Every summer, the Benicassim Music Festival takes over the picturesque seaside town of the same name on the country’s east coast. The 2019 edition (the 25th anniversary of the event) promises to be bigger and better than ever, with names like Lana Del Rey George Ezra, Kings of Leon and more taking the stage from July 18-21.
But before going to the festival itself, you must arrive in the city of Benicassim. To make your trip easier, consider heading from one of the main arrival points in Spain for festival visitors: Madrid, Valencia, or Barcelona.
Which airport is the best to visit Benicassim?
The closest airports with international flights are Valencia, Reus, Barcelona and Madrid (in that order). Do not fly to Girona airport, which is on the wrong side of Barcelona, your journey will take much longer. The Benicassim festival organizes transfer buses directly from these airports. Make sure to book in advance, as spots fill up quickly.
Traveling within Spain by coach
The Benicassim festival also offers coach services for attendees from several major cities in Spain. A full list of starting points is available on their website. Again, be sure to reserve your spot as early as possible to ensure you have a ticket.
If you are staying in a closer city, such as Castellón, Marina d’Or or Oropesa, the festival offers a bus service from these areas to the event. Bus passes for the entire duration of the festival are available for 60 euros. Be sure to book your tickets directly through the event website, as there are a handful of unofficial bus services available that won’t take you to the actual festival.
The best tips to get to Benicassim
- Note that Benicassim is the name of the festival, as well as the city where it is held. So if you find public transport to Benicassim, unless you explicitly say ‘to the festival’, it will be to the city. From there, you will need to find transportation to the festival on your own.
- There is a train line that connects Valencia with Barcelona through Benicassim. Valencia is the closest big city to Benicassim, so if possible you should get to Valencia to make things easier. After that, the city with the next best transport connections is Barcelona.
- Going from Madrid to Benicassim, on the other hand, is the most complicated option. If you are traveling from Madrid, you’d better stop for a night in Valencia.
The best way to get from Valencia to Benicassim
From the city : Valencia trains go to Benicasim several times a day. Travel times vary from 45 minutes to two and a half hours, depending on the cost (between 8 and 30 euros) and the type of train. The trains are operated by Spain’s national railway service, Renfe.
From the airport : As mentioned above, the festival itself offers transportation from Valencia airport to the festival, but only during the dates of the event.
How to get from Madrid to Benicassim
The easiest way to get from Madrid to Benicassim is by train. Although Benicassim has its own train station, getting there from Madrid can be cumbersome: the trip takes between four and five hours, on average. Please note that you will likely have to transfer in Valencia, which should be included in your ticket.
The 430 km trip from Madrid to Benicassim takes about four and a half hours by car, mainly on the A3 highway. A more scenic route takes you through the popular city of Cuenca, but this will add an hour to your travel time.
How to get from Barcelona, Reus and Tarragona to Benicassim
There are direct trains from Barcelona to Benicassim throughout the day. The train lasts between two and a half hours and four hours, and costs range between 16 and 35 euros.
If you are flying into Reus, consider stopping for a day or two in Tarragona, which is famous for its Roman ruins and is on the Barcelona to Benicassim train line.
If you have access to a car, the 300km journey from Barcelona to Benicassim takes about two and a half hours.
