Drive to toledo from madrid. On the map of Spain

A small but such a charming town of Toledo is worth a visit for every tourist who comes to Spain. Here El Greco created his famous canvases, Cervantes often came here, and therefore his famous Don Quixote comes from these places. It is better to enjoy the city, where different cultures and religions are intertwined, slowly. In this article, we will tell you how to get from Madrid to Toledo using different modes of transport.

Briefly about all methods

Trains and buses run between Madrid and Toledo. Of course, you can order a taxi, rent a car or become a travel companion. The methods differ in travel time and cost, but in any case, you will not spend more than an hour on the road.

The fastest distance between these cities can be covered by train, although Railway tickets can not be called cheap in comparison with travel documents for other modes of transport.

The cheapest option is the bus.

It is convenient to travel by car with a company or a large family. Transfer taxi is a comfortable, but the most expensive way. However, in a car with a personal driver, you can enjoy beautiful views along the way and even get some rest.

Way	Cost, euro	Travel time	Note
Train	12.9	33 min.
Bus	5.47	1 hour
Automobile		1 hour
● rent	from 40 days + 8 gasoline		+ 550 euro deposit
● taxi transfer	120-150
● traveling companion	6

By train

Madrid's main train station is called Madrid-Atocha. Comfortable AVANT trains run from Madrid to Toledo all day long. Railways in Spain connect almost all settlements. In addition, the work of all municipal transport is well coordinated in the country, so getting to the station is also not difficult.

Madrid-Atocha is located south of the center, close to botanical garden and Prado. The waiting room is called one of the attractions. There is a palm greenhouse and a pond with turtles. You can get to the station by taking the Cercanías train (line 1).

Trains to Toledo run at intervals of one hour. The first one leaves at 06.50 and the last one at 21.50. On the way you will spend only 33 minutes.

Price travel ticket for one adult passenger is 12.9 euros. Convenient to purchase travel document on the official website of the Spanish Railways.

On the Internet resource, you can view the schedule for several days, even weeks at once, and select the appropriate date and time in a relaxed atmosphere, sitting at the computer. After payment, the ticket will be sent to your email, you will only need to print it.

Of course, you can always buy a travel document at the box office of the railway station or at the ticket machine. It is advisable to check the availability on the website for the date and time you need before going to the station.

By bus

The journey by bus will take twice as long as by train. The first direct flight departs at 06.00 and the last one at 00.00. During the day, two buses leave from Madrid to Toledo every half an hour.

Note that rental companies impose certain requirements on their customers, the fulfillment of which depends on whether they will issue a car or not. Drivers over 21 can rent a car in Spain. In addition, the customer must have at least 1 year of driving experience.

The speed limit on Spanish roads is practically the same as in other EU countries.

in the city you can drive at a speed of 40 km / h, outside - 90 km / h;
on highway it is permissible to reach speeds of up to 100 km / h, on the motorway - 130 km / h, on the autobahn - at least 60 km / h.

We also note the features of traffic rules that every driver who decides to drive around Spain should know:

the driver and passengers must be fastened;
children can only be transported in a special chair (car rental companies issue them for a fee);
driving cannot be used mobile communications even with a headset;
you can only use the dipped beam in the tunnel.

Drunk driving is subject to a fine, as well as speeding and other traffic violations.

All data are given taking into account the changes that took place in the rules of the road in Spain in 2015, they are also relevant in 2018.

By taxi or companion

Tourists who travel light and alone can use the BlaBlaCar service. Drivers who go to another city on their own business make offers to take passengers with them, which partially compensate for the cost of the road. You can drive this way from Madrid to Toledo for only 6 euros.

Taxis are a convenient way to get around if the tourist does not want to spend time looking for train stations, buying tickets and depending on the schedule of public transport. Companies provide a car with a driver not only for trips around the city, but also between settlements countries.

Foreign tourists can always order a transfer directly from the airport. In this case, at the entrance to the station, the client is met by a driver with a sign. The trip plan and cost are negotiated when ordering, so there will be no unpleasant surprises.

