Lisbon to Madrid is quickest by air: about 1 hour 20 minutes on one of around 18 direct flights a day, from about €25 one way. Buses take about eight hours from about €9. There is no direct train yet; one is planned for 2030.
Ways to travel
Flight
TAP, Iberia, Air Europa, easyJet, Ryanair
Lisbon airport (LIS) → Madrid-Barajas airport (MAD)
- Journey time
- 1 h 20 min
- How often
- About 18 a day
- Fares from
- €25
- Changes
- Direct
Allow about an hour at each end for the airport. Lisbon airport is about 20 minutes from the centre on the red metro line; Madrid-Barajas is linked to the centre by metro line 8 and the airport express bus.
Bus
FlixBus, ALSA, BlaBlaCar Bus
Lisbon Oriente or Sete Rios → Madrid Estación Sur (Méndez Álvaro)
- Journey time
- 8 h
- How often
- Several a day, including overnight
- Fares from
- €9
- Changes
- Direct
The fastest buses take about 7 hours 30 minutes. An overnight bus saves a hotel night, but you arrive early in the morning with a full day ahead.
Train
CP + Renfe
Lisbon Oriente → Madrid Puerta de Atocha
- Journey time
- 10 h
- How often
- Few connections: check both timetables
- Fares from
- —
- Changes
- 2 changes
Three trains on two tickets: CP to Entroncamento, a CP regional train to Badajoz, then Renfe to Madrid. Allow 9 to 11 hours. The Lusitania sleeper train stopped running in 2020.
Good to know
Good
Spain is one hour ahead of Portugal all year. A flight that leaves Lisbon at 10:00 lands in Madrid at about 12:20 local time.
Watch out
Timetables, match tickets and kick-off times in Spain all use Spanish time. Count the lost hour when you plan a trip on match day.
Good
A direct train is coming. The EU plan adopted in October 2025 targets Lisbon to Madrid in about five hours by 2030, and about three hours by 2034.
Watch out
No timetable or start date has been published. Until one is, plan on flying or taking the bus.
Good
The bus is the cheapest way: fares start at about €9 if you book ahead.
Watch out
Madrid's Estación Sur is south of the centre. Take metro line 6 or a Cercanías train from Méndez Álvaro.