Estación Madrid - Puerta de Atocha

Most train stations are stressful places you want to escape as fast as possible, but Atocha is the only one where you might actually want to hang around. I was catching the high-speed train down to Seville, and honestly, waiting here feels less like a transit hub and more like waiting in a greenhouse. The 'old' terminal is the main highlight—it is basically a massive tropical jungle inside a 19th-century steel building. Walking in and seeing hundreds of palm trees under that huge industrial roof is a total flex. It is a surreal vibe that makes for a great photo op while you kill time before boarding. However, a practical warning for first-timers: this place is a maze. The station is split into different levels and zones, and the signage for the Iryo (high-speed) departures isn't always the most intuitive. It took me a minute to figure out exactly where I needed to be, so definitely don't cut it close. Give yourself an extra 15 minutes just to navigate the layout so you aren't sprinting past the plants to catch your ride.

We never did find the beautiful part in the photos lol. We came here on a train from Barcelona and it was a bit confusing to get around. That may be because of all of the construction. To find the Uber pick up spot meant that we left the main station crossed over Multiple lines of traffic to a crazy long Taxi line, went downstairs and wove ourway to the very hidden Uber spot.

Madrid Atocha is a huge station, but it’s starting to show its age. The interior feels dull and outdated, and it could really use some remodeling and refurbishment. It definitely serves its purpose well, but as the largest train station in Spain, it deserves to stand out more. Whenever I travel from/to this station, I alaways pay attention to the signs because to me it's like a maze.

What a mess! Although half of Madrid seems to be under some sort of redevelopment covered in square kilometres of plastic sheeting, the redevelopment of Atocha station is currently a disgrace to the Spanish capital. Have ETA reformed, the misguided Islamic jahidis succeeded or has the Princess of Asturias been practising airborne precision bombing? For Atchoa has two craters (one indoors, one outdoors) with so much noise, dust, pandemonium and suffering. Bodies lie along the cold, dusty floor as there is nowhere to sit. If you can't take it any more, the electricians have provided handy nooses (see photo). Staff are grumpy, facilities are limited and passengers are treated like cattle. Fights break out between normally respectable people when one of the very, very limited number of seats becomes available. Why Skoda felt their advertising should adorn nearly every piece of hoarding in this emporium to drilling of concrete just makes my head explode.

This is the main station of Madrid where long distance trains depart from. There is security screening to enter the train platforms. The platform areas can get quite busy and sometimes the platform announcements are delayed and it can lead to a lot of people pushing through to get to a single platform gate.

I love train stations and airports in general, unfortunately Madrid Pierre de Atocha does not have much to offer. There are virtually no seats for people waiting for trains, half of the station is in a state of noticeable disrepair, the other half is under construction. It seems like this station was once a grand place to be, but as the decades have progressed the city has put the bare minimum into maintaining it. The only thing they seem to maintain is the advertising which obnoxiously obstructs almost all of the architectural beauty of the station. I made the mistake of planning my journey song could have plenty of time to explore the station. If you pass through here, I suggest you spend as little time as possible.

The first time in my life when I saw a cosmetics shop named body shop, it was closed. They got 300km/h speed trains and a botanical garden inside the station, because outside it will probably dry out. Very beautiful station and platypus looking trains.

Fairly easy to navigate but it is quite big, so allow time to find your platform and get through security. There are lots of buses and taxis outside. The security is quick and then you get to a big holding space where you’ll wait for your train. There are plenty of boards to see the trains and platforms.

We took Iryo bullet train from Madrid to Barcelona. Book your Iryo train tickets far in advance if you can because it gets more expensive closer to your departure date and the train can sell out. There is a train almost every hour. After security we were looking for the Iryo sign to see where our train was, and it does not exist so we just asked one of the other brands and they pointed us to the right direction of the Iryo area with Red-wearing Iryo employees and they had us line up based on our train car number. We were traveling with suitcases so we did the 2nd tier level, were in coach car 2 and had great accommodations. We brought our own food onboard, which happened to be vendor machine sandwiches from the station €4.50 each and had our reusable water bottle, so very cool you can bring your own food and drink on the train. There is food and beverages available to purchase on the train if you want to. We got to Barcelona on time and I'm happy with both Iryo and the Atocha train station, efficient!

