€9 Barcelona-Madrid high-speed rail tickets on offer

Ouigo offers low-cost tickets between May and December 2021 after high-speed rail network opened to competitors

A passenger prepares to board a trian in Barcelona Sants station (by Aina Martí)
A passenger prepares to board a trian in Barcelona Sants station (by Aina Martí) / ACN

ACN | Barcelona

December 9, 2020 07:19 PM

High-speed train tickets between Barcelona and Madrid are on offer for as low as €9, as French rail company Ouigo has entered the market. 

The tickets at that price are available from May 10, when the state of alarm in Spain is due to finish, and December 11, 2021. Initially, the journeys were to begin on March 15, but the beginning of the service has been postponed due to restrictions to combat the pandemic. 

Children under the age of 3 can travel for free and children between the ages of 4 and 13 can go for €5 per ticket. 

The line between Barcelona and Madrid will be the first that the French company will operate in Spain. The train will have two stops where passengers will be able to board and leave in Tarragona and Zaragoza and will be able to accommodate a total of 509 passengers.

The new high-speed company will have ten daily departures that connecting Barcelona and Madrid in a mere 2 hours and 30 minutes. The company is already working on a service to reach Valencia, Alicante, Córdoba, Seville and Malaga as well, with 30 daily departures.

The fare of €9 euros includes hand and cabin luggage, as well as the option to change the holder of the trip up until the day before. For 9 euros more the company lets the customer choose and the seat, can reserve a larger one, bring an additional suitcase and connect to the OuiFun entertainment system.

Masks will be mandatory for both passengers and crew, there will be hand sanitizer available for passengers, and trains will be thoroughly cleaned often.