Flight-Free Travel to Madrid from the UK
Travel by Ferry
Getting to Madrid by Ferry & Train from the UK
Travel by Train
Getting to Madrid by Train or Coach from the UK
DIY Walking Tours For All
Accessible DIY Walking Tours in Madrid
Travel to Madrid without flying.
Normally, I wouldn’t include a European destination that requires more than one change of train in Europe. However, because the ferry/train journey to Madrid is just so wonderful, Madrid is most-definitely worthy of inclusion (there are also train-only and coach-only options too):
- A UK train to Porstmouth; then the 2-night Brittany Ferries ferry from Portsmouth to Santander; then a direct train between Santander and Madrid (Chamartin) – journey time is 4+ hours;
The direct Eurostar train between London and Paris – which takes just 2 hrs 16 mins (if you are arriving in London from other parts of the UK and need to travel across London first, see the Getting To London St.Pancras International From Other Major London Railway Stations article); then travel across Paris, from Paris-Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon (it’s quite an easy journey on RER D, and is only 2 stops direct – but with time at either end, I’d leave around 1 hour for this); then direct TGV InOui train from Paris (Gare de Lyon) to Barcelona (around 6-7 hours); then direct Barcelona to Madrid highspeed train (2 hrs 30 mins);
- A FlixBus coach from London to Madrid (29-33 hours). This is NOT an accessible option though (yes, some coaches are accessible, but until coaches have accessible toilets too, they’re to be avoided – 33 hours is a long time to cross your legs).
Option 1 (Accessible): UK train to Portsmouth; Ferry from Portsmouth to Santander; Train from Santander to Madrid
Portsmouth has two main train stations: Portsmouth & Southsea and Portsmouth Harbour, both of which are close to the Portsmouth Port ferry terminal (although Portsmouth and Southsea station is slightly closer). Taxis from either train station to the Portsmouth Port ferry terminal should cost around £5. You should allow plenty of time to make it to the port from the train stations (it’s only a mile, but I’d leave at least an hour – just in case your train is delayed as well).
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The Portsmouth to Santander ferry service is provided by Brittany Ferries. There are two sailings from Portsmouth to Santander each week, each being a 2-night crossing: one at 21:30 on a Monday evening (arriving in Santander at 08:00 on the Wednesday morning), the other departing Portsmouth at 21:30 on Friday evening (and arriving in Santander at 08:00 on the Sunday morning). Both sailings are aboard Santoña.
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The Portsmouth to Santander ferry arrives in the centre of Santander. It is then an easy 300m walk between Santander ferry port and Santander train station.
There are three direct trains from Santander to Madrid each day, which takes 4 hours 30 mins. All trains arrive in Madrid at Madrid-Chamartin train station.
Accessibility:
UK Train to Portsmouth & Southsea (or Portsmouth Harbour).
Arrange Passenger Assist assistance as normal (the actual assistance available will depend on the train compnies that you use within the UK);
Portsmouth to Santander Ferry.
Santona, the ship used by Brittany Ferries on the Portsmouth to Santander route, is very accessible.
Wheelchair-accessible cabins are available on the Portsmouth to Santander ferry, with specially-adapted bathrooms for wheelchair users. They are limited in number though, so book early to avoid disappointment [and by “early”, I’m talking months in advance if possible – before you book any hotels or trains, book the ferry, as it’s central to this whole flight-free UK to Madrid journey].
Option 2 (Accessible): Eurostar Train from London to Paris; cross Paris; TGV InOui Train from Paris to Barcelona; highspeed train from Barcelona to Madird
The direct London to Paris Eurostar train takes just 2 hrs 16 mins (but you also have to add the one hour time difference).
However, you’ll need to leave London St.Pancras Station by around 9-10am at the latest, iof you want to reach Barcelona later the same day. Otherwise, you’ll have to spend the night in a London hotel (or a Paris hotel), and travel on to Barcelona on the earlier TGV InOui the following morning.
[My advice would be to stay in a Paris hotel instead of a London hotel. It’s likely to be cheaper. And you can use your night in Paris as a time buffer in case of delays. In this case, you would then be able to catch any London to Paris Eurostar train (the last train to Paris currently leaves London at 20:01)];
Hotels near Paris Gare du Nord train station:
4-Star Hotel
25hours Terminus Nord
Paris Gare du Nord train station
The perfect Paris Gare du Nord hotel if you are arriving on the Eurostar train from London
Directly opposite Paris Gare du Nord – any closer and you’d be on the tracks!
