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How to get to Toledo from Madrid

“How to get to Toledo from Madrid?” This is one of the most frequent questions from our customers every day during our Madrid Free Walking Tour.

Of course, if you visit Madrid you cannot miss the fascinating city of Toledo, which was the former capital of Spain until King Philip II moved the capital to Madrid in 1561.

How to get to Toledo from Madrid
Toledo Panoramic Views | Image credits: ahsonwardak (flickr / C.C.)

How to get to Toledo from Madrid

Toledo is located only 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the city center of Madrid. However, they are very well connected. There are plenty of transportation options. You can choose among car, cheap trains that leave from the center of Madrid, tour companies and buses that connect the capital of Spain with Toledo every hour.

For this reason and for its great beauty, Toledo has become one of the most demanded day trips for tourists visiting Madrid. But the key question is which is the best way to get to Toledo?

How to get to Toledo from Madrid by train
AVE Train connects Madrid with Toledo in just 25 minutes | Image credits: OgoTours

How to get to Toledo from Madrid by train?Ā 

This is our favorite option. In barely 25 minutes you will be in Toledo. Note that these trains reach speeds of up to 250 kilometers per hour (155 Mph), which makes the trip a memorable experience.

The high-speed train to Toledo departs from Atocha Station which is located in the city center (in front of the Museum of Modern Art Reina Sofia). These trains are equipped with all modern comforts you can imagine: cafeteria, reclining seats, air conditioning, generous space for luggage, ample legroom, tray tables, etc. Belive us, you won’t want to get off this train!

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The frequency of these high-speed trains (Madrid-Toledo) is very high, almost every hour. Regarding the price, the ticket costs around 25ā‚¬ (round trip) on average.

-Time of Journey: 25 minutes
-Price: 25ā‚¬ approx (roundtrip)
-Frequency: Hourly (approx.)
-Train departure: Trains Madrid-Toledo depart from Atocha Train Station

How to buy train tickets from Madrid to Toledo

You can buy your tickets directly at the train station but we recommend purchasing tickets online (Omnio). This website is easy to use, allows you to compare prices and schedules and they donā€™t charge any additional fee.Ā Honestly, it is the best way to find the cheapest trains to Toledo.

You can also visit the official website of RENFE, the national railway company, but it has a less intuitive interface and sometimes it is not possible to pay with credit cards issued abroad šŸ™

Important to know before buying your trains tickets to Toledo from Madrid

  • Toledo train station is equipped with all kinds of services: cafeteria, ATMs, car rental, tourist office, toilets, etc.
  • The roundtrip train tickets to Toledo have a small discount
  • In high season (spring and autumn months) the frequency of trains is higher. However, tickets are sold out for the most popular times. Buy your tickets as far in advance as possible
  • The Toledo train station is outside the historic center. We explain you how to get to the historic center of Toledo here. There are taxis and city buses to get to the historic center. If you prefer to walk, it is a pleasant walk of about 25 minutes
  • Last but not least, enjoy the beauty of Toledo train station. The building was erected in 1917 and is made entirely of iron, brick and stone. The interior of the station is decorated with tiles, mosaics and beautiful arches reminiscent of Islamic architecture
How to get to Toledo by train from Madrid
(Atocha Train Station) Trains to Toledo depart from Atocha Station in Madrid | Image credit: Rodney (Flickr / C.C)

How to go from Toledo train station to the city center?

Basically we have 3 options to go from the Toledo train station to the historic center.

Ā -Urban Bus: When leaving the Toledo train station, you have to go to the nearest bus stop where you can take an urban bus (lines 5, 6 and 22) that takes you directly to the historic center (Plaza Zocodover). Price: approximately ā‚¬2

-Taxi: At the train station there is a taxi rank where you can take one without any problem. Price: ā‚¬5 Uber and Cabify do not work in Toledo.

-Walking: From Toledo station to the historic center there are approximately 1.5 kilometers (20-25 minutes walking). It is a pleasant walk; you just have to follow the signs. The only downside is that there are numerous steep streets.

