Getting from Madrid to Salamanca

Considered one of the most spectacular Renaissance cities in Europe, Salamanca is located on river Tormes, at about 200 km northwest of Madrid . The Old City has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988 and is dotted with old buildings and picturesque streets.
If your plans are to spend most time in and around Madrid, then taking a day trip to Salamanca is a nice way to break the routine.
Summary:
Salamanca doesn’t have an airport. The closest airport is Barajas International Airport in Madrid. From the capital, you can take either the train or the bus (prices and travel times are about the same).

By train

All trains to Salamanca depart from Chamartin train station. They take about 2h 35 min to get from Madrid to Salamanca and a ticket costs €17.50 per person, one way (tourist class).
The trains run year round. There are six trains which connect the cities daily (at 8:45 a.m., 11:05 a.m., 1:40 p.m., 3:45 p.m., 8 p.m. and 9:13 p.m.) and one train departs only during the weekend (at 6:43 p.m.).
>> the schedule can be found here

By bus

The buses to Salamanca are run by the company called Avanza Bus (the website is also in English). There are two types of buses connecting the two cities: normal and express.
The normal buses take 3 hours to get from Madrid to Salamanca and the ticket costs €12.30 (+€2 management fee) per person, one way. The express buses take 2h 30 min and the ticket costs €18.65 (+€2 management fee) per person, one way. Discounts are available for military personnel, children up to 4 years old, etc.
The first bus departs from Madrid at 7 a.m. and the last at 10:30 p.m. Buses depart about every hour.

By car

Rending a car in Spain is a lovely idea if you don’t mind the traffic or using a map (or navigator) quite often. There are six major roads going to Madrid and all are connected by two ring roads. Take A6 out of Madrid, then go on A51 and follow N-501 to Salamanca. The driving distance is 214 km and takes about 2 h 40 min.
Here’s a map to help with the directions:
madrid-to-salamanca

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