Accessible Rooms Also Available [*]
3-Star Hotel
ibis Paris Gare du Nord TGV
Paris Gare du Nord train station
Another great option for those arriving on the London to Paris Eurostar train
An easy 2-minute walk from Paris Gare du Nord train station
Accessible Rooms Also Available [**]
Hostel
St Christopher's Inn Paris
Paris Gare du Nord train station
The Paris hostel nearest to Paris Gare du Nord
Just 200 metres from the station
Dorms & Private Rooms Available
More....
For details of other Paris hotels near Paris Gare du Nord train station (including nearby hostels and apartments), see Booking.com Paris Gare du Nord
Tips for finding Accessible Hotels near Paris Gare du Nord (including hostels & apartments):
Finding a truly accessible hotel, hostel or apartment anywhere can be a bit of a nightmare.
But the accessibility filters on the Booking.com Paris Gare du Nord Hotel search (simply scroll down on the left), make it much easier.
There’s a wee trick though:
By default, the filters are a bit limited. So, ignore the filters initially, simply enter your desired dates, and make an initial search. You will then be presented with ALL properties that are available on your desired dates – and much more detailed filters (on the left – keep scrolling down until you see the “Property accessibility” and “Room accessibility” filters). NOW, filter the results as required. As I need step-free access & a roll-in shower as a minimum, I select BOTH of the “Wheelchair accessible” Property and “Roll-in shower” Room filters.
IMPORTANT: Always specify that you MUST have an accessible room, in the “Comments” during the hotel booking process.
[*] Annoyingly, the accessible rooms at the 25hours Terminus Nord hotel can’t be requested up front. So ALWAYS request this in the comments – and ask them to confirm that it has been reserved.
[**] Like a lot of the lifts/elevators in Paris hotels, the lift/elevator in the ibis Gare du Nord TGV is quite small. Meaning that wheelchair users may have to board the lift on their own. So the ability to self-propel may be required.
To continue on your flight-free London to Madrid journey, you need to travel across Paris, between Paris Gare du Nord and Paris Gare de Lyon train stations (it’s just two stops on the direct RER D though). You can buy tickets from an automatic ticket machine when you arrive in Paris Gare du Nord – although these tickets may also be available to buy from the cafe/bar on the London to Paris Eurostar train (only in lots of 10 though – a “carnet”). The actual RER D journey itself takes just 13 minutes – but I would leave around a full hour for this journey, as you will also need to allow for time at either station, and also allow for the waiting time for the next RER D train to arrive at Gare du Nord;
The next stage of your journey is a direct trip on a highspeed TGV train between Paris (Gare de Lyon) and Barcelona (Sants). The journey takes 7 hours. And there are currently two direct trains between Paris and Barcelona each day (one in the morning, and one leaving Paris around 3pm);
Then finish your journey with a Renfe AVE highspeed train from Barcelona to Madrid.
Accessibility:
Eurostar (London to Paris). There’s a real benefit for wheelchair travellers travelling on Eurostar trains:
Wheelchair spaces are available – but these spaces are only available in the pricier Standard Premier and Business Premier class carriages.
However. They are sold to wheelchair using passengers at a discounted Standard Class rate.
And, although your companion/assistant also has to buy a ticket too (no free companion tickets here I’m afraid), they also travel at this same reduced rate.
RER D (cross-Paris transfer). This is also an accessible journey. But you will need to use lifts in both Paris stations (however, those nice French people have created an online list which tells you the status of each lift in both Paris Gare du Nord and Paris Gare de Lyon train stations).
TGV InOui (Paris to Barcelona). Wonderfully accessible (downstairs only on a double-deck train though).
Renfe AVE (Barcelona to Madrid). 503 kilometres in a very accessible 2 hrs 30 mins!
Option 3: Flixbus Coach to Madrid from London (NOT Accessible)
This is the budget option. You’ll be sitting on a coach for 29-33 hours though.
FlixBus coaches leave from London Victoria Coach Station, and involve one change.
Accessibility:
The coach is NOT an accessible option for getting from London to Madrid though.
Yes, some coaches are accessible, but until coaches have accessible toilets too, they’re to be avoided (unless you’re happy crossing your legs for up to 33 hours).
Public Transport in Madrid
The very first thing you should do, is have a look at the Madrid metro Map:
As well as just showing you what lines go where, the map also shows what stations are step-free/have a lift.
