How to get to Murcia Airport by Train

There is no train or underground station at Murcia Airport, but Jetbus takes passengers to the bus station in Murcia (tickets cost 5.00 euros per person). Buses leave from opposite the airport terminal.

Murcia del Carmen is the central train station from which travelers can catch trains to Madrid, Alicante and Águila and many other stations in between. Built in 1863, the station is operated by RENFE, with Cercanias Murcia-Alicante commuter trains of lines C-1 and C-2 being the most commonly used by tourists. But there are also high-speed Alvia trains for the Madrid-Levante rail network and Talgo services that operate the Valencia Nord and Barcelona Sants line. AVE high-speed rail network is due for extension to Murcia in 2021.

Trains from Murcia to the state capital, Madrid, take ca 3 hours and 16 minutes (timetable and tickets: www.renfe.com).

Cercanias commuter or regional services fall into 7 zones with respect to pricing.

• Zone 1 - 3.60 euros
• Zone 2 - 4.00 euros
• Zone 3 - 5.40 euros
• Zone 4 - 7.40 euros
• Zone 5 - 8.40 euros
• Zone 6 - 11.50 euros
• Zone 7 - 15.90 euros

Ticket prices depend on the route traveled and zones crossed. C-1 line trains take on average 1 hour and 25 minutes to reach Alicante, for example:

Leaves Murcia - Arrives in Alicante

• 14.00 hours - 15.24 hours
• 14.45 hours - 16.01 hours
• 15.15 hours - 16.42 hours
• 16.00 hours - 17.23 hours
• 17.00 hours - 18.26 hours

Leaves Alicante - Arrives in Murcia

• 17.05 hours - 18.29 hours
• 18.05 hours - 19.34 hours
• 18.55 hours - 20.21 hours
• 19.50 hours - 21.11 hours

Young people with Interrail tickets (www.interrail.eu) can use Altaria long-distance, high-speed trains that run between Madrid, Algeciras, Granada, Cartagena and Murcia, reaching up to 200 km/h. All seats, first (Preferente) or second (Turista) must be reserved in advance. Trains start from Madrid Puerta de Atocha station and offer passengers reclining seats and audio/video services with headphones and onboard café. First class reservations cost 23.50 euros and include a drink and meal. If that can't be provided, reservations cost just 10.00 euros per person. Kids under 4 require a ticket too, but it's free. It has to be obtained in advance from a RENFE point of sale, available at all major train stations. Turista reservations for 2nd class cost 6.50 euros per person.

For tourists who love travelling Spain by bus and train the journey to Bilbao might be of interest: it takes 11 hours and 45 minutes and may require up to 2 changes. Partly traveled by bus, partly by train, the trip goes via Madrid and Palencia, cheapest tickets start at 31.30 euros per person.

From Murcia, trains leave at 09.08, 9.30, 11.00 and 19.30, arriving (with bus from Madrid and/or Palencia) at 20.30, 21.16, 23.15 and 21.20 hours in Bilbao (bus terminal, tickets and timetables at www.thetrainline.com).