A Coruña is the capital of the Galicia region in northwestern Spain, but nearby Santiago de Compostela is more famous and better for visitors. Find out how to get to A Coruña from the capital by bus, train and flights.
A Coruña or La Coruña?
It can be said that the Galician city is written in any way. La Coruña is the Spanish name, A Coruña is the name in Galician, the local language. Some websites sit on the fence and just call it ‘Coruña’, which doesn’t help anyone.
The best way to get from Madrid to A Coruña
With a minimum of five and a half hours in transit when using ground transportation, you’d better take a plane if you can find a cheap flight.
Stops en route
The best stops to end your trip would be in Salamanca, home to one of the most beautiful squares in Spain, and in León, famous for its free tapas culture.
Flights from Madrid to A Coruña
There are some flights from Madrid to A Coruña and they can be very cheap if booked in advance. Consider the nearby Santiago de Compostela airport if there are no good flights to A Coruña.
- Compare prices on flights in Spain
Madrid to A Coruña by train and bus
The train from A Coruña to Madrid takes between five and a half and six and a half hours, although some take up to eight hours and cost between 40 euros (more if you want a bed).
Sleeping on the train is a good way to kill time on such a long trip, but if you don’t plan on paying for a bed, I highly recommend the bus. The seats of trains in Spain do not normally recline, while those of buses do. Therefore, sleeping in the bus seat is more pleasant than sleeping in the train seat. The bus is also faster and cheaper. Read more about Night trains in Spain.
There are regular buses throughout the day between Madrid and A Coruña. The trip lasts approximately seven and a half hours and costs between 40 and 60 euros. This is slower and more expensive than the train.
The train station you need to go from Madrid to A Coruña is Chamartin. Most buses from Madrid to A Coruña leave from the Méndez Álvaro station, although one or two a day leave from Avenida de América. Read more about Bus and train stations in Madrid
- Book bus tickets in Spain
- Book train tickets in Spain with Rail Europe
Madrid to A Coruña by car
The 600 km journey from Madrid to A Coruña takes about six hours. Follow the A-6 and AP-6 motorways. Note that AP roads are toll roads.
Consider a stop in León to end the long journey.
- Compare car rental rates in Spain
More articles about travel in Spain that you may like:
- How to get from Madrid to Santiago de Compostela
- The main sights of Spain: city by city
- The best Spanish cities for tapas
