How to travel from Madrid to Salzburg, Austria

The distance between Madrid and Salzburg is around 2,096km (1,302 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train which takes around 16h 40m.

3 routes found

We've found 3 different ways to get from Madrid to Salzburg by train, bus and car. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.

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

🚀 Fastest
1
6 x train
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Train

Take the train to Barcelona-Sants, Lyon Part Dieu, Strasbourg, Stuttgart Hbf then München Hbf and then to Salzburg Hbf.

  • Duration16h 40m
  • Departsonce daily
  • Typical cost
    €385($385)
Operated by

Multiple train operators

💰 Cheapest
2
bus
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bus
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Bus

Take the bus to Paris and then to Salzburg South.

  • Duration1 day 5h
  • Departsonce daily
  • Typical cost
    €120($120)
3
car
+

Drive

Drive to Salzburg.

  • Duration19h 40m
  • Distance2,096km (1,302 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Madrid and Salzburg

There are several options for getting from Madrid to Salzburg by train, bus and car. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around €120 ($120) and will take around 1 day 5h. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train and arrive in approximately 16h 40m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately €385 ($385).

The distance between Madrid and Salzburg is around 2,096km (1,302 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 1,564km (972 miles)

It takes around 16h 40m to get from Madrid and Salzburg by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 19h 40m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Madrid to Salzburg is to take the train which takes around 16h 40m and will set you back approx €385 ($385).

The cheapest way to travel between Madrid and Salzburg, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around €120 ($120) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Madrid and Salzburg. It typically takes around 16h 40m and departs once daily.

There are no direct train services that runs from Madrid to Salzburg. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in Barcelona-Sants, Lyon Part Dieu, Strasbourg, Stuttgart Hbf and München Hbf. These services run once daily and will take a minimum of 16h 40m.

Renfe AVE, Renfe SNCF, TGV inOui, Swiss Railways, SNCF, Deutsche Bahn, Transdev, WESTbahn, Meridian, BOB & BRB and Austrian Railways (ÖBB) run train services between Madrid and Salzburg. Trains depart once daily and will take around 16h 40m, 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 Madrid and Salzburg. It typically takes around 1 day 5h and departs once daily.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Madrid to Salzburg. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Paris. These services run once daily and will take a minimum of 1 day 5h.

FlixBus run regular bus services between Madrid and Salzburg. Buses run once daily and take around 1 day 5h on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Madrid to Salzburg. We recommend that you take the train to Barcelona-Sants, Lyon Part Dieu, Strasbourg, Stuttgart Hbf then München Hbf and then to Salzburg Hbf. instead which will take 16h 40m.

The closest major airport to Salzburg is Salzburg Airport (SZG) (SZG) which is approximately 4km (2 miles) from Salzburg. Linz Airport (LNZ) (LNZ) and Innsbruck Airport (INN) (INN) 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 Madrid and Salzburg. The distance is around 2,096km (1,302 miles) by road and it will take around 19h 40m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Madrid to Salzburg is to take the train which takes, on average, 16h 40m and will usually cost around €385 ($385).

How do I get from Madrid to Salzburg

Compare travel optionsbetween Madrid and Salzburg

Transport options from Madrid to Salzburg
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train
16h 40m
€385($385)
once daily2,327km (1,446 miles)
Bus
1 day 5h
€120($120)
once daily2,280km (1,417 miles)
Drive
19h 40m
€395($395)
on demand2,096km (1,302 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Madrid and Salzburg

Train operators

Airports near Salzburg

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

SZG
Salzburg Airport (SZG)
International Airport
Distance
4km (2 miles) from Salzburg
LNZ
Linz Airport (LNZ)
International Airport
Distance
98km (61 miles) from Salzburg
INN
Innsbruck Airport (INN)
International Airport
Distance
141km (87 miles) from Salzburg