Public transport in Madrid is divided into fare zones, starting at the centre and working your way out.
Fare Zone A covers all of the central area, and is all you’ll really need (unless you have booked a Madrid hotel located at the very end of a Metro line for some reason).
The public transport in Madrid is pretty much excellent (especially the Madrid Metro). Although buses (and taxis) will also get you to where you want to be in Madrid, the Metro goes to just about everywhere in central Madrid that you’ll want to visit (or very close).
Normally, I would simply suggest using a bus, and seeing a city from above ground. But as the Madrid Metro is just so extensive, and is so easy to use, in Madrid, I would definitely recommend just taking the Metro to near to where you want to go.
Accessibility:
Currently, around 70% of the Metro stations in Madrid are accessible, via lifts/ramps (and all Metro trains are too). However, Metro de Madrid is currently working on their 8-year Accessibility and Inclusion Plan (2021-2028) – so the number of accessible Metro stations in Madrid will eventually rise to 84%.
The Metro de Madrid network map shows which Madrid Metro stations are currently accessible.
Buying tickets for the Madrid Metro (and EMT Public Buses in Madrid).
You have a few different options (and how long you intend to stay in Madrid, and how much you plan on using the Madrid Metro, or the public buses in Madrid too, will best determine which option is best for yourself).
And the actual fare is dependent on how far you wish to travel: for journeys of up to 5 stops, the fare is €1.50. Then an additional €0.10 for each of the following stops. Up to a maximum of €2.00 per journey. This fare is calculated automatically when you buy your ticket.
Also, before you can actually use a ticket, you must first have a Public Transport Card (TTP – Tarjeta Transport Publico). You then simply load it with the value of tickets you require. The Public Transport Card (TTP) alone costs €2,50 (but, importantly, they are free/included in the price of day/multi-day Tourist Travel Pass).
The Public Transport Card is purchased at the same time as you purchase your travel ticket.
The day/multi-day Tourist Travel Pass is a transport pass only – and is not to be confused with the Madrid City Card.
Your options then:
- Pay-as-you-go.
Travelling on a “pay-as-you-go” basis, your initial journey will cost a total €4-4.50 (€2.50 for the reusable card + €1.50-€2.00 for your actual journey). And each subsequent ticket will cost you €1.50-2.00. - 10-trip tickets.
If you’re planning to use the Madrid Metro (or the buses in Madrid) a lot though, then you can also purchase “10-journey” tickets instead. Normally, these cost €12.80 (so there’s a discount – and every time you use your card, one journey is simply removed from the total). However, for 2023 only, these fares have been reduced by a further 50% (making it worth buying even if you intend to use public transport in Madrid only 5 times!). - One-day or a multi-day “Tourist Travel Pass”.
The Tourist Travel Pass can be purchased in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 day versions, and also just for Fare Zone A (which covers all of the central Madrid area), or additionally Fare Zone T (which covers the wider Madrid area too). For Zone A, the price is between €8.40 (one day) and €35.40 (seven days). And almost double that if you wish to add Zone T too.
These are all adult fares (which includes children aged 12 and over). There is a 50% discount for children aged 5-11. Children younger than 4 travel for free on the Metro de Madrid. - Madrid City Card.
In addition to including a free “Tourist Travel Pass”, the Madrid City Card also gives discounts to certain attractions in Madrid, and enables you to “skip-the-queue” at others.
The price of the Madrid City Card is similar to the price of a similar Tourist Travel Pass (so the discounts/skip-the-queue options, are basically freebies). However, there are three things to know:
1. The Madrid City Card is valid for 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 consecutive days only (whereas the Tourist Travel Pass also comes in 6 and 7-day versions).
2. And, more importantly, it is based on dates (and not 24-hour periods). So if you were to first use your pass at 23:59 on Day 1, you would have used up one whole day of your Madrid City Card.
3. Madrid City Cards are only available from the Tourist Information Centres in Madrid (and are NOT available from the ticket machines in Metro stations).
For a full explanation of the Madrid City Card, of where it can be purchased, and of where it can be used, see the official Madrid City Card website:
https://citycard.esmadrid.com/en
Example (using 4 journeys, all taken in the same day, as the comparison).
1. Pay-as-you-go. Including purchasing the card (€2.50), 4 journeys would cost a total of: €8.50-€10.50
2. 10-Trip Ticket. Including purchasing the card (€2.50), 4 journeys would cost a total of: €15.30 (it would also be valid for another six trips though).
