Exploring Spain – Holidays by train

The trains in Spain don’t go mainly by the plain. They have superb train connections countrywide and, for international visitors, one of the best is the direct train between Paris and Barcelona, which takes just under seven hours, and links up easily with Eurostar services from the UK. For so many reasons, travelling by train in Spain is one of the best ways to take in its arcadia of adventure-filled landscapes, which is why we have labelled all holidays that are reachable by rail in our search criteria, and also give details on each tour page of how to get there by train. Here are our top Spain holidays by train, to give you a head start on enjoying your adventures in a sustainable, slow and often mindful way.

Join the sole train on the Camino de Santiago

The majority of our camino walkers and cyclists are seeking to take time out from busy lives for contemplation and restoration. Starting and ending your pilgrimage by train is the perfect way to ease your way into this mindset, or to process the impact it has had on you at the end of the trail. In Spain, nearly all of our Camino de Santiago holidays are accessible by train with, most importantly, a station in Santiago de Compostela at the end of the pilgrimage. Whether you’re choosing to do the complete Camino Frances, Camino del Norte or Camino Portugues, you can travel to and from the adventure by rail. Many of the individual sections, such as our most popular Camino Frances last section, from Sarria to Santiago, are also easy to connect with trains.

Following a different track on the Camino Mozárabe

The Camino Mozárabe was originally a pilgrimage route for Christians heading to Santiago de Compostela from southern Spain. Today it’s a 620km trail, and its name is derived from the Mozárabs, or Christians living under Muslim rule for 700 years. It’s divided into several sections between Almería and Santiago and, at the moment, we only offer one of them, although it’s definitely an ethereal one. You can either walk (120km) or cycle the 145km section between Granada to Córdoba, with highlights including the Alhambra de Granada, Mosque of Córdoba and La Mota fortress in Alcalá. The Mozarabs didn’t have the benefit of starting and ending their journey by train, but with stations in both start and end cities, you can make this a choo choo camino.

Take a state-of the art, high-speed train through Spain to go back in time along the Camino Mozárabe.

Ruta de Don Quijote by rail

There’s a stunning cycle route through Spain’s La Mancha plains, inland idylls which feature in the epic Spanish novel, Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes. Which is why the trail is called the Ruta de Don Quijote, starting in the historically multicultural city of Toledo, and finishing in Alcázar de San Juan, both with train stations. While Don Quixote wandered with his faithful steed, you cycle through villages famous for their hill-top whitewashed windmills, the stunning Ruidera Lakes Nature Reserve where 15 lakes are adjoined by waterfalls and streams, and the huge vineyards of Tomelloso. Bring your own bike on the train, or rent one from us.

Ruta dels Indiketes by rail

The Ruta dels Indiketes is Catalonia’s newest and stunning long-distance walking trail, although it follows in the footsteps of Iberian people from ancient times who lived in this region. The 476km circular trail, starting and ending in Llançà, which has a train station, takes you through the two regions of Alt and Baix Empordà, exploring ancient paths and woodland, ravines, ancient villages and remote coves. This itinerary is the complete trail walked over 24 days, but you can start and finish it anywhere you like, although not many of the other towns have train stations with direct connections. But do talk with our adventure specialists and we can advise you further on that.

Llançà is a lovely spot to start and finish the mammoth Ruta dels Indiketes.

Extremadura is extra by train

On our cycling holiday in Extremadura, you get to explore one of Spain’s most modest regions tourism-wise, but one that is worthy of being held up high on a prettiness pedestal. Nestled in the heart of western Spain, Extremadura is a land where time slows down and you can too, cycling across a mosaic of sweeping plains, rugged sierras and the iconic dehesas, home to the free-roaming Iberian pigs that produce the world-renowned jamón ibérico. And the fact that it is also accessible by train, with stations in both Cáceres, where the tour begins, and in Talavera de la Reina, where it comes to a close, adds to the slow, gentle quality of it all.

In addition, we have a 10 day cycling holiday that crosses the regions of both Castilla y León and Extremadura, following the Vía de la Plata, one of Spain’s Via Verde trails that follows former railway lines. Starting in the historic city of Salamanca and finishing in medieval Trujillo, there are train stations in both.

Cycling in Exremadura in Spain is totally extra when you get there by train.

Your carriage to the Catalan coast

Less direct than some, our Coastal Trails of Catalonia holiday starts after a one hour transfer from Figueres Vilafant train station to the starting point of Begur. This holiday ends in the elegant resort town of S’Agaró, from where you can get a direct bus back to Girona, a major train hub. Or, if you prefer to go walking in Catalonia’s mountains, this Costa Brava walking holiday includes transfers from Girona at the beginning and end of your walking trail. For cyclists, you can take a train to this Catalan coastal holiday, which also takes in Aiguamolls de l’Empordà Nature Reserve, with complimentary transfers to and from the stations to your start and end point.

To aim even higher, our High Pyrenees walking holiday in the Alta Garrotxa region, with trekking among an array of 3,000m plus peaks, is reachable by rail. You are met at Ripoll, a two hour train journey from Barcelona, and transferred to your accommodation in Camprodon. And the trekking adventure comes to a close in Ribes de Freser, where you can get a train back to Barcelona.

The ‘rail’ Andalucía

Andalucía is all about the south, glimmering not only in the summer heat but also with an array of walking and cycling trails that lead you to some of Spain’s finest cultural and natural jewels. This walking holiday in the Sierra Nevada, for example, takes you through the prettiest of whitewashed villages one day, and to the Alhambra Palace the next. And, as it starts and finishes in Granada, train travel is a cinch to the Sierra. Another Granada and grand rail journey can be used to take on this cycling holiday to Ronda, which follows a long-distance trail known as the Ruta de los Almorávides, a trade route dating back to the 11th century. But with fantastically modern connections. This cycling holiday in Andalucía is between Jerez and Cadiz, both railway cities, and so giving you access to the region’s orange and olive groves, ancient Roman ways and coast.

You can take it all in from a train, not just the mountains but also magnificent sights such as the Alhambra Palace.

Train companies in Spain

Trains in Spain are predominantly run by the national rail operator Renfe, but there are also some private operators: Ouigo Spain and iryo, so it’s worth checking them all out. The international high-speed train from Paris to Barcelona is run by SNCF’s TGV INOUI. So you’re not short of choice, with a tapas of train treats.

How to get cheap tickets to Spain

Our top tip to get cheap train tickets in Spain is to book well in advance. With Renfe, you can book up to three months in advance on many routes, and the same goes for TGV INOUI between Paris and Barcelona. Ouigo Spain tickets are usually available a year in advance. If you want to be really on the ball, sign up for the booking platform Rail Europe’s super handy booking alert system so that you’re given the heads up when the booking opens up on your chosen Spanish train route, and then grab a cheapie.

Atocha train station in Madrid. The capital city and central hub of rail travel in Spain.

Interrail tickets

Another great value option is to buy an Interrail one-country Spain Pass (aka Eurail Pass if purchased in the USA) and combine a couple of Spain’s walking or cycling tours over a set period of time. And Interrailing has gone multi-generational, with Senior and Youth Passes available, so jump on board, whatever your age. You can also combine countries with an Interrail multi-country Pass, and add another destination that’s accessible by rail into your adventurous mix.

We hope you’ve enjoyed taking the train around Spain. You can explore many more trips in Spain that are reachable by rail here. We’ve also put together a library of loco tips and trails, which include the following blogs: How to book cheap train tickets; Top walking holidays accessible by train; Top cycling holidays accessible by train; Sleeper train journeys rock, and Best train journeys in Switzerland.