Estación Madrid - Puerta de Atocha as it's called on the map is a central transportation hub for Madrid. It's very intermodal with connections to buses and subways and it's where long distance and intercity trains pass or terminate. When traveling from Barcelona to Seville, we passed through here and pulled in one direction and left facing the opposite direction. My Iryo train from Seville to Madrid arrived a few minutes early and I was able to quickly disembark and get into the main body of the station. Inside, it's very big and there is a lovely garden in the middle that looks like a tropical rainforest. It was quite pretty. Less pretty was the fairly obscure wayfaring signs. Because I knew how I was oriented, I was able to find the exit I was looking for but if you haven't studied maps of the station, I can see how it might be confusing to find where you need to go because there are numerous exits on multiple floors with ramps going everywhere so it can be overwhelming. Just a note, there are ticket kiosks around but I used the Trainline app was able to access my tickets electronically without waiting to print a ticket. The biggest downside is outside of the station....there was a big construction shed/wall blocking the front of the station from the traffic circle in front. I would have loved to have seen a clean view of the front of this lovely and historic station. Otherwise, as a fan of train stations, I liked this one very much.

This station is the hub for all short and long distance travel with Renfe and its subsidiaries. There's direct connection with the metro that makes life easier for locals and tourists alike. There are some restaurants and shops scattered before and after security to keep you busy before your train. Truth be told, don't make the same mistake I did and arrive here extra early, It's not worth waiting around longer than you need. Stay as far away from the gates as humanly possible because there is less post security than pre security. There are two floors for departures and arrivals. It's kinda random in my opinion and isn't really based on the end destination. Could be based on the size of the train itself. I ended up in both on two separate occasions. There's more on the top floor gates than bottom without a doubt. Security isn't much of anything. You just drop your bags in the conveyor belt and that's it. Only caution is that make sure your train ticket factors in baggage costs. Mine didn't (I didn't know) and I had to cough up 30 EUR because my bag was bigger than carry-on size. That was silly.

A massive place which makes it very confusing to navigate especially if you need to move between the long distance trains and the local trains. A real maze. The garden area in the long distance section is quite nice. The people at the Renfe ticket desk were helpful despite my lack of Spanish language skills. Though some of the Renfe commuter ticket machines were very hard to figure out (even in English). Once you get to the right area the security and movement down to the trains is smooth.

Easy access train station. Very well organized and coordinated. Staff were helpful. The first class ticket is worth it.

I'm from Chicago, and this train is world class! Here are a few things of note... --It looks and feels more like riding in a plane than riding in a train. --Our 45 mile trip from Madrid to Toledo took about 30 minutes. --At one point our train was traveling at a speed of over 150 mph! --There is more room than a traditional plane between seats, and there is a foot rest that folds down. --It is very clean and well maintained. Highly recommended!

Busy train station. The old part has a garden in it--nice place to sit for a drink or snack. Signage is adequate so there was no way for me to get lost despite all the activity and different trains and lines. I took the high-speed AVE train to Cordoba and was impressed by the service. I got a first-class ticket and the cabin was spacious and comfortable. I also pre-ordered lunch with my ticket and was SO impressed by the meal. I got a hot meal with choice of beverage and was pleasantly full by the end of my trip.

I have to say without the help of a local friend I would have been totally lost. I was very confused as the place is huge. We had a hard time finding one another because there is more than one entrance. Didn't have time to take advantage of all the food sold there.

The Estación Madrid or Puerta de Atocha, is a sprawling station that sports an indoor botanical garden consisting of more than 7,000 plants & trees from about 260 species, likening it to a mini-forest. Once we got past the beauty of this hidden gem, we perused the local shops, passed local restaurants, & headed to the metro or medium-long distance Renfe train. In this station is the Metro, suburban transit & high speed international Renfe trains. The Spanish public transportation system is easy to navigate, affordable, reliable, clean, & renowned as one of the best in the world. Came into Madrid through with our luggage through this station and came back again to go round trip to Toledo. We could not purchase train tickets with our American credit card on line. We went to the station early and purchased our tickets from machines. People were very helpful, it was easy to navigate mass transit in Spain. We had to go inside and buy tickets to Toledo after showing picture identification since we are not part of the European union. There were barricades in front of the station and armed security visible everywhere.