On average, a trip from Madrid to Toledo will cost 120-150 euros. Note that traffic jams and other delays along the way through no fault of the passenger do not affect the cost.

There is another advantage that all taxis in Spain have - waiting for the client in case of a flight delay. Thus, the ordered transfer is a guarantee that you will definitely reach your destination. You can order a taxi on Kiwitaxi and Gettransfer services.

How to get from Madrid airport

If you plan to travel to Toledo directly from the Madrid airport, then you also have several options. Car rental companies work at the air station, so it is easy to rent a car there, however, the cost of the service will be a little more expensive compared to booking via the Internet. Of course, you can order a taxi transfer at the airport.
By public transport you will have to get with transfers. There are no direct trains or buses from the air station to Toledo.
Before bus stop, from where the transport of the ALSA carrier departs, you can take the metro (line 8, then 6), get off at the Plaza Eliptica station.
Train C1 or bus 203 follows from the airport to the railway station.
Finally

Madrid and Toledo are only 75 kilometers apart. Well established between settlements transport connection, so you can go from one city to another throughout the day. By train, the tourist will be in Toledo in half an hour. The bus or car will take an hour. In any case, the trip will not be tiring, because public transport quite comfortable in Spain.
Those who choose to travel by car will be able to make several stops and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way.
How to get from Madrid to Toledo: Video

It is planned that we will arrive from Madrid to Toledo by train. I would like to see the sights, and maybe buy a souvenir - something from "Damascus". Where is the best place to shop? What to see first? I will be very grateful for answers.

On the website of the railway of Spain I found only high-speed trains - a little expensive. Where can I find train timetables? With a ticket for 1 day for the T zone for 12 euros, can I go by train? by bus? from what auth. and railway stations have a direction to Toledo?

going to visit Aranjuez and Toledo in one day. Is it possible to get between them using abono tourist zone T? As far as I understand, you can get from Madrid to Aranjuez by train from the Sol station, and from Toledo to Madrid, the bus will come to Plaza Elliptica. And yet, how to get from Madrid to El Escorial?

Tickets for Barcelona are already available. But I do not know how to choose the best (for the price) route. I plan to fly from Barcelona on the day of arrival to Madrid, and leave Barcelona for the finale of the trip. But I can’t make an inexpensive route from Madrid, what is the most convenient way to travel Madrid-Toledo-Cordoba-Seville-Granada-Alicante-Barcelona, if we exclude high-speed trains?

Our goal

Our mission is to offer each client an individual approach! Our guides are real local experts who love and admire Madrid, sharing its secrets with everyone. Individual approach, professionalism and enthusiasm - this is what our clients value in us, who soon not only return to Madrid themselves, but also recommend us to their relatives and friends. And for us it is best recommendation and gratitude! We always welcome new clients and friends, and if you want to get to know Madrid from a unique, local side, we are waiting for you on our excursions!

Reviews about us

Many thanks to dear Tatiana for a pleasant walk in the center of Madrid, 3 hours passed cheerfully and naturally, it was unexpectedly great to drink chocolate after a long walk! We had two children with us, for them the trip was also interesting in the company of Tatyana, we hope to visit this a beautiful city, because there are still places that could not be covered in one trip! Thank you!

Dmitry, Marina, Dina, Oleg | Germany + Russia, St. Petersburg

Dear Tatiana and Javier!
I never write reviews, but my dad and I were so wildly excited after Tapas tour that we are still under the impression and we tell everyone about it without stopping !!!
Tatyana so delicately asked our taste preferences that there was not a single stock and taste that we would not like to try again and again! We tried all the flavors of Spain! Not only is it worth it, a tapas tour should become an obligatory part of the itinerary of every tourist! We have been to many countries, but I have never seen so much brilliance, interest and delight in my father's eyes as on this excursion! Thank you for these unforgettable 3 hours of our life!)
Marina, Moscow, December 2014.

