Suggested Itinerary: The Big Three - Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid (& Zaragoza)

By Damian Corrigan, About.com Guide

• Barcelona - Valencia
  • By Bus: 5h30 (15€ with Alsa)
  • By Train: 3h (32€)
  • By Car: 3h30 (64€)

• Valencia - Madrid
  • By Bus: 4h (21€ with Auto Res)
  • By Train: 3h30 (40€)
  • By Car: 3h30 (32€)

• Madrid - Zaragoza
  • By Bus: 4h (13€ with Alsa)
  • By Train: 1h30 (40€ with the AVE high-speed luxury train Buy Direct)
  • By Car: 3h15 (30€)

• Zaragoza - Barcelona
  • By Bus: 5h30 (12€ with Alsa)
  • By Train: 3h30 (37€)
  • By Car: 3h15 (52€)

Alternatively, see this Four-Day Barcelona, Valencia and Zaragoza Tour from Madrid.

Total Travel Time & Costs

• By Train
  • Total Travel Time: 11h30m
  • Total Cost: 149€
• By Bus
  • Total Travel Time: 19 hours
  • Total Cost: 61€
• By Car
  • Total Travel Time: 14 hours
  • Total Cost: 178€

*This cost includes petrol and road tolls, but doesn't include car hire. Remember, this cost is for the whole car carrying as many people as will fit, while the other costs on this page are per person.
Compare Prices on Car Hire in Spain (book direct)

Notes & Variations:

• The Zaragoza to Barcelona leg of the journey is quicker by bus than train and is considerably cheaper.
• Don't just jump from city to city and ignore the regions around the cities. There a number of great Day Trips from Barcelona that are well worth checking out, while Madrid has the essential trio of Toledo, Segovia & El Escorial to visit.

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