Looove how this train station has an impressive greenhouse inside the station. This main station was a walking distance from our hotel. It's a very busy station (as expected from a main terminal) and although it may look chaotic their system works! The workers here are helpful and efficient! The trains are clean,organized and very punctual! We were running late (like almost 10min before our scheduled departure) and thought we weren't able to make it to our train considering the line, but we did!! Locals understand the assignment which greatly helped with the long lines! Sadly, one can tell the Americans apart; mostly act clueless and entitled!! YOU, are the visitor coming into their land, you should not expect them to always understand u or cater to u! My biggest travel pet peeve!! Do your homework before going to another country; or at least try to make an effort to understand social local practices! Try to learn the ways of the people and not the other way around!

I loved the ease and convenience of the Madrid train station. The trains were clean and trains ran like clockwork. Signage was good and the staff was friendly. The bathrooms were clean and there was a small selection of places to eat, shop and sit.

Easy to get around and trains are typically always on time. There are lots of shops and cafes to hang out in while you wait. They do have baggage control like the airport, so arrive at least 30 minutes before your departure so that you can get through security. They also don't post which platform for your train until 15 mins before your train departs, so just keep watching the screens. Good luck!

Leaving Madrid towards Seville, I got to the Atocha station to get on a train. The station is huge, they have self service kiosks, so I got on one and easily got my ticket, with plenty of choices of trains, times and prices. Madrid Atocha also named Madrid Puerta de Atocha, is the first major railway station in Madrid. It is the largest station serving commuter trains (Cercanías), regional trains from the south and southeast, intercity trains from Navarre, Cádiz and Huelva (Andalusia) and La Rioja, and the AVE high speed trains from Girona, Tarragona and Barcelona (Catalonia), Huesca and Zaragoza (Aragon), Sevilla, Córdoba, Málaga and Granada (Andalusia), Valencia, Castellón and Alicante (Levante Region). These train services are run by Spain's national rail company, Renfe. From Atocha you can also get as far as Marseille, France. Waiting for my train, I sat in the "oasis" area...a nice green landscape atrium that feels like a botanical garden....lots of cafes and shops around to get anything I wanted for a snack or souvenir. Beautiful !

As a tourist, this station was super easy to navigate through and offered a lot of resources for English speakers. It's also beautiful. There's like a mini tropical rainforest in the middle of the station. Lots of shops and restaurants. I ended up buying a rickets for the train to Toledo online. I then took a 30 min ride to Toledo - the trains are super fast and clean. Awesome station. Love Madrid

The main train station for the intercity trains, Atocha is the first spot (or the last spot, I suppose) for people traveling between Madrid and the rest of Spain. As a major transit hub, you can expect a waiting area for first class passengers, a bunch of shopping options and a ton of different restaurants from grab-and-go to sit down. Atocha connects to Madrid's metro and to the bus network with clear signage to get you between them. The station is handicapped accessible with ramps, elevators and stairs. There is parking outside, not sure how much it costs or for how long your vehicle can stay. The station is patrolled by security and there seem to be cameras everywhere. Best spot is on the top floor overlooking the lush indoor tropical garden but outside from the roundabout with the artichoke is pretty cool too. [Review 12544 overall, 2334 of 2019.]

It is organized chaos Platforms? SoCal guy is not familiar with platforms aside from platform 9 3/4 from Harry Potter. I did see platform 9a but I am sure it goes somwhere us muggles can see. We walked to the station so I can't comment on the drive and parking. The place is easy to find and the directions are pretty forward. The security check is pretty simple and you get to keep your shoes. Oh let me back up, there are a lot of store to eat and get your last minute shopping done. I looks big from the outside but the departure area didn't look enormous at all. There are monitors all around to inform you what platform you should proceed. You do have to wait if you come it to early as the there numerous train leaving so you won't find yours until about 20 minutes before departure. On the way here we ride economy so it's time to try the first class offering and see the difference. Definitely going to try more trains in Europe

The station is large so pay attention to the signs and you should not have any issues finding your train. Limited luggage capacity so get there early in case you are traveling with more than 2 luggages. Seats are comfortable only wish the A/C was colder but I am used to my American ways. Yet, there is always passengers on the train to help. Enjoy the ride.

