Arrival time at Madrid Atocha train station

How much time do we need to allow for check-in, security, finding correct platform etc. for a train leaving Madrid? Our tickets will have already been purchased. Unfortunately, we will not be traveling as light as I wish!

I'd like to know this too!

There is an airport type security line prior to entering platform area. You should probably add 15 minutes for this in case things back up there. It is a large station, but I don't recall a long walk to platforms. For some reason, the long walks seem to be on disembarkation.

We took two trains form Atocha last year, but we tend to be cautious with time, so we had no issues. We also had to leave buffer time to acquire tickets, since we used senior citizen pass tickets and the pass can only be purchased in Spain.

Perhaps one of the Spanish residents can jump in with better information.

Thanks for the reply! We will be taking the train next Sunday from Madrid to Barcelona at 10:30. I'll plan to allow an hour at the train station. I would rather have extra time there than be stressed with too little time.

There is an airport type security line prior to entering platform area. You should probably add 15 minutes for this in case things back up there. It is a large station, but I don't recall a long walk to platforms. For some reason, the long walks seem to be on disembarkation.

 

We took two trains form Atocha last year, but we tend to be cautious with time, so we had no issues. We also had to leave buffer time to acquire tickets, since we used senior citizen pass tickets and the pass can only be purchased in Spain.

 

Perhaps one of the Spanish residents can jump in with better information.

Thank you for the information.

Thanks for the reply! We will be taking the train next Sunday from Madrid to Barcelona at 10:30. I'll plan to allow an hour at the train station. I would rather have extra time there than be stressed with too little time.

Please come back and share how it was. We'll be doing the same on Oct 4.

I will. I just made myself a reminder note to do that on that days itinerary.

There is an airport type security line prior to entering platform area. You should probably add 15 minutes for this in case things back up there. It is a large station, but I don't recall a long walk to platforms. For some reason, the long walks seem to be on disembarkation.

 

We took two trains form Atocha last year, but we tend to be cautious with time, so we had no issues. We also had to leave buffer time to acquire tickets, since we used senior citizen pass tickets and the pass can only be purchased in Spain.

 

Perhaps one of the Spanish residents can jump in with better information.

A couple questions

How does the baggage work at the train station

Do they weigh it?

Is there a place in the car to put a large suitcase besides the overhead bin?

We will both have a large suitcase and a carryon

Was there escalators or elevators in the platform areas?

A couple questions

How does the baggage work at the train station

Do they weigh it?

Is there a place in the car to put a large suitcase besides the overhead bin?

We will both have a large suitcase and a carryon

 

Was there escalators or elevators in the platform areas?

LOL...I'm kind of relying on fuzzy memory.

They do not weigh it from what I saw and there were places to put large pieces in front and back of each carriage. Escalators...not sure, but there was always a elevator option when we needed one.

We traveled a lot by train in Italy and I seem to recall many more escalators in Bologna and Milan...but all the train stations are starting to run together in my head.

Security is definitely tighter on the Spanish system. The Spanish system is also better, in my mind...but, then again they have poured a ton of money in the system.

A great place for answers by locals that know the system inside and out is Trip Advisor. Here is a link to the Madrid forum

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g187514-i126-Madrid.html

If you are planning to visit Toledo during your trip to Madrid (highly recommend if you have at least three days in Madrid) you'll have a chance to reconnoiter Atocha ahead of your trip with luggage to BCN.

LOL...I'm kind of relying on fuzzy memory.

 

They do not weigh it from what I saw and there were places to put large pieces in front and back of each carriage. Escalators...not sure, but there was always a elevator option when we needed one.

 

We traveled a lot by train in Italy and I seem to recall many more escalators in Bologna and Milan...but all the train stations are starting to run together in my head.

 

Security is definitely tighter on the Spanish system. The Spanish system is also better, in my mind...but, then again they have poured a ton of money in the system.

 

A great place for answers by locals that know the system inside and out is Trip Advisor. Here is a link to the Madrid forum

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g187514-i126-Madrid.html

 

If you are planning to visit Toledo during your trip to Madrid (highly recommend if you have at least three days in Madrid) you'll have a chance to reconnoiter Atocha ahead of your trip with luggage to BCN.

Ok Thank You

We traveled by train from Madrid to Barcelona yesterday (Sunday) at 10:30 am with a lot of luggage. We do not travel lite! We arrived at the station at 9:30 am but would have been fine arriving at 9:45. It was relatively quiet probably because it was a Sunday. There are "moving sidewalk" escalators. Very easy to maneuver with lots of luggage. We waited until our platform # was shown, about 20 minutes prior to departure. We were told the trains to Barcelona are from platforms 1-5 so waited in this area. We were on 3. Our tickets were scanned and we made our way to the platform and our car. We left our large pieces at the back and took our smaller pieces to our seats which easily fit overhead. 2.5 hours later we arrived in Barcelona where there were taxis waiting.

We traveled by train from Madrid to Barcelona yesterday (Sunday) at 10:30 am with a lot of luggage. We do not travel lite! We arrived at the station at 9:30 am but would have been fine arriving at 9:45. It was relatively quiet probably because it was a Sunday. There are "moving sidewalk" escalators. Very easy to maneuver with lots of luggage. We waited until our platform # was shown, about 20 minutes prior to departure. We were told the trains to Barcelona are from platforms 1-5 so waited in this area. We were on 3. Our tickets were scanned and we made our way to the platform and our car. We left our large pieces at the back and took our smaller pieces to our seats which easily fit overhead. 2.5 hours later we arrived in Barcelona where there were taxis waiting.

We'll be doing the same on Oct 4. Glad it worked well for you and thanks for sharing your experience.

We traveled by train from Madrid to Barcelona yesterday (Sunday) at 10:30 am with a lot of luggage. We do not travel lite! We arrived at the station at 9:30 am but would have been fine arriving at 9:45. It was relatively quiet probably because it was a Sunday. There are "moving sidewalk" escalators. Very easy to maneuver with lots of luggage. We waited until our platform # was shown, about 20 minutes prior to departure. We were told the trains to Barcelona are from platforms 1-5 so waited in this area. We were on 3. Our tickets were scanned and we made our way to the platform and our car. We left our large pieces at the back and took our smaller pieces to our seats which easily fit overhead. 2.5 hours later we arrived in Barcelona where there were taxis waiting.

Ok Great News

Thank You

one more month for us