Need to get from Almería to Madrid? New direct coach starts Monday while trains are suspended

Anyone planning to get from Almería to Madrid has found the train off the table since Wednesday’s crash in Toledo province. However, a direct daily coach that skips every stop in between starts on Monday, with a late-night drop at Barajas Airport for good measure.

The new coach runs daily until March

BusBAM’s new direct service between Almería and Madrid starts on Monday November 2 and will run every day until March 31, 2027.

Heading to the capital, the coach leaves Almería at 5pm and gets into Madrid’s Estación Sur at 11.15pm. Going the other way, it leaves Estación Sur at 8am and arrives in Almería at 2.15pm.

That works out at about six hours 15 minutes each way, and it doesn’t make the stops along the route that BusBAM’s other services do. 

Barajas Airport is on the way to Madrid 

The coach carries on from Estación Sur to Barajas Airport Terminal 4, arriving at 11.45pm. That makes it handy for a late arrival or an overnight stay near the airport, though not for an early flight on the same day.

Heading to Almería, the new coach only leaves from Estación Sur. However, BusBAM’s timetable also lists a separate 4pm departure from Terminal 4, although it doesn’t say which days it runs. 

Trains between Almería and Madrid are suspended

Renfe suspended its Alvia trains (long-distance conventional services) between Almería and Madrid in both directions after the rear-end collision between two trains near Urda on Wednesday October 28, and no return date had been given at the time of writing.

Renfe has also blocked ticket sales on the wider Madrid-Andalucía corridor until December 13, although it says that doesn’t mean the line will stay shut until then. 

Flights and car shares are the other options

Iberia has capped its flight fares to and from Andalucía, including Almería to Madrid, at €99 per leg in economy until November 8. Car-sharing rides on BlaBlaCar from the Almería area to Madrid were also listed from about €32.

How to book and what it costs

BusBAM says tickets on its Almería to Madrid line can be bought online through Movelia (the coach booking site), at the ticket office or on the bus, subject to seat availability.

Fares aren’t listed on the timetable page, but BusBAM’s other Almería to Madrid services have been reported at around €35 each way, so check the price when you book. Customer service is on 950 25 95 61, Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm.

With Iberia’s cap due to run out on November 8 and no date for the trains, it’s worth booking your seat early rather than turning up on the day and hoping.