Beautiful station in Atochia district. We stayed at the only you hotel for 4 nights. The station is directly across the street. Friendly and helpful staff. Clean. Amazing architecture. We went first class to Barcelona. Loved it!

Estacion de Madrid Atocha is the Madrid railway station. The station exterior is beautiful: a steel and glass roof connects old and new. There are shops and cafes within the station. This station also happens to be the largest in Madrid. On this day, Mr. P and I took the train to Barcelona. You know we upgraded to first class, to make the 3 hour ride a bit more comfy. Live and learn, and don't make the mistake again! First class all the way! The station commuter seating area was not the most comfortable, with industrial connected seats, and very spread-apart gates that had folks a-runnin' to their connections. We found a seat, waited, and people-watched. Mr. P got a few drinks and snacks for the wait. When our gate was announced, our tickets were scanned, and we crowded the rail platform. Our first class car was comfortable, but nothing to write home about. Beverages on the 3 hour trip could be purchased. I feel like at least a coffee or tea should be gratis on a long ride. Ceiling televisions were small. Other commuters not heeding the requested cell-phone etiquette drove us nuts throughout the ride. All in all, this upgraded class was still better than being sardined into coach seats. I enjoyed the scenery as we traveled, and would travel by rail again.

A historical train station in Madrid. This is where all the inter city trains terminate and you have a fantastic tropical greenhouse established here where you can relax while you wait for the train. It's a gorgeous building from the outside with multiple entrances and a modern bit attached to the old train station. Easy to get around and reasonably well marked.

Atocha station is located in Madrid (Madrid has more than 1 train station and to avoid confusion, best to address this station as Atocha). Atocha is very large train station and I was glad I planned plenty of time in between to help me figure out where I needed to go. They have two terminals for Renfe. Shorter distance is downstairs and longer distance is upstairs. I quickly learned arriba means up in English. If your particular Renfe trains originate this station, plan on arriving at least 30 minutes before scheduled departure time. Security to go through and boarding is available 30 minutes before departure time. Free WiFi was supposedly available but I was unable to connect. Lots of restaurants and shops available should you want to buy food before getting on board.

What a beauty! Where else but in this magical city can you admire turtles lazing about amid the hustle and bustle of a train station? Not only is this place efficient, but the employees are helpful and kind to boot.Have hopped on the Renfe here to Toledo, Sevilla, and the city center. Up next, Pamplona! My second favorite rail station, outside of Berlin Hauptbahnhof. A true gem!

Another fun Pinterest find under the belt. Why go out of your way to visit this train station? Beautiful exterior architecture and the interior serves as a botanical garden of sorts with three story high trees and platforms filled with dozens upon dozens of turtles. You'll also find at least a dozen cafes and stores in this station offering budget-friendly breakfast and lunch options, Why not the fifth star? Well, the temporary looking nick nacks stands in the center of the atrium throw off the natural vibe and give it a cheap feeling. Looking for an easy day trip? The 30 minute high speed train ride to Toledo (located 45miles away) is found here. I cannot rave enough about how easy their ticket machines are to navigate. Easier than many found in the states (and in our own language).

Estación de Atocha makes me go ahhhhh. Such a beautiful facade. So Grand! I love the greenhouse like interior. A tropical forest with birds inside a train station. There are tons of shops both inside and in the immediate area of the Station. I ended up able to venture out to nearby neighbourhood for a walk around since I have a few hours to spare before catching my train. Being a transportation hub, you can catch a train here and to the airport and rest of Spain. A little confusing for tourists, especially a jet lagged one after a red eye flight. There are 2 levels of platforms and as usual I went to the wrong one... Why I cannot even get the right one even with a 50/50 chance?

This isn't really a sightseeing place, it is really busy because all the travelers. I was making my travel list. And saw some pictures of this place. It got me interested. So I decided to come here just have a look. The station was huge. The bus station was just next to it as well. Full of people here, But yet I didn't feel like this place chaotic. The station was quite clean as well. I like that they made a inside garden for the people. The garden located right in the middle of the station, It was just brilliant. I went around the place, saw some lovely plants and there were just lot of turtles as well. Funny that they were taking nap, in such a busy place. That is actually the reason I visit this place. I love the mix of plants and architecture.

