Trainlink
Seville, photographed for Wikimedia Commons
Classic routes

Andalusian Cities

Madrid · Córdoba · Seville · Granada

Timetable-checked:3 trains · 5h 17m on board
7-8 daysSuggested duration
4 stopsIconic cities
CulturalPalaces & tapas
Lower CO₂Than flying

“Mosques, palaces and orange trees, a few hours apart.”

Suggested
7-8 days
Stops
4
On board
5h 17m

Cultural · Timetable-checked · Lower CO₂ than flying

Overview

Spain's fast lines turn a long journey south into an easy one. Leave the art museums of Madrid for the mosque of Córdoba, the cathedral and palaces of Seville and the Alhambra above Granada.

“Three Moorish cities, one fast line south.”

The route

  1. Madrid, photographed for Wikimedia CommonsMadrid · 2 nightsRoyal palaces and three great art museums.
    Renfe OperadoraAVE 0208208:30 → 10:14 · 1h 44mTimetable-checked
    AVE 02082 · Renfe OperadoraMadrid-Puerta de Atocha-Almudena Grandes → Córdoba-Julio Anguita08:30 → 10:14
    1. Madrid-Puerta de Atocha-Almudena GrandesDep 08:30
    2. Córdoba-Julio AnguitaArr 10:14
  2. Córdoba, photographed for Wikimedia CommonsCórdoba · 1 nightThe great mosque and a maze of flowered patios.
    Renfe OperadoraAVE 0207008:55 → 09:48 · 53mTimetable-checked
    AVE 02070 · Renfe OperadoraCórdoba-Julio Anguita → Sevilla-Santa Justa08:55 → 09:48
    1. Córdoba-Julio AnguitaDep 08:55
    2. Sevilla-Santa JustaArr 09:48
  3. Seville, photographed for Wikimedia CommonsSeville · 2 nightsA vast cathedral, a royal palace and flamenco.
    Renfe OperadoraAVANT 0829509:55 → 12:35 · 2h 40mTimetable-checked
    AVANT 08295 · Renfe OperadoraSevilla-Santa Justa → Granada09:55 → 12:35
    1. Sevilla-Santa JustaDep 09:55
    2. Córdoba-Julio AnguitaArr 10:39 · Dep 10:44
    3. Puente Genil-HerreraArr 11:12 · Dep 11:13
    4. Antequera-Santa AnaArr 11:28 · Dep 11:30
    5. Antequera AVArr 11:38 · Dep 11:40
    6. LojaArr 12:05 · Dep 12:07
    7. GranadaArr 12:35
  4. Granada, photographed for Wikimedia CommonsGranada · 2 nightsThe Alhambra, the Albaicín and the Sierra Nevada.

Timetable-checked on 5 October 2026 for travel on 2026-10-06

Suggested tickets

Suggestions only. Trainlink doesn't sell tickets: check prices, coverage and reservation rules with the seller.

The experience

View by
Madrid, photographed for Wikimedia Commons Madrid - The capital at the centreMadrid
Stay 2 nights in MadridBooking.com

A royal capital

Philip II made Madrid the capital of Spain in the sixteenth century, and the city still centres on its royal buildings. The vast Royal Palace overlooks the Manzanares valley, and the arcaded Plaza Mayor was once the stage for bullfights and royal ceremonies.

The golden triangle of art

Three museums sit within a short walk of each other along the Paseo del Prado. The Prado holds Velázquez and Goya, the Reina Sofía houses Picasso's Guernica and the Thyssen fills the gaps in between. Retiro Park, next door, is the place to rest your feet.

Tapas and churrosFood

Madrid eats late, moving from bar to bar for small plates and a slow evening. Thick hot chocolate with churros is the classic way to end a long night.

Madrid celebratesTraditions

Every May the city honours its patron saint, San Isidro, with traditional dress, street dances and open-air concerts.