3. Tourist Travel Pass. The card is included in the price here, so your 4 journeys would just cost you the same as a one-day Tourist Travel Pass – so €8.40 (you could also make as many additional trips on that day as you wanted to though).
4. Madrid City Card. The same as (3) above. So also €8.40 (but with added advantages).
My first choice would be the Madrid City Card then. But as it is only available from certain places, then I would just opt for a Tourist Travel Pass instead (bought from any Metro ticket machine – and valid for the length of my stay in Madrid). Even if I was unsure that I would make that many trips on the Madrid Metro (or on the buses in Madrid), the flexibility of knowing that I had a valid travel ticket on me at all times – would make it definitely worth buying.
“Pay-as-you-go” might seem to be the best option though (for light use of Madrid’s public transport). But having to pay for the card as well, would make that first trip cost €4-€4.50 though. So really only worth it if planning to make 3 or fewer trips on the Madrid Metro (or Madrid buses). Possibly an option though?
Accessibility:
There are indeed discounts available for wheelchair users.
However – these can only be obtained when you have a PERSONAL Public Transport Card. And to obtain one is far from simple (you make an appointment with them, give them a photograph and show documents detailing your disability).
So, unless you will be living in Madrid for quite some time, it’s probably not going to be worth the effort. Just buy 2 regular Tourist Travel Passes instead (one for your companion, and one for yourself.
Madrid Hotels / Madrid Hostels / Madrid Apartments
4-Star Hotel
Hotel Regina
Madrid City Centre
Your search for a wheelchair accessible hotel in central Madrid ends here
Just 100m from Sevilla metro station
Accessible Rooms Also Available
3-Star Hotel
B&B Hotel Madrid Centro
Puerta del Sol
Just 100m from Puerta del Sol, and Sol Metro station; 300m from Gran Via
On the route of the Madrid DIY Walking Tour
Accessible Rooms Also Available
Hostel
The Hat Hostel
Central Madrid
Just 150 metres from Plaza Mayor in central Madrid
Rooftop bar with sunset and city views
Dorm accommodation
More....
For details of other Madrid hotels, Madrid hostels and apartments in Madrid, see Booking.com Madrid
Accessible Madrid Hotels, Hostels & Apartments:
Finding a truly accessible hotel, hostel or apartment anywhere can be a bit of a nightmare.
But the accessibility filters on the Booking.com Madrid Hotel search (simply scroll down on the left), make it much easier.
There’s a wee trick though:
By default, the filters are a bit limited. So, ignore the filters initially, simply enter your desired dates, and make an initial search. You will then be presented with ALL properties that are available on your desired dates – and much more detailed filters (on the left – keep scrolling down until you see the “Property accessibility” and “Room accessibility” filters). NOW, filter the results as required. As I need step-free access & a roll-in shower as a minimum, I select BOTH of the “Wheelchair accessible” Property and “Roll-in shower” Room filters.
IMPORTANT: Always specify that you MUST have an accessible room, in the “Comments” during the hotel booking process.
DIY Walking Tours of Madrid
This walking tour of Madrid takes in most of the attractions of central Madrid that you’ll want to visit.
And because it’s a DIY walking tour of Madrid, you can take it at your very own pace; stopping for a coffee/snack/drink where, when, and for as long as you like; and lingering at the attractions of Madrid that interest you (and speeding past those that don’t).
This DIY Walking Tour of Madrid is around 7.5km long though (almost 5 miles). So it is indeed possible to see the best of Madrid in 1 day – but that’s all you will have time for (seeing Madrid attractions).
Plus, it’s long walk in 1 day (so possible, but definitely not recommended).
Instead, and if you have the time, I would split the DIY Walking Tour in two (ending Day 1 at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and starting Day 2 at the Prado). True, this means Day 1 is a bit longer than Day 2, but it also means visiting just two museums on Day 2 (otherwise it would be three – and visiting three museums on the same day just seems like a bit of “museum overload”?)
Route of DIY Walking Tour of Madrid
Points of Interest: Royal Palace of Madrid > Catedral de Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena > Mercado de San Miguel > Plaza Mayor > Puerta del Sol > Gran Via > Plaza de Cibeles > Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum > Prado National Museum > Parque del Retiro > Palacio De Cristal > Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía.
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Thank you so very much – and have a great time in Madrid!