The Atocha train station in central Madrid is one of my favorite train stations in all of Europe. We have been to Madrid multiple times over the past few years and usually stay near Atocha at the AC Carlton hotel across the street from the station. Atocha is a huge train station in central Madrid and has lots of trains heading in all directions of Spain. We have taken trains to and from Toledo and to southern Spain via Atocha. Atocha also has a connection of T1 which takes you directly to the main Madrid airport. On our arrival in Madrid we usually take the T1 which costs 2.60 euros per person to head towards central Madrid. Along with all the train services, the station has a wide variety of shops and dining options and they have a huge indoor garden where passengers can relax while waiting for their trains. 5 star train station. Looking forward to my next trip to Madrid.

Minus 3 stars because I had to pay to use the restroom (0,60euros) and go through a turnstile. I'm a New Yorker, the only turnstile I ever had to pay to go through is the subway. Granted that the bathroom stalls and the bathroom itself appears to be clean. But unless someone's peeing for me, I can't wrap this idea around my brain. The trains that I took were on time (almost to the minute) and there's plenty of stores with overpriced items for tourists to spend their money on.

A sprawling, beautiful railway station full of shops, eateries, fountains and greenery. However, a poorly organized and frustrating train riding experience for the uninitiated. Read the tips below. PROTIP1: via metro, get off on ATOCHA RENFE metro station. It is exactly within the rail station. PROTIP2: there are two departure levels. One on the main concourse level (eg to Toledo) and a second on the upper floor. Ensure you know which you are departing from. PROTIP3: there is security to get through before boarding. Allot your time accordingly. PROTIP4: I'm from Canada. My chip card did not work with the automated ticket machine. Had to use the counter - it took over 30 minutes. Allot time accordingly. Good luck and enjoy your train ride!

Five stars for the architecture. The station itself is impressive from the outside. And inside there are plenty of shops and cafes. The station is also quite large, as one would expect, so it would really help travelers (especially foreigners such as myself) if they could do a better job of navigating people. There are at least two floors and it's really not clear where you're supposed to go. I ended up missing my train because at least 2 of the 5 available RENFE train ticket kiosks were out of paper and couldn't print tickets. Yes, even in the year 2016, you still have to print a physical ticket to get on the train (but not the ALSA bus I later took). Now, could the printing snafu have been RENFE's fault and not the train station? I don't know, nor do I care. It was annoying. Nor was the RENFE staff too helpful in resolving the issue ... The end result was I had to buy a new ticket, because I couldn't exchange the old ticket since the train had already departed. Bottom line is this: arrive early, anticipate lines for ticket printing and then head in the direction of what appears to be an airport security checkpoint on the first floor after all the shops and before the giant, open central part of the station. They take their train security here as seriously as their scheduled departure times, which is fine by me.

Atocha Train Station is one of the most unique train stations I've visited to date. One of the cool things about Atocha is that it has a pond filled with cute turtles that a lot of people go to to take photos of. Never seen a train station showcasing animals of any nature like that before! I've been here a few times, and each time I always snap photos of these awesome invertebrates. Atocha is the main train station in Madrid, with connections to local and far distance trains to almost every corner of Spain. As a transportation hub, Atocha also has convenient metro and bus access, in case you need to transfer modes of transportation. In my most recent trip to Spain this year, I traveled to/from Atocha on 3 separate occasions on 3 different types of trains: (1) Short distance train from Madrid to Toledo (2) Long distance train from Granada to Madrid (3) Cercanias Train to Barajas Airport. As I realized, traveling to/from Atocha was very convenient since it allowed me to travel very short, short, and long distances. Each type of train is in different parts of the train station, so make sure to check your platform and floor/level to make sure you're on the right train! One of the best things about Atocha station is the Cercanias train (C1) to the Airport, which only costs €2.50 and gets you from Atocha to Barajas in about half an hour with no transferring needed. The Cercanias drops you straight to Terminal 4 (T4), so this makes it convenient for most travelers as most international flights depart from T4. Please note that if your flight does not depart from T4 (like Delta Airlines), you will need to take a courtesy shuttle bus to bring you to the terminal. There are signs outside telling you where to wait for the terminal bus; but if you are unsure you can always ask an airport worker for help too. As a last word of advice, trains in Spain are usually punctual... If they're not, you may be entitled to a partial or full refund, per the Renfe policy. All my train rides throughout Spain were on time, so I wasn't able to bank on any refunds.