Madrid → Córdoba08:13 → 11:052h 52mdirectTimetable-checked

Across La Mancha

The line runs south across the open plains of La Mancha, the windmill country of Don Quixote. It then crosses the Sierra Morena through tunnels and drops into the olive groves of the Guadalquivir valley.

Córdoba, photographed for Wikimedia Commons Córdoba - The city of the caliphsCórdoba
Stay 1 night in CórdobaBooking.com

Capital of the caliphs

In the tenth century Córdoba was one of the largest and most learned cities in Europe, the capital of an Islamic caliphate. Its great mosque grew over two hundred years into a forest of red and white arches. After the Christian conquest a cathedral was built in its very centre.

The old Jewish quarter

North of the mosque, the narrow lanes of the Judería hide a medieval synagogue and quiet courtyards. A Roman bridge crosses the river Guadalquivir to a fortified gate tower on the far bank.

Cold soups and fried flamenquínFood

Salmorejo, a thick cold tomato soup, comes from Córdoba. Try it with flamenquín, a rolled and fried ham-and-pork cutlet.

The patio festivalTraditions

Every May residents open their private courtyards, overflowing with geraniums in pots, for the Festival of the Patios. Prizes go to the most beautiful.

Córdoba → Seville08:04 → 09:571h 53mdirectTimetable-checked

Down the Guadalquivir

The line follows the wide valley of the Guadalquivir west through olive groves and orange orchards. It is a short ride on Spain's first fast line.

Seville, photographed for Wikimedia Commons Seville - The heart of AndalusiaSeville
Stay 2 nights in SevilleBooking.com

Cathedral and Giralda

Seville's Gothic cathedral is one of the largest in the world, built on the site of a great mosque. Its bell tower, the Giralda, began life as the mosque's minaret. Columbus's tomb stands inside.

Palaces and plazas

The royal Alcázar is a palace of tiled courtyards and gardens, still used by the Spanish royal family. Across the city, the sweeping Plaza de España was built for a world fair in the twentieth century.

Across the river in Triana

Over the river, the Triana district is home to potters, tile-makers and some of the city's best flamenco.

Tapas by the riverFood

Seville is a city for tapas: fried fish, cured ham and spinach with chickpeas. Locals eat standing at the bar.

Holy Week and the April FairTraditions

In spring, Holy Week brings solemn processions of religious brotherhoods through the streets. A couple of weeks later the April Fair fills a whole district with dancing, horses and striped tents.

Seville → Granada09:46 → 12:442h 58mdirectTimetable-checked

East to Granada

The line runs east across rolling hills covered with olive groves, past the rock formations around Antequera. As it nears Granada, the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada appear on the horizon.

Granada, photographed for Wikimedia Commons Granada - The last Moorish kingdomGranada
Stay 2 nights in GranadaBooking.com

The Alhambra

Granada was the last Moorish kingdom in Spain, conquered in 1492. Its rulers left the Alhambra, a hilltop complex of palaces, courtyards and fountains covered in carved plaster. The Generalife gardens beside it were the summer retreat of its sultans.

The Albaicín

Across the valley, the old Moorish quarter climbs a hillside in a tangle of white lanes. Its viewpoints face the Alhambra, with the mountains behind, at its best at sunset.

A tapa with every drinkFood

Granada still keeps the tradition of a free tapa with each drink. A tour of bars can turn into dinner.

Crosses of MayTraditions

Every May squares and courtyards are decorated with crosses of flowers for the Día de la Cruz. Each summer an international music and dance festival is held in the Alhambra's gardens.

Practical info

Booking

Trainlink doesn't sell tickets. Check each leg with the operator or a retailer before you travel.

Reservations

Fast trains in Spain need a seat reservation, including for pass holders, so book these legs ahead.

Monument tickets

Entry to the Alhambra and the Alcázar sells out well ahead in busy months, so reserve your visit before you travel.

Best time to travel

Spring and autumn are ideal; inland Andalusia is extremely hot in July and August.

Trainlink plans journeys; operators and retailers sell the tickets.