LOCAL TIP! Recently, escalators have been built (Safont) that save us from having to climb the steepest part of the walk. These escalators are free and are located in the Miradero area. The escalators do not work 24 hours.

Timetable of escalators in Toledo (Safont-Miradero Area)

  • From Mon to Thu, from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm.
  • Fri, from 7:00 am to 2:00 am.
  • Sat, from 8:00 am to 2:00 am.
  • Sun and holidays, from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm.
How to get from Madrid to Toledo
Toledo Train Station | Image credit: Brian Adamson (Flickr / C.C.)

How to get to Toledo from Madrid by bus?

For those who like the road, they can travel to Toledo by bus and enjoy the landscape. The only drawback is that the buses leave from Plaza Eliptica station, which is located a little bit far from the city center. You will need to take the metro to get there.

The route Madrid-Toledo is operated by ALSA, one of the most reputable bus companies in Spain. Its fleet of buses is modern and equipped with every comfort.

The bus journey from Madrid to Toledo takes about 1 hour which is twice as long as the train. On the other hand, bus is cheaper.Ā 

-Time of journey: 1 hour
-Price: 10ā‚¬ (roundtrip)
-Frequency: Hourly (approx.)
-Bus departure: Bus Madrid – Toledo departing from Plaza ElĆ­ptica

How to buy bus tickets from Madrid to Toledo

The approximate price per person is just 10ā‚¬ (roundtrip). You can buy your tickets online. Personally, we always recommend (Omnio). This website allows you to find the best prices online.

You can also buy your bus tickets to Toledo directly at the station. If you decide to buy the tickets at the station, we recommend you arrive well in advance since it is likely that the tickets will be sold out for the most popular times, especially in high season (April, May, June, September and October).

Click the banner and discover the best day trips from Madrid! Toledo, Segovia, El Escorial and much more: useful information, links, prices, etc.
How to get to Toledo from Madrid
The route Madrid - Toledo is operated by ALSA, one of the leading bus companies in Europe | Image credits: mallol (flickr / C.C.)

Important to know before buying your bus tickets to Toledo from Madrid

  • Plaza ElĆ­ptica station (where buses Madrid to Toledo depart from) is quite far from the center of Madrid. To get to Plaza ElĆ­ptica Station from the center of Madrid you have to take metro line 3 and then 6 (20 minutes). Plaza ElĆ­ptica station is small compared to other bus stations in Madrid, but it has cafeterias and some shops to make the wait more bearable.
  • Roundtrip ticket prices are slightly cheaper.
  • If you do not buy roundtrip tickets you may find problems to return to Madrid. In case the return tickets to Madrid run out you will have to spend the night in Toledo šŸ™‚
  • The first bus of the day leaves from Madrid at 6am and the last ones leave from Toledo around 11pm. However, it makes no sense to arrive in Toledo before 9:30 or 10am when businesses open in Toledo. If you arrive before that time, you will probably even have a hard time finding a bar for a cup of coffee.
  • In high season (spring and autumn) tickets to travel to Toledo by bus are easily sold out.
  • The bus station in Toledo is far from the historic center. You will need to use public transport or walk about 15-20 minutes. We explain how to get to the historic center of Toledo from the bus station here
Buses to Toledo from Madrid
Buses to Toledo depart from Plaza Eliptica in Madrid | Image credit: Draceane (Wikipedia / C.C.)

How to go from Toledo bus station to the city center?

The Toledo bus station is located outside the city walls. To get to the historic center you have the following options:

-Walking: From the bus station to Plaza Zocodover, the heart of the historic center, you have a walk of about 15-20 minutes. Don’t forget to take the escalators (Safont) located in the Miradero area. Otherwise, you will have to climb numerous steep streets and it will take longer to get there šŸ˜‰.