Gayle and I visited Atocha Station on 2 occasions during our recent trip to Spain. The first time was to take one of the high speed trains to Toledo for a wonderful day trip. The second time was to pick up our rental car to start a 9 day drive through various parts of Northern Spain. And it was an easy matter to take the Metro here. Atocha is the largest railway station in Madrid. The historical and architecturally interesting part of the Atocha station was in the progress of rehabilitation. The "modern" part of the station wasn't particularly distinctive, but the energy and people watching was well worth the price of admission. However, it did take Gayle and me a few minutes to figure out the number system to buy our Renfe tickets to Toledo and to determine exactly where our rental car was located (in the far end of the lower lot). And once behind the wheel, I was pleased on how relatively easy it was to find the freeway and drive out of town. Security was also a little more noticeable and with good reason. On March 11, 2004, packed arriving commuter trains were bombed in a series of coordinated bombings, killing 191 people and wounding 1,800. The official investigation by the Spanish Judiciary determined the attacks were directed by a Muslim al-Qaeda-inspired terrorist cell. A somber and minimalist Atocha station memorial is dedicated for the victims of the Attack. The monument includes a virtual shrine. Visitors to the attacked stations can leave a hand silhouette and a message through special-purpose consoles.

Beautifully designed and refreshing decor is the first thing you'll notice at this central train station. There's a lot of hustle and bustle as people are scrambling to get through security or buy food. Lots of shopping and eateries available. You must go through a scanner to have your luggage checked before entering the platform. It lives. Try quickly and a help desk is available on the left as you enter. We were told we had first class tickets so this meant we could lounge in the sala room with drinks, snacks, TVs, WiFi and newspapers. It's a welcome reprieve from the noise and chaos outside. Would definitely travel through this station again.

Gorgeous train station. Looks pretty ordinary outside but inside you see lots of palm trees. Good designing. Helpful staff. You see the RENFE offices and you can take the AVE trains. Reasonably priced fares, even if you haven't booked beforehand. Buses and metro access.

All aboard the 9.05 to anywhere you desire where you're just a bullet train away from idyllic sandy beaches, awe-inspiring mountain ranges and sleepy picturesque towns. Puerta de Atocha is the main station in Madrid providing access to every part of mainland Spain, with most via high speed trains. Some regions such as the North West of Spain are still awaiting their upgraded service but can still be accessed via commuter or sleeper trains. The station itself is a grand, impressive building which was originally opened in 1892 but has recently undergone extensive refurbishment which perfectly compliments modern architecture whilst holding onto the old charm of the original building. There are many shops, restaurants, bars and cafés to choose from ranging from the familiar chain options to quirky independent retailers. Perfect for killing some time before you hop on your train. The defining feature of this beautiful building is in the main concourse in the form of a stunning 4,000m covered tropical botanical garden that houses 7,200 tropical and subtropical plants from 260 species as well as a pond home to 22 species of fish and turtles. This is a nice place to relax whilst waiting for your train as you can sip on a coffee and munch on some jamon whilst shooting the breeze with a turtle. The signage and layout of both the railway and metro parts of the station make it easy to get around and find where you need to be. In the case that you find it a bit difficult, there are always a few happy faces around glad to help. All in all, i'm always happy to pass through here onto my next adventure!

Big station with ticket machines and if you need help you ask the guy by the machines. He was super helpful in helping me purchase a ticket round-trip to Toledo for the day and picking seats. The trains are nice and they're fast very clean unlike other places. You can catch a cab out front when you return.

Nice big station and actually gets the job done as far as queuing up taxis, moving people, etc. The architecture is also pretty on the outside. Very large station and user friendly. They have ample escalators and people movers and signage. Never had any issues here. And well located.

Traveling from Barcelona to Madrid in the first class car is the only way to go. As an alternative to flying there is no comparison to this most civilized manner of travel. 1. Seats comfortable with leg room (pay attention airlines) 2. Our train ran on time to the minute 3. Food service is decent. 4. Views from the train are terrific. The ability to sit with your traveling companions and chat while buzzing through the country side is the best part of the experinece.