Marina | Moscow

Javier, thank you very much for the flamenco! Your help in choosing a tablao was very helpful! In the end, we chose the really best: Corral de la Moreria! The performance was just perfect, full of emotions and passion! My husband and I left the institution and could not even speak from emotions, so we went to the hotel, in silence! It was unforgettable! Thank you again for your attention and invaluable help in choosing a tablao and booking a table! Thank you! We will be back and we will definitely plan your excursions next time!

Elena | Saratov

Dear Tanyusha and Javier! We would like to thank you for the wonderful tours. We just fell in love with Madrid! Walking with you along these old streets and looking into the most intimate corners, we felt like real Madrid! How much history is stored in this city! Marvelous! The Gastronomy Tour showed us another side of Madrid that we didn't even know existed - Tapas! After all, when you come to Spain, the only thing you know about Spanish cuisine is paella and sangria! But there are still so many delicious and interesting things around! In the remaining 4 days we returned to all the bars we visited during this tour. Thank you so much for your invaluable tips and advice! We will definitely come back and look forward to your new excursions! Good luck to you!
Hope and Ivan

Now it's Toledo's turn. This city has long attracted me with its crazy panoramas, medieval streets and carved patterns of Moorish architecture, so for the best savoring of all this splendor, it was decided to go there for two days ...

How to get from Madrid to Toledo

On high speed trains AVANT - fast, convenient, but expensive. Departure almost every hour from the Atocha station (in the center of Madrid), travel time - 33 minutes. The schedule can be viewed on the Spanish Railways website, but tickets are easier to buy from vending machines at the station, the price will always be the same. It is more profitable to immediately take a round-trip (“Ida y Vuelta” fare), and then instead of 12.90 euros in each direction, you get 20.60 euros for the entire trip. The only slight negative of this option is that the train stops 20 minutes walk from the Old Town. But! Since the railway station is already an attraction in itself, it is worth walking to it in any case.

On buses Alsa - long, uncomfortable, but cheaper. Departure every half an hour or an hour from the bus station to Plaza Eliptica (on the outskirts of Madrid), where you need to take the metro from the center with one change. Travel time by bus is about an hour, but be careful and choose direct flights (directo), because the rest go with many stops and the journey takes 1.5 hours! The schedule is posted on the Alsa website, and you can also buy a ticket from a vending machine at the station. As with the train, here it is better to immediately take the round-trip option, so that instead of 5.37 euros one way, pay 9.67 for the entire journey. However, do not forget to add another 3 euros for the metro in both directions, provided that you did not buy special travel cards (for us, for example, they turned out to be unprofitable). In Toledo, buses stop a little closer to the city center, which can be reached in 10 minutes on foot.

Since I was traveling to Toledo with an overnight stay (that is, with suitcases), it was decided not to suffer with transfers in order to save 8 euros and choose the first option - the train.

Where to stay in Toledo

There was no need to think long, the choice was obvious. Princesa Galiana is the closest hotel to the station, comfortable and inexpensive. In addition, it is also very beautiful, stylized as an Arab palace. The only thing I didn’t take into account was the inability to eat in the morning in the nearest cafes, and I was greedy to pay 6 euros for a hotel breakfast (for a conditional bun and coffee). So you will be "visiting the princess", do not repeat my mistakes!

Colorful reception at the Princesa Galiana Hotel in Toledo

What to see in Toledo

Churches

Central Spain is the land of paid churches, which, given the religiosity of this country, looks like blasphemy. And okay, if the payment was taken only for the entrance to the cathedrals, but sometimes the Spaniards ask for money in general for most of the temples of the city! In Toledo, they went so far as to create a special “church bracelet” Pulsera Turistica, just like in hotels all inclusive))) You can visit 7 objects with it for 9 euros, while the list does NOT include the main cathedral, which alone costs more than the entire bracelet!

However, do not rush to buy a "church subscription", especially if you are going to Toledo for only one day. After all, in fact, most of the temples are similar to each other, only two main styles are distinguished - Gothic and Moorish. Therefore, first decide what exactly you want to watch, and then figure out how to do it profitably. Perhaps it will be enough to visit only some churches, and not buy a bracelet, with which you will then have to wander around all the objects and in the end you no longer remember how they differ.