-Taxi: At the bus station there is a taxi rank. You will have no problem finding a taxi. Given the great influx of tourists, there are always taxis waiting their chance. Approximate price: ā‚¬5

-Urban Bus: The municipal urban bus company is called UNAUTO. When you leave the bus station you have to go to the bus stop located in ā€œRonda del Granadalā€ (5 minutes walking). At this stop you can take lines 12, 61 and 62 that take you directly to the historic center (Plaza Zocodover). Approximate price ā‚¬2

Driving from Madrid to Toledo

How long would it take you to drive from Madrid to Toledo? The journey will take approximately 1 hour.Ā  The only problem is that you can find some traffic congestion on the Madrid orbital motorways. Something common if you live in a big city šŸ™Ā 

Take the M-30 ring road. This is a very busy highway that connects the center of Madrid with dormitory towns, so traffic is almost always dense here. Then you just have to follow the instructions and take the A-42 motorway that takes you directly to Toledo.

The A-42 is a modern, safe and toll-free motorway.

There are multiple places to rent a car in Madrid:

  • Madrid Barajas Airport
  • Atocha Train Station
  • Europcar Plaza EspaƱa
    Address: Calle San Leonardo, 8
  • Hertz Princesa
    Address: Calle de la Princesa, 9


If you travel by car, you will have a car to use when you reach Toledo. However, inside the historic center of Toledo you cannot use the car. There are several car parks in Toledo, but it is almost impossible to find free parking.

Taking all this into account, plus the cost of gas, the car is our least preferred option.

driving to Toledo from madrid
A-42 Motorway | Image credit: Asqueladd (Wikipedia / C.C.)

Madrid to Toledo Private Taxi Transfer Service

Another option is to take a taxi in Madrid to go to Toledo. Without a doubt this is the most expensive option but also the most comfortable. The taxi can pick you up at your hotel and drop you off in the historic center of Toledo. Taxis are a great option if you are travelling with people with reduce mobility.

The price of a taxi to Toledo from Madrid is around ā‚¬100 (one way). Regular taxis can seat up to 4 passengers.Ā  You can also book a taxi for 8 people whose price will be a little higher, approximately ā‚¬130.

Before taking the taxi, we recommend you ask the taxi driver what the price will be to avoid unpleasant surprises. Although it does not happen frequently, some taxi drivers can takeĀ advantage of exchange rates to trick tourists.

The trip from the center of Madrid to Toledo takes approximately 50 minutes.

Important! Official taxis in Madrid are white with a red stripe. The license number is visible both inside and outside the taxi. Although 99% of taxi drivers are true professionals, we recommend that you memorize the license number. In case of any problem, this number is used to quickly identify the taxi driver.

To return to Madrid from Toledo, you must take an official taxi in Toledo. Madrid taxis cannot pick up customers in Toledo.

Taxi from Madrid to Toledo
Madrid official taxi | Image credit: Dcarolina.2000 (Wikipedia / C.C.)

Day Trip Tours to Toledo

There are many companies that offer day trip tours to Toledo from Madrid. However, you must do an intensive search to find those that are really worth it. Not all companies offer an optimal service, nor the guides are sufficiently well-prepared.

The only problem with these types of tours is that you have to adjust to their schedule, and they tend to be large groups (approximately 30-40 people).

To find the best group tours we recommend visiting Viator and GetYourGuide. These websites are great to compare prices and check the reviews of each company.

Another great option is to book a private tour in Toledo. This kind of tour allows you to enjoy a guide exclusively for your group.

Join a tour group or go it alone?

It is not easy to answer this question. In our opinion and given the ease of getting to Toledo from Madrid, our recommendation is to go on your own and book a free tour in Toledo (check this link) or a private guide.

Going on your own will allow you to have more freedom to explore and enjoy the city at your own pace.

We hope this post has helped you organize your visit to Toledo from Madrid.Ā 

Got questions? Don’t hesitate to contact us šŸ˜‰ info@ogotours.comĀ 

OgoTours
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About Javier

Hola! My name is Javier Redondo, tour guide in Madrid for more than 8 years.
As a good "MadrileƱo", I love football (I support AtlĆ©tico de Madrid), eating tapas and walk the cobblestone streets of old Madrid šŸ™‚

This Madrid blog is where I share tips on popular attractions, local food and off-beat spots.

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