Atocha or Chamartín: which station your train leaves from and how to get there from Madrid airport
Your train to Valencia leaves in an hour and a half. You get to Atocha with time to spare, look for your departure on the board, and it isn't there: it leaves from Chamartín, on the other side of the city.
Mixing up Madrid's two main stations is easier than you might think. Atocha is in the south of the city centre, Chamartín is in the north, and getting from one to the other means crossing the whole of Madrid.
So here is the simple rule to start with. Trains to southern Spain and to Barcelona leave from Atocha; trains to Valencia, Alicante, the north and Galicia leave from Chamartín. From the airport, Chamartín is closer: the commuter train from T4 gets there in 15 minutes. There is no direct commuter train to Atocha, and the journey takes noticeably longer.
The rule has exceptions, of course. More on those below.
Take a closer look at your ticket
The first thing to do, before you even leave home, is open your ticket and find the station name. You won't see the familiar "Atocha" or "Chamartín" there, because Renfe prints the full official names. Atocha appears on the ticket as Madrid-Puerta de Atocha-Almudena Grandes, and Chamartín as Madrid-Chamartín-Clara Campoamor.
Atocha needs one more check.
Right next to the main station is a second one, Madrid-Atocha Cercanías, and both have "Atocha" in the name. Commuter trains run from there, while the high-speed AVE, Avlo and Ouigo services depart from Puerta de Atocha. Both stations are in the same complex, so if your ticket says Puerta de Atocha, head for the long-distance hall.
Where trains from Atocha go
Trains from Atocha head south and north-east. According to Renfe's November 2026 timetable, departures from here include:
- AVE to Barcelona, Seville, Málaga and Granada, as well as Lleida, Huesca, Figueres and Marseille;
- long-distance trains to Cádiz, Huelva, Algeciras, Almería and Pamplona;
- Avant to Toledo;
- Avlo to Seville and Málaga.
Ouigo also runs from Atocha to Barcelona and Málaga. Heading to Barcelona or Málaga? Atocha is your station, and it pays to compare fares and journey times across operators, since several of them run these routes.
Where trains from Chamartín go
Trains from Chamartín head north, to Galicia and to the east coast:
- AVE to Valencia, Alicante and Murcia;
- trains to Ourense, A Coruña, Vigo, Gijón and León;
- long-distance trains to Santander, Bilbao, Irun and Salamanca;
- Avant to Valladolid and Segovia.
Valencia and Alicante come with a caveat. Most trains on this line now leave from Chamartín, but Renfe has kept two services each way at Atocha for Valencia and two for Alicante and Murcia. Ouigo and Iryo serve the east coast from Chamartín only.
So even if you left for Valencia from Atocha last time, check your ticket first this time.
One more thing: at the moment there is no direct train from Madrid to Portugal from either station.
Here is a quick cheat sheet to save:
| destination | station |
|---|---|
| Barcelona, Seville, Málaga, Granada, Toledo | Atocha (Puerta de Atocha) |
| Valencia, Alicante, Murcia | Chamartín, apart from a few Renfe services from Atocha |
| Galicia, Asturias, León, Santander, Bilbao | Chamartín |
| Segovia, Valladolid, Salamanca | Chamartín |
From the airport to Chamartín
Chamartín is the easy one to reach from the airport.
The Cercanías C-1 commuter train runs from the station at Terminal T4 to Chamartín in 15 minutes, every 15 minutes. The first train leaves T4 at 5:57 and the last regular one at 23:27, with one more after that at 0:10. If your flight lands close to midnight, make a note of that time.
Landed at T1, T2 or T3? A free bus will take you to T4: it runs around the clock, and the ride from T1 to T4 takes about 10 minutes. There is also the metro: line 8 to Nuevos Ministerios, change to line 10, and four stops later you are at Chamartín.