This is what I did, choosing the three most interesting places and visiting them with regular tickets:

Synagogue Santa Maria la Blanca - in my opinion, this is the most beautiful temple of Toledo, for such it is not a pity to give the full price of 2.80 euros.

Church De los Jesuitas (aka San Ildefonso) with a stunning observation deck - 1.40 euros (with a 50% discount on the flyer given by the city's tourist office).

The Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, a beautiful but quite traditional Gothic temple with a picturesque courtyard, can be visited for a full price of 2.80 euros.

The magnificent synagogue of Santa Maria la Blanca

View from the bell tower of the Church of De los Jesuitas (aka San Ildefonso)

Inner courtyard of the monastery of San Juan de los Reyes

What else is included in the "bracelet" list:
The Church of Santo Tomé is interesting only for El Greco's masterpiece "The Burial of the Count of Orgaz", and the church itself is ordinary, the entrance fee is 2.80 euros.

Mosque Cristo de la Luz - you can see it only from the outside, in the reviews they write that it makes no sense to pay 2.80 euros for entry.

Church Del Salvador - nothing stands out, except for the ancient excavations inside, it is not worth a special visit, the entrance is 2.80 euros.

The boarding house of noble maidens (Real Colegio Doncellas Nobles), which shows only one room, a small church and a courtyard - nothing special to pay an entrance fee of 2.80 euros.

And, of course, you can’t get past the off-list Cathedral Primada Santa Maria de Toledo Despite the fact that it is active, during the breaks between masses, they ask for money to enter the temple. There are three options to get inside:

Free - in a small corner from the north facade, which is hidden in the alleys.
For 10 euros - the minimum ticket, which includes a visit to the cathedral with its museum and art gallery (all this with a Russian audio guide, for which they ask for a passport or 50 euros as a deposit) and some other textile museum.
For 12.50 euros - the maximum ticket, which, in addition to the above, also includes an observation deck on the cathedral tower.

Cathedral huge and very beautiful, both outside and inside, but this magnificence is not cheap! I decided to start the inspection with a free nook, and that was it. It was very cold outside that day, but it was no warmer in the temple either! Assessing its scale from the inside (through the grate that fences off the free area) and remembering that the tour with an audio guide lasts about 1.5 hours, I realized that for 10 euros I would get a great cold until the end of the trip. No, thanks! However, I did see a piece of the cathedral, and even there there was something to admire, so we will consider this a compromise option that saved my health and travel budget))

Toledo Cathedral

One of the many corners of the Cathedral of Toledo

Free Toledo Attractions

The Sephardi Museum at the Del Transito synagogue is worth a visit more for the sake of the synagogue itself, but I would not go there for a fee. Free entrance (instead of 3 euros) all Sunday and Saturday one hour before closing (that is, from 14:00).

The Alcazar castle with a military museum and an observation deck is not worth a paid visit, but it is open on Sundays for free (instead of 5 euros), and on all other days you can freely go up to a cafe in one of the towers to see a cool panorama of the city.

The Museum of Visigothic Culture in the Church of San Roman is not so much a museum that is interesting as the unusual interiors of the temple itself, and you can also climb the bell tower there. Free entrance (instead of 1 euro) after 18:00 on days when the museum is open in the evenings.

Museum and former hospital of Santa Cruz - they visit it for a fee for paintings by El Greco and special exhibitions, and I just went to see the building itself. Free of charge (instead of 4 euros) all this can be done after 18:00 on the days of the evening work of the museum.

Gorgeous panorama of the city observation deck Mirador del valle, which is on the opposite bank of the Tagus River. You can get there by the tourist train ZocoTren or the Hop-on Hop-off bus (both cost 5.50 euros, for the bus choose the fare "1 Viaje"), by car (there are free parking) or city bus number 71 (1.40 euros one way). And in good weather and if you have free time (about an hour), I advise you to take a walk, most importantly in the hot period, do not forget to take drinking water with you!

