Medieval Toledo is located seventy kilometers south of the capital of Spain. The UNESCO World Heritage Site can be easily reached from Madrid in the morning and return back in the evening. Many tourists daily make this journey between the modern and former capital of the Kingdom of Spain. Most public transport routes from Toledo to other cities run through Madrid.
On the map of Spain
The road to Toledo leads from Madrid to the southwest. The distance between cities in a straight line is 65 kilometers, along transport routes - seventy or more. A dead end railway line and highways lead to Toledo. There are no sights worthy of attention on the way between cities, it is not advisable to travel with transfers.
How to get from Madrid to Toledo on your own
The road will take from half an hour to two hours, if you choose from three main methods:
You can leave from Madrid from the city center or from its southern part. If the starting point is located in the north, it may take extra time to get to the train station or bus station or get off the ring road by car.
You can even get to Toledo by bike, in which case you will have to avoid freeways and the travel time will be more than four hours. Unlike other methods, cycling requires a long preliminary preparation. Travelers choosing this method, as a rule, do not consider alternative modes of transport.
Bus service
The fastest route is covered by Alsa direct buses departing from the Plaza Elliptic station in Madrid and arriving at the Toledo bus station, located near the city center. Flights are carried out every fifteen minutes, travel time from an hour to an hour and a half. A ticket can be purchased in a vending machine at the bus station, you will have to spend a little less than six euros to travel one way on the Madrid - Toledo route.
Getting there by bus from the Madrid South Bus Station may be interesting for those arriving from other cities. An alternative Samar route may deviate from the main road, entering small towns. Traveling in this way can take up to two hours with a little. This option is more expensive - a ticket costs six euros eighty-one cents as of June 2018. Buses can end the route in the suburbs of Toledo Asukaike, located five kilometers from the city, in which case you will have to use a local bus or take a walk.
There is another interesting way to get from Madrid to Toledo and get back. This can be done with a bus tour. Schedule and cost can be checked at the nearest tourist office or found on the Internet. Julia Tour's tourist bus leaves daily at 8.45, the tour is conducted in English and Spanish and takes five hours.
High-speed train "Madrid - Toledo"
How to get by train from Madrid Puerta de Atocha to Toledo, you can check directly on the spot. Comfortable trains depart every hour from six or seven in the morning until eleven in the evening. Travel time is 33 minutes. The fare is twice as high as on the bus - 12.9 euros (956 rubles). You can buy a train ticket online on the Spanish Railways website using the Russian interface. Advance sale of tickets opens in two months. There are vending machines and ticket offices at the station. Three luggage bags with a total weight of up to twenty kilograms per passenger can be transported on the train for free.
Trains arrive at the station, located on the banks of the Tagus River opposite the city center. One and a half kilometers to the center through the Arakiel Bridge can be overcome on foot in about twenty minutes. Despite the fact that the road from the station will take longer than the way from the bus station, it is worth at least one way to go by train and visit the beautiful station building in Toledo.
Car trip
When driving, the end point of the route can be the gates of Puerta de Bisagra in Toledo (Spain). How to get from Madrid to this point? You can pre-calculate the route using the navigator or online map. After arriving in Toledo, you can visit the nearby tourist office, take a map of the city and get information on interesting exhibitions and events.
The fastest way from the center of Madrid to Toledo will be 72 kilometers along the A-42 road. If you choose regional roads, the path will be ten to twenty kilometers longer. Speed limits in Spain are 90 kilometers per hour outside populated areas and 100 km / h on roads.
Car rental is available in Madrid. Some companies allow you to rent cars in other cities, in which case you will not have to pay for parking, and you can get around Toledo on foot. When traveling by car, it is better to think in advance where to park, some hotels may have their own parking, free or for an additional fee.
Choosing the best route
A trip from the capital of Spain to Toledo can be made by an organized group or by yourself. A distance of seventy kilometers is most quickly covered by high-speed train. An hour to two will take you in a comfortable bus; you can drive your own or rented car in about an hour. The cheapest way is by bus from Ecliptic Square. You can save on tickets if you purchase them in advance.