Traveling by train from Lisbon to Madrid is a remarkable slow-travel experience.

Often, the journey can be just as rewarding as the destination, and taking the train from Lisbon to Madrid definitely proves that point.

Years ago, the overnight train allowed you to drift off in Portugal and awaken in Spain's capital by morning. While it was faster, you missed out on the breathtaking views and quaint towns along the way.

Allow yourself to discover unseen parts of Portugal and Spain on this enchanting trip filled with fresh adventures – you'll cherish the memories.

Say farewell to Lisbon

Though it's not obvious on the ticket, the journey through Portugal involves a transfer in Entroncamento. I catch a commuter train from Lisbon’s Santa Apolónia station at 7:45am, which has no assigned seats or cafe car. As we depart, the train follows the left bank of the Tagus River, which narrows as we travel north, with the scenery shifting from industrial outskirts to marshy fields after an hour. Around Vale de Figueira, the landscape transforms into rolling hills dotted with oak trees and vineyards. After about two hours, we arrive in Entroncamento, where I have just a few minutes to transfer to my next train.

A swift transfer at Entroncamento leads to the next leg of the journey

Arriving in Entroncamento at 9:28am, I hop on my train to the Spanish border town of Badajoz: a bright green commuter train that looks straight out of a cartoon. On this simple train, I relish the most picturesque segment of the trip, as we chug through the quintessential Alentejo landscape: rolling hills with grazing cattle and oak trees, charming whitewashed villages, old farmhouses, the odd bullfighting ring, and even an abandoned castle. With nearly empty carriages, I stroll to the caboose to snap photos at my leisure. After almost three hours, we cross a small, inconspicuous stream—and just like that, we’ve arrived in Spain. The Badajoz train station, where I’ll make my final transfer, is just a short distance away.

Stroll through the delightful streets of Badajoz

If your train from Entroncamento runs on schedule, you can almost seamlessly connect to a train heading to Madrid. However, I chose to delay my departure to enjoy lunch and explore Badajoz, granting me nearly four hours in this historic city.

The train station is located in the newer section of town, just west of the Guadiana River, a 15-minute walk from the more captivating old town. I exit the station, proceed south on Avenida Carolina Coronado, cross the 15th-century Puente de Palmas footbridge, and enter the city through the 16th-century fortification known as Puerta de Palmas.

I arrive around 2pm, precisely when museums like the Museo de Bellas Artes de Badajoz and the Museo Extremeño e Iberoamericano de Arte Contemporáneo close for their daily siesta from 2pm to 5pm. However, lunch is just beginning, and I find a few intriguing options in town. I choose tortilla española and morcilla (blood sausage) at La Corchuela, a historic, bullfighting-themed bar and restaurant nestled in the old city (for a more upscale experience, Galaxia is a futuristic choice slightly farther from the center).

After lunch, I set out to explore Badajoz’s historic center on foot, soaking in the atmosphere at Plaza de la Soledad and Plaza de España, admiring the extravagant architecture like the Giralda de Badajoz, and wandering the narrow lanes leading to the Plaza Alta with its mesmerizing Moorish design. I eventually find myself at the northern edge of town, at the Alcazaba. This 12th-century Moorish fortress is the largest in Spain, serving as both an archaeological site and a public park. Visitors can stroll through the gardens within its walls and walk along the ramparts for stunning views of the town and river.

From the Alcazaba, I head back to the river and cross the Puerta de Palmas to return to the station for my final train.

The last stretch before reaching Madrid

At 5:36pm, I board the train to Madrid. Operated by Renfe, this modern high-speed train offers comfy seats with power outlets, a movie, and a cafe car. As we race through Spain’s Extremadura region, the scenery is dominated by vast olive groves, with the rugged Sierra de Gredos in the background; I catch a glimpse of a Roman aqueduct at the Mérida train station. It grows dark, and I drift off to sleep, awakening only as we arrive at Madrid’s bustling Atocha station at 10pm. After approximately 13 hours since I first boarded my train in Lisbon, I finally reach my destination.

How to make it all happen

Tickets

Train services are managed by two separate companies: Comboios de Portugal and Renfe. Consequently, you'll need to purchase two different sets of tickets to travel between the two countries.

Dining options during the journey

The trains operating in Portugal are either commuter or regional services, lacking cafe cars. The train from Badajoz to Madrid features a dining car that offers simple meals and beverages. Additionally, Badajoz’s train station has a cafe providing basic snacks and drinks.

Amenities

Badajoz’s train station does not offer luggage lockers, so traveling with a compact suitcase or backpack will make it much easier to explore the city. Wi-Fi is not available at the stations or on the trains.

Travel interruptions

In recent years, strikes by workers at the state-owned Comboios de Portugal (CP) have resulted in the cancellation of up to half of the country’s trains on several occasions. Before purchasing tickets, it’s wise to do a quick search or visit CP’s website to check for any ongoing or imminent strikes.