A platform I wasn't familiar with, and although it failed me the first time I paid for a train ticket and the tickets didn't arrive in my email, a very kind person called me in less than 12 hours and confirmed my problem and sent the tickets to my email. I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that I had a free ticket for a cultural activity for my visit to Almería. The second time I bought my ticket, I got another free ticket for a cultural activity on my return to Madrid. I'm very happy with their service, their kindness, and their speed in responding to an incident that I didn't even have time to call to complain about. They deserve my 5 stars, and they can't do any more.
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Train Route
Santander-Madrid trains: timetables, fares and offers
Santander-Madrid train in 4h 14min from €17. 7 departures a day, real timetables and stops. Check fares and book your trip.
From 17€
6 trains/day
Alvia · Intercity
4h 14'
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2026-09-02
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17€Minimum price
4h 14'Direct journey
6Daily trains
35%Early booking savings
Route summary
Quick summary of the Santander-Madrid route
The Santander-Madrid train covers 512 km in 4h 14min on the fastest Alvia, and up to 4h 43min on the services with more stops. There are 7 departures a day from Santander to Madrid-Chamartín, from €17 and averaging €48. Prices vary with the date, how far ahead you book and the fares on sale. Check the search box for your own trip.
| Distance | 512 km |
| Shortest journey | 4h 14min (Alvia) |
| Longest journey | 4h 43min |
| Departures a day | 7 trains |
| Train types | Alvia and Intercity |
| Lowest fare | €17 |
| Average fare | €48 |
| Highest fare | €99 |
| Cheapest time of day | between 1pm and 4pm |
| Best time to book | 22-30 days before travelling |
| Departure station | Santander |
| Arrival station | Madrid-Chamartín |
Schedules
Santander-Madrid train timetable
The first train leaves Santander at 06:40 and the last one at 19:00. The fastest service is the Alvia at 07:05, arriving at 11:19 in 4h 14min. Prices vary with the date, how far ahead you book and the fares on sale. Check the search box for your own trip.
| Departure | Arrival | Duration | Type | Stops |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06:40 | 11:30 | 4h 50min | — | |
| 06:48 | 11:30 | 4h 42min | — | |
| 07:14 | 12:47 | 5h 33min | — | |
| 07:14 | 12:59 | 5h 45min | — | |
| 09:20 | 15:07 | 5h 47min | — | |
| 13:45 | 18:21 | 4h 36min | — | |
| 13:58 | 18:21 | 4h 23min | — | |
| 16:00 | 20:38 | 4h 38min | — | |
| 16:27 | 21:07 | 4h 40min | — | |
| 16:27 | 22:20 | 5h 53min | — | |
| 19:00 | 23:31 | 4h 31min | — | |
| 19:20 | 23:52 | 4h 32min | — |
Current timetable. Check your date's availability in the search box.
Prices
Santander-Madrid train fares
The Santander-Madrid train starts at €17.15 in Turista class, with an average fare of €48 across everything on sale. Preferente class can reach €99. Based on 617 real queries to the Renfe API.
| Type/class | From | Average fare | Up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALVIA Turista | €17.15 | €33.82 | €85.80 |
| ALVIA Preferente | €27.40 | €41.97 | €64.65 |
| Intercit Turista | €34.30 | €46.85 | €62.90 |
| REG.EXP. Turista | €38.40 | €58.54 | €99.10 |
Journey time
How long does the Santander-Madrid train take?
The Alvia takes 4h 14min between Santander and Madrid-Chamartín. Services with more stops take up to 4h 43min. Prices vary with the date, how far ahead you book and the fares on sale. Check the search box for your own trip.
| Service | Duration | Departures a day |
|---|---|---|
| Alvia | 4h 14min – 4h 43min | 6 |
| Intercity | 4h 31min | 1 |
Stations
Stations on the Santander-Madrid route
Trains leave from Santander and arrive at Madrid-Chamartín. Prices vary with the date, how far ahead you book and the fares on sale. Check the search box for your own trip.
On board
On board the Santander-Madrid train
The route is served by Alvia and Intercity. What each train carries depends on the set assigned to the service, so it is worth checking when you book.
| Service | Duration | Departures a day | Classes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alvia | 4h 14min – 4h 43min | 6 | Turista and Preferente |
| Intercity | 4h 31min | 1 | Turista |
Savings
How to pay less on the Santander-Madrid train
To save on the Santander-Madrid train, book 22-30 days ahead (14% average saving). Wednesday is the cheapest day of the week, averaging €41. Data from 617 real queries to the Renfe API.
Book 22-30d ahead
13.8% cheaper than buying in the last 48 hours
Average fare booking this far ahead: €44
Travel on Wednesday
The cheapest day of the week, averaging €41
Wednesday: €41 on average vs Sunday: €57
Pick midday trains
The cheapest time of day, averaging €38
€38 on average vs €65 at the most expensive time
Search with flexible dates
Moving the trip by ±2 days can bring the fare down a long way
Compare departure days in the ofertren.com search box
Search with flexible dates
Moving the trip by ±2 days can bring the fare down a long way
Compare departure days in the ofertren.com search box
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the Santander-Madrid train
How much does the Santander-Madrid train cost?
From €17 one way, averaging €48 and up to €99 on the busiest dates. The lowest fare on record is Alvia Turista, from €17.15.
How long does the train from Santander to Madrid take?
The Alvia takes 4h 14min between Santander and Madrid-Chamartín. Services with more stops take up to 4h 43min.
How many trains a day run from Santander to Madrid?
7 departures a day from Santander, split between Alvia and Intercity.
Which station do trains to Madrid leave from in Santander?
From Santander, where the 7 daily services on this route start.
Which station in Madrid do trains from Santander arrive at?
At Madrid-Chamartín.
Does the Santander-Madrid train make intermediate stops?
The most frequent stops are Torrelavega/Tanos, Palencia, Valladolid, Reinosa and Aguilar de Campoo.
What time do the first and last trains to Madrid leave?
The first leaves Santander at 06:40 and arrives at 11:23. The last one leaves at 19:00 and arrives at 23:24.
When is the Santander-Madrid train cheapest?
Booking 22-30 days before travelling saves 13.8% on average. Wednesday is the cheapest day of the week, averaging €41. The midday trains are the cheapest of the day, averaging €38.
Opiniones
Lo que dicen nuestros usuarios en Google
Ofertren's rating on Google Maps is 4.7/5 - Based on 95 real reviews published.
A perfect 10/10 experience, not a single problem, everything was perfect, easy and 100% recommended.
Ver en Google →I've bought combined train tickets here twice recently, and both times everything was perfect and about ten euros cheaper than on other similar websites. No problems at all, and they even gave me free tickets to the sobao museum in my hometown, haha. I'll definitely be back. Thanks for your service and always great window seats. Highly recommended!
Ver en Google →Las reseñas proceden de Google Maps.
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