This train station is completely beautiful, when we were walking towards it, I said something like, 'ooooh! what's that?' and then it turned out to be our destination. It also has a rainforest built into a really large atrium, sorta strange, and really nice, especially if you have some waiting to do. It wasn't open to walk through when we were there (even though it was technically open hours) but you can walk all around it and sit just outside of it. Also, some things you should know: If you're going to somewhere relatively nearby, I think it says cercanías, and that's where you should get your tix. If you're going far away, larga distancia is your spot. All the round trip tickets we bought had open ended returns so you don't have to race to make a train, just make sure you have a schedule. There are a couple information booths placed strategically on your way to help you out, and I'm guessing they probably speak English; most people seem to. There is no free wifi here. Boooo.

I thought this train station was actually really clean and efficient. I didn't have any problems with it whatsoever. My train from Sevilla was late and it seemed like this station was a lot busier (understandably so) than the other train stations I went to, but I didn't feel the place was in disarray or anything like that. There are quite a few good places to grab a bite to eat while you wait for your train and the employees were all decently friendly.

Long time not been here, actually years! This past week i have had a very good experience using the high speed train AVE Madrid-Córdoba. In only 2 hours and very punctual. Smooth transactions and access. Big but not confusing, at least i could find everything easily. I liked the coffeeshops, kioks and various stores where you can get last minute items. Plus you have a lush garden to divert the attention from the steel and concrete.

So modern and the staff is well organized, took train to Barcelona first floor(platform one). It took 10 minutes to go through screening and hop into the train(2019/6). The wifi in the train didn't for for my USA iphone, but the ride put me to sleep.

This is a train station so in that respect it was a good train station the trains were there. The staff had something to be desired in that they were not overly personal or attentive and some were even rude. This was the staff in the ticket sales office only. The staff and most of the shops or restaurants were pleasant easy to work with. It's easy to navigate through the train station and it's pretty neat inside they have a mini botanical garden with a pond with about a million or so turtles, well actually more like probably 30 or 40 it was pretty neat though and a good way to pass the time. You can also store your bags and some lockers which is nice and it's reasonable we were able to fit a couple of roll-aboard bags and a duffle bag in about a medium sized Locker.

Very easy to get in and out. Lots of taxis. Station with easy signage. Quick to downtown. Easy to read directions.

Adoro spostarmi in Spagna con il veloce AVE. Madrid e' la miglior città per questo tipo di collegamenti. Madrid-Barcellona, Madrid-Siviglia, Madrid-Valencia. Ultimamente forse per il grande uso i prezzi non sono proprio il massimo e possono essere più cari di un aereo ma il fatto di non dover fare il check-in e quindi prendere il treno sino all'ultimo minuto e poter lavorare o usare laptop o tablet per tutto il tempo e' grandioso. Viaggiando in preferente (1a classe italiana) si ha a disposizione presa di corrente. Non ho ad oggi ancora trovato un treno con il WiFi il che non è il massimo ma si può sopravvivere anche senza, del resto anche in aereo il WiFi non c'è praticamente mai.

I took a train from my connection from Madrid to Barcelona. I got a little annoyed as they did not tell me why I had to wait on the side while everyone else got on before us (I was first in line..) Overall, train was good, clean and fast ride. I enjoyed it. Customer service experience sucked as about half of staff did not speak or even try to understand my Spanglish.

Madrid's train station is so nice. Trains come on time unlike my home country. Easy to find your way around as well.

The Atocha Station is where the inter-city trains come in, and you need to get the metro to other areas of town. But I really liked it for its indoor rainforest, which is home to lovely vegetation and lots and lots of turtles that you can sit and watch while waiting for your train. In a place that never stops it's nice to watch life that moves a little slower.

NOTE: Book online in advance (at least 72+ hours) and the price is usually 49 euros instead of ~100 euros Very easy to use facility. Bullet train runs at nearly 300 kmh and it is a smooth 2.5 hour ride to Barcelona from Madrid. Easy to navigate. Just remember you have assigned seats.

The US train stations should take notes on the operation blueprint of Renfe. Easy to get around Spain...zero worry...zero drama...buy tix, look at sched, board train, enjoy.

A rather straight forward train station. Very well connected and a nice interior garden that actually looks like it should be outdoors.