Heading on vacation to a new destination is great, but with smaller cities like Seville how to you get there?We know this problem all to well – planning a trip to a place that is not an international transport hub, and then spending hours trying to find out how to actually get there.
Whether you are flying to Spain from overseas, planning an big trip around Andalusia, or coming across the border from Portugal, this guide will help you work out how to get to Seville by bus, train, and plane!
Arriving from Overseas (or Madrid & Barcelona)
Most overseas flights will fly into Madrid or Barcelona, which means connecting to Seville. You may be able to book a connecting flight, but often it is actually easier (and a much more pleasant experience!) to make use of Spain’s AVE high speed trains for the domestic leg of your journey.
From Madrid: The AVE train runs approximately 20 times daily, and takes roughly 2.5 hours. The standard price is 75.50 euros, but if you book online in advance on the Renfe website you may find some great deals, with prices as low as 40 euros – although be aware that the discounted tickets are non refundable nor exchangeable.
From Barcelona: The AVE train runs twice daily, and takes 5.5 hours. The full price fare is €116.60, but booking in advance and taking advantage of promotional tickets can sometimes reduce this price by nearly half, which is great for the budget minded traveler.
Arriving from Malaga
We often find ourselves flying in and out of Malaga airport rather than Seville, as the flights are often more frequent with more varied routes, and sometimes cheaper.
By Bus: If you are coming from Malaga airport, ALSA has a bus that runs at least once per day, directly from Malaga airport to Seville’s Plaza de Armas bus station. Booking in advance online is recommended, as this bus does sell out at times.
The ALSA bus also operates from the bus station next to the María Zambrano train station in the city center, with 8 buses daily, costing 18.57 euros – 23.52 euros and taking 2.5 – 4 hours.
By Train: If you aren’t already in the city center, from the airport take the airport bus to Malaga City, getting off at the stop “Héroe de Sostoa (María Zambrano train station)”. From the railway station there are trains around 11 trains daily to Seville, costing 24.10 – 43.60 euros and taking 2.5 – 3 hours.
Arriving from Cordoba
Seville and Cordoba are so close that the journey is quick and easy with frequent trains, and doesn’t require booking in advance (unless you wish to take advantage of the potential online discounts to get a reduced ticket price). There are approximately 2 trains every hour between Cordoba and Seville, with the ticket price ranging from 20 – 30 euros.
Insider’s Tip: If you are staying in Seville, Cordoba is close enough that you can jump on a train to visit for the day, making it the perfect day trip to see for yourself the amazing Mezquita and beautiful historic center.
Arriving from Granada
Granada to Seville is a popular route, as once visitors to Spain have checked out the mighty Alhambra palace in Granada, they head over to Seville to see the Alcazar and other famous monuments.
By Bus: ALSA bus runs 7 times daily, taking 3 hours and costing 22.69 euros.
By Train: Alternatively, the train operates 4 times daily, taking 3 – 3.5 hours and costing 30.15 euros.
Arriving from the Algarve, Portugal
Traveling around Portugal and Spain in one extended trip is entirely possible, so once you have finished soaking up the sun on the beaches of Portugal’s Algarve region, you can cross the border easily to Seville. ALSA has a bus services that operates 4 times daily from Faro (the Algarve regions capital city) to Seville Plaza de Armas bus station, costing 18 euros per ticket and taking 2 to 3 hours.
Arriving from other European destinations
While the best form of travel in Spain is often actually bus or train rather than domestic flight, arriving from other places in Europe will be easiest achieved by plane, and there are handful of airlines, in particular Ryanair and Vueling that operate daily flights to Seville airport from all around Europe.
Transport From Seville Airport: On arrival to the airport the local bus takes you straight to Plaza de Armas, Seville’s central bus station. The bus departs every 30 minutes, and the journey time is around 30 minutes. Tickets are 4 euros, and are purchased on board the bus. Alternatively, a taxi costs a flat rate of 25 euros.
Rather not worry about public transportation after a flight? Welcome Pickups has got you covered. After you reserve your private transfer online, you’ll get an email with your driver’s photo, contact details and the meeting point a few days before your flight, and once you arrive in Seville, they’ll be waiting for you with a sign with your name on it. Drivers even monitor your flight status in case of delays. And all this comes at a comparable price to an airport taxi!
This is among the best “getting to Seville” articles I have read. Thanks for the tips and information
Thanks so much for reading, Rajat!