How to travel from Cartagena to Santander, Spain

The distance between Cartagena and Santander is around 843km (524 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train and then fly which takes around 5h 10m.

7 routes found

We've found 7 different ways to get from Cartagena to Santander by train, bus, car and plane. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.

👋 Also check out SantanderCartagena if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
1
train
+
plane
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Train and Plane

Take the train to San Gabriel then fly from Alicante (ALC) to Santander (SDR).

  • Duration5h 10m
  • Flight time2h 20m
  • Typical cost
    €190($190)
Operated by

Multiple operators

1 similiar route

We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.

2
3 x train
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Train

Take the train to Orihuela then Madrid-Chamartin and then to Santander.

  • Duration7h 55m
  • Departs6 times a week
  • Typical cost
    €100($100)
Operated by

Multiple train operators

1 similiar route

We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.

3
bus
+
bus
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Bus

Take the bus to Madrid - Barajas Airport T4 and then to Santander.

  • Duration11h 10m
  • Departsevery 20 mins
  • Typical cost
    €85($85)

1 similiar route

We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.

4
car
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Drive

Drive to Santander.

  • Duration8h 35m
  • Distance890km (553 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Cartagena and Santander

There are several options for getting from Cartagena to Santander by train, bus, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around €62 ($62) and will take around 15hrs. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train and then fly and arrive in approximately 5h 10m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately €190 ($190).

The distance between Cartagena and Santander is around 843km (524 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 691km (429 miles)

It takes around 7h 55m to get from Cartagena and Santander by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 8h 35m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Cartagena to Santander is to take the train and then fly which takes around 5h 10m and will set you back approx €190 ($190).

The cheapest way to travel between Cartagena and Santander, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around €62 ($62) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Cartagena and Santander. It typically takes around 7h 55m and departs 6 times a week.

There are no direct train services that runs from Cartagena to Santander. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in Orihuela and Madrid-Chamartin. These services run 6 times a week and will take a minimum of 7h 55m.

Renfe and Renfe AVE run train services between Cartagena and Santander. Trains depart 6 times a week and will take around 7h 55m, however, this may vary depending on the particular service and whether it runs express or stops all stations.

Bus travel

Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Cartagena and Santander. It typically takes around 11h 10m and departs every 20 mins.

Yes there is a direct bus service that runs between Cartagena and Santander with no changeovers required. The bus runs once daily and takes 15hrs.

ALSA and Bilman run regular bus services between Cartagena and Santander. Buses run every 20 mins and take around 11h 10m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Cartagena to Santander. We recommend that you take the train to San Gabriel then fly from Alicante (ALC) to Santander (SDR). instead which will take 5h 10m.

The closest major airport to Santander is Santander Airport (SDR) (SDR) which is approximately 4km (3 miles) from Santander. Bilbao Airport (BIO) (BIO) and Vitoria Airport (VIT) (VIT) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.

Drive yourself

Yes it is possible to drive from Cartagena and Santander. The distance is around 890km (553 miles) by road and it will take around 8h 35m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Cartagena to Santander is to take the train which takes, on average, 7h 55m and will usually cost around €100 ($100).

How do I get from Cartagena to Santander

Compare travel optionsbetween Cartagena and Santander

Transport options from Cartagena to Santander
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train and Plane + 1 similar
5h 10m
€190($190)
every 20 mins843km (524 miles)
Train, Plane and Bus6hrs
€125($125)
every 20 mins857km (533 miles)
Train + 1 similar
7h 55m
€100($100)
6 times a week1,003km (623 miles)
Train via Alicante-Termino9h 50m
€79($79)
once daily1,083km (673 miles)
Bus + 1 similar
11h 10m
€85($85)
every 20 mins922km (573 miles)
Bus to Santander Bus Station15hrs
€62($62)
once daily1,019km (633 miles)
Drive
8h 35m
€165($165)
on demand890km (553 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Cartagena and Santander

Airports near Santander

The following major airports near Santander offer regular flights to various popular destinations within Spain and internationally.

SDR
Santander Airport (SDR)
Domestic Airport
Distance
4km (3 miles) from Santander
BIO
Bilbao Airport (BIO)
International Airport
Distance
75km (47 miles) from Santander
VIT
Vitoria Airport (VIT)
Domestic Airport
Distance
109km (68 miles) from Santander