Day trips
7 Best Day Trips from Madrid by Train
Three UNESCO cities sit within 35 minutes of Madrid by high-speed train. Few capitals in the world can make that claim.
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Toledo
The city of three cultures on its granite bend of the Tagus: cathedral, synagogues, El Greco.
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Segovia
A Roman aqueduct with no mortar holding it up, and the castle that inspired Disney's silhouette.
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Ávila
The most complete medieval walls in Europe — you can walk the whole circuit in an hour.
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Alcalá de Henares
Cervantes' birthplace and a Renaissance university courtyard, for the price of a coffee.
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El Escorial
Philip II's granite monastery-palace in the Sierra foothills, austere and enormous.
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Zaragoza
Four operators compete on this line, so fares are often absurdly cheap. Mudéjar towers and the Pilar basilica.
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Valencia
Yes, the Mediterranean as a day trip. Beach, paella, City of Arts and Sciences, home by ten.
Common questions
What is the best day trip from Madrid by train?
Toledo — The city of three cultures on its granite bend of the Tagus: cathedral, synagogues, El Greco.
Do I need to book these trains in advance?
For high-speed and intercity services, yes: fares rise and popular departures sell out. Suburban and regional lines have fixed fares, so you can simply turn up.
Are these trips possible without a car?
Every destination on this page was chosen because public transport does the whole job — train, and occasionally a short bus or funicular at the far end.