View of Toledo from the observation deck Mirador del valle

And be sure to find all the most beautiful entrances to medieval city: the bridges of Alcantara and San Martin, as well as the gates of Nueva de Bisagra, Vieja de Bisagra, Del Sol and Del Cambron.

If your travel schedule allows, try to see Toledo not only in daylight, but also in the evening. With the onset of dusk in the skillful rays of illumination, the city becomes incredibly mystical, this is especially felt near the bridges. And, of course, do not miss the opportunity to admire the Cathedral at night and the entire Piazza Ayuntamento.

Alcantara bridge and view of the Alcazar

tourist offices

There are several information points in Toledo, the main one is located in Zocodover Square, where you will clearly find yourself as soon as you enter Old city. Other tourist offices can be found at the Nueva de Bisagra gate, in Piazza Consistorio (near the Cathedral), at the exit from the escalator at the Mirador de la Granja site, and at railway station, but the last information point works very little. In all of them you can take a free map of the city and get different flyers (for example, for a discount to the church of San Ildefonso).

Where to eat in Toledo

In Toledo, my gastronomic misadventures reached their climax, although at first nothing foreshadowed trouble ...

On the first day, on the advice of friends, I looked into wonderful restaurant Palacios. This place is popular not only among tourists, but also among local residents: on Sunday at lunchtime, there was nowhere for an apple to fall, and the owner of the restaurant seemed to personally know half of the guests. All this reminded me of charming Italian trattorias, with the only difference that here I was understood with difficulty (in English in historical center Toledo is hardly spoken). However, on my fingers, I was still able to order soup, salmon with a side dish, bread, a glass of wine and dessert (this was part of the menu of the day) plus tea, paying 15 euros for everything.

But the next day, culinary fortune played out in full. worst restaurant in town La Campana Gorda (write down the name so you don't accidentally fall into this hell!). In addition to boorish service and disgusting food, in this institution (probably the only one in the country) it is forbidden to take one menu of the day for two, and when ordering from a regular menu, a mandatory tip (1 euro per person) plus 10% VAT is added to the bill, which is not initially included in any price tag. So, for two broths, I gave almost 11 euros and shamefully went to “lick my wounds” at the nearest Burger King, because I had no strength left to translate the Spanish menu in other restaurants!

In order not to end the delicious topic on a sad note, let's remember that one of the national delicacies in Toledo is marzipans. But not all of them are equally pleasant: I recommend those that are produced in a portioned “pie” format (they really look like pastries!), But marzipan bars can be too fatty and not always tasty.

Juderia Jewish Quarter in Toledo

The third day in Madrid, we did not stay.

Not visited from the planned for us remained only Royal Palace but we didn't get along with him. On the first day it was already closed, on the second it did not fit into our trips, but today, the third day, it was simply closed for visits. Therefore, we took the risk of postponing his visit to the day of departure, i.e. tomorrow, and after consulting with the all-knowing Mr. Internet, we set off for Toledo.

Madrid - Toledo

Toledo can be reached by train and bus. By train - faster, only half an hour, but by bus - half the price. We had nowhere to hurry, so we chose a bus - we'll take a ride, see the roads and the surroundings, and save a lot :)

To be honest, I had to cut to the bus station for a very long time. I already thought that I had to use public transport or take a taxi (by the way, we did just that on the way back, we went by metro). But the world never ceased to please the eye. Still, beauty reigns in Madrid, and in any of its corners. There, you look, there is a church, there is a park, there is a bridge, there is a building, there are people, there are ducks ... And here is the bus station :)

Tickets were bought from the machine. Round trip (round trip) - it turns out another two euros cheaper, only € 9.77 per person. Tickets are sold without price and seat, i.е. on which flight in time I managed, on that I went. Beauty!

We didn't have to wait long for the bus, and on the first bus to Toledo we left Madrid. The roads are magnificent, fellow travelers, Chinese girls, funny, in short, it was not boring to drive.

