Madrid–Barajas is one of Europe's best-connected airports, and Spain's high-speed rail network (AVE) makes the train genuinely competitive with flying from several Spanish and European cities.
Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) is Spain's busiest airport and a major long-haul hub, with direct flights from North and South America, most of Europe, the Middle East and parts of Asia. If you're coming from within Europe, budget carriers run frequent, cheap routes into Madrid from most major cities — it's rarely the most expensive Spanish city to fly into. See our Barajas airport guide for what happens after you land.
Spain's AVE high-speed network makes Madrid highly reachable by rail:
Trains arrive at Atocha (southern lines) or Chamartín (northern lines) — both connect directly to the Metro.
For anything under about 3 hours by AVE — Barcelona, Seville, Valencia — the train usually wins on total door-to-door time and comfort, even before considering the lower environmental impact. For longer domestic hops or international connections, flying still makes sense.
AVE tickets are priced dynamically, like flights — booking a few weeks ahead is noticeably cheaper than turning up on the day, especially for Friday and Sunday departures.