Before you buy a commuter ticket, check your train ticket. If it is a Renfe ticket for an AVE or a long-distance train, the commuter train between the airport and the station is free for you, in both directions. Renfe calls this Combinado Cercanías: it is valid from 4 hours before departure until 4 hours after arrival, and in Madrid you simply scan the barcode at the ticket gate.
Renfe makes no such promise for Avlo, Ouigo and Iryo tickets, so if you are travelling on one of those, budget for a regular commuter train ticket.
From the airport to Atocha
Atocha is trickier.
There is no direct commuter train from the airport. You take the C-1 to Chamartín and change to another Cercanías line, and the whole journey takes 30-45 minutes.
By metro it is two changes: line 8 to Nuevos Ministerios, line 10 to Tribunal, then line 1 to Atocha Renfe. With a suitcase that means three walks through underground passages, so we only recommend the metro if you are travelling light.
During the day the easiest option is bus 203. It runs from T1, T2 and T4 to Atocha between 6:00 and 23:30, every 15-20 minutes, costs €5 and takes about 40 minutes. There are no changes, and you don't have to haul your case through any tunnels.
If you land late, bear in mind that after midnight the 203 only goes as far as Plaza de Cibeles, and from there you will have to make your own way to the station. We compared the other ways into town in our guide to getting from Madrid airport to the city centre.
How early to get to the station
A station is not an airport, but you can't turn up five minutes before departure either.
Bags are screened at the entrance to the high-speed trains, and the checks are run by Adif, the station operator. Ouigo asks you to be in the boarding area at least 30 minutes before departure and closes boarding 5 minutes before. Renfe and Iryo set out their boarding cut-off times in their conditions of carriage: read them in advance, not in the queue for the scanner.
Now add it all up. You land at T1 and your train leaves from Atocha. Ahead of you are passport control, the baggage belt, a trip across the city with changes, and the security check at the station.
That is why we recommend leaving two hours between your plane touching down and your train leaving. With less time than that, get ready for a dash like the McCallister family's in "Home Alone", only with a suitcase and through ticket barriers.
If you'd rather avoid the changes
With children, big suitcases or a late flight, it is simpler to go by car straight to the station. A transfer from the airport to Atocha takes ~23 min, and to Chamartín ~15 min. The price is per car, not per passenger: from €39 to Atocha and from €32 to Chamartín, and you see it before you book.
The driver tracks your flight number, times the pick-up to your actual landing and helps carry your luggage to the station entrance. At the airport the driver waits 60 minutes free of charge, so a slow baggage belt won't cost you extra. A child seat is free of charge: just select it when you book.
Check which terminal you need in advance in our guide to Madrid airport terminals.
Frequently asked questions
Which Madrid station is closer to the airport, Atocha or Chamartín?
Chamartín is closer to the airport. The C-1 commuter train runs from T4 to Chamartín in 15 minutes, while there is no direct commuter train to Atocha, so you have to change.
Which Madrid station do trains to Valencia leave from?
Most trains to Valencia leave from Chamartín, including all Ouigo and Iryo services. Renfe has kept two services each way at Atocha, so check the station on your ticket.
Is there a direct train from Madrid airport to Atocha?
There is no direct commuter train: the C-1 runs from T4 only as far as Chamartín, where you change to another Cercanías line. During the day, bus 203 goes to Atocha with no changes.
Is the commuter train from Madrid airport free with a train ticket?
The commuter train is free if you have a Renfe ticket for an AVE or a long-distance train: Combinado Cercanías is valid from 4 hours before departure until 4 hours after arrival. Renfe makes no such promise for Avlo, Ouigo and Iryo.
What is the difference between Puerta de Atocha and Atocha Cercanías?
They are two separate stations in the same complex. High-speed and long-distance trains leave from Puerta de Atocha, and commuter trains from Atocha Cercanías.
You can book in the Let's GO app or on the website: enter your pick-up and drop-off addresses, and the price appears straight away, before you confirm.