allow extra time to get across to Atocha first.

You arrive at Zaragoza-Delicias, the city's main station. Cercanías local trains, buses and a taxi rank serve it. The station is open from 05:30 until midnight.

Journey time and how often trains run

Most direct trains take 1 hour 35 to 1 hour 45 minutes. A few slower ones need about 2 hours. On a typical weekday there are well over twenty direct departures, usually one or two an hour from early morning until mid-evening, with a thinner spell in the early afternoon. Departure times may shift with the timetable change on 13 December 2026, though the hourly pattern looks set to continue.

Many of these trains are heading on to Barcelona Sants. Don't be thrown if the board at Atocha shows Barcelona rather than Zaragoza.

Renfe, iryo or OUIGO

Three companies run this route, and a ticket for one is no good on another. Renfe has the most departures, mostly AVE. iryo runs a good number through the day. OUIGO, the low-cost operator, has only a handful. Journey times are close, so choose on price and on the departure that suits you.

OUIGO adult fares start from €9, with a small hand bag and a cabin bag included and a bigger suitcase charged as an extra. Renfe's fares climb from Básico, the cheapest and least flexible, through Elige to Prémium, the most flexible. iryo sells Inicial, Inicial Superior, Infinita and Infinita Bistró, the last with food served at your seat. On all three, prices rise as trains fill. Early bookers get the low fares.

Interrail passes

An Interrail pass covers Renfe and iryo, but not OUIGO. On Renfe's AVE you need a reservation as well as the pass: €10 in second class and €13 in first class. Get it through Interrail's own booking service, or at a Renfe long-distance ticket desk in Spain, before you board. iryo pass reservations also go through Interrail. If only an OUIGO train fits your plans, buy a normal OUIGO ticket.