At the station, we did not manage to find a free map of the city, I even tried to ask if there was an information center. And, oh, Miracle!, he was found, but was closed. Therefore, just in case, taking a picture of the Toledo map hanging in the center of the bus station, we went out into the city.

walled city

Toledo is a wonderful tourist town, preserved in its almost original form and hiding all its sights inside the fortress walls. This tiny heel at the top of the hill is still full of life. Here, residential buildings have not lost their original purpose, and have remained residential. Tiny shops and cafes on narrow confusing streets, inconspicuous tiny and simply incredible temples in size (and how did they fit into this city, or maybe the city fit into these temples?), pedestrian sidewalks and the roadway that do not differ from each other. And to my great surprise, public transport on such narrow streets. And also ordinary people. Grandmothers leading their grandchildren by the hand. Children kicking the ball. Chirping schoolchildren with backpacks. And great views. All this is Toledo.

A rare tourist decides to make a pedestrian climb to the main gate of Toledo. Why, because there are escalators! But we did not know anything about them and in our ignorance we made a wonderful walk along the fortress walls ancient city and entered the city like almost real kings (the real ones were on horseback, for sure :)). A long time ago, the main gates of Toledo - Puerto Bisagra - were built for the triumphal entry of King Charles V, who, after all, was the ruler of almost half of the world in his time!

The Bisgar gate consists of two parts - internal and external, and between them a closed courtyard was formed, where King Charles V still rules, however, in stone

Literally right at the entrance to the city, we were met by an old church - Iglesia de Santiago del Arrabal (Santiago del Arabal), which has experienced several transformations in its centuries-old century. At first, the ancient Germanic tribe of the Visigoths ruled here, therefore the temple was Visigothic. Then the Arabs came to these lands and the temple became a mosque, and then, after their expulsion, the mosque again turned into a Christian temple.

In Toledo, you can't wear high heels. Stone pavements just scream: "Take off your shoes! Change your shoes!"

Cathedral of Toledo

Of course, the first thing we did was go through the narrow streets to the main cathedral of Toledo - the Cathedral. And as always, we managed to find some kind of secret entrance :) Then I thought that the entrance behind the fence looks somehow strange for such an important cathedral. We entered, it turned out that it was the entrance for the parishioners. For them, a small space was fenced off in the temple, from where there was no way to walk around the temple, but to consider and get an idea of the greatness of this place is quite enough.

They entered and were numb from the beauty that fell into their eyes. I can safely say that the Cathedral of Toledo is one of the most beautiful cathedrals peace! Still, it is the main cathedral of Spain! Apparently all the ancient cathedrals of Toledo have the same story. First, in the 5th century AD. the Visigoths begin the construction of the temple, then the Pyrenean Moors turn it into a mosque, and already in the XIII century, the mosque conquered by Christians becomes a temple.

The cathedral has a rich collection of paintings - Caravaggio, Titian, El Greco - and just an incredible amount of sculptures covered with gilding, stained glass windows. There are so many details that it's almost impossible to focus on anything specific.

Entrance to the temple through the main portal - Puerta del Perdon - turned out to be paid for tourists - 10 € We decided that we got a general idea of \u200b\u200bthe temple, saw the interior decoration, and that we would not see the art gallery, well, no more than yesterday, we were in Prado ... In general, we decided not to go, and now I regret a little that I did not go.

And after the temple, we completely disappeared into Toledo.

We wandered aimlessly through the streets for a long time. ancient city while enjoying the Middle Ages. In one of the fruit shops, they picked up fruits and unwashed (oh, horror!) They ate them, sitting by the fountain under a sprawling tree with leaves similar to acacia leaves.

Here, in Toledo, I completely lost the tourist excitement. Now I regret it madly, but then it was so pleasant for me to wander aimlessly through the narrow streets that it didn’t matter what temple I pass by, what area I am in, what I see. We didn’t go to the ancient stone bridge of Alcantara and didn’t even cross the river, we didn’t see the monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, we didn’t look into the El Greco Museum and the military museum. But!