Travelling to Andalusia and around Andalusia by AVE is one of the best transport options. This high-speed train has been key to the region’s tourism development, as the first line in all of Spain was the Madrid–Seville route. And it continues to be so, as it is currently operating at full capacity and new expansion and improvement projects are planned. In this post, we briefly explain which routes may be useful to you, along with other relevant information.
AVE routes in Andalusia
There are currently seven AVE routes in Andalusia; that is, with part of the journey running through Andalusian territory. They are as follows:
- Madrid–Seville, with stops in Ciudad Real, Puertollano, and Córdoba
- Madrid–Granada, with intermediate stops in Ciudad Real, Puertollano, Córdoba, Antequera, and Loja
- Madrid–Málaga, with intermediate stops in Córdoba, Puente Genil, and Antequera
- Barcelona–Seville: thanks to a bypass south of Madrid (Perales del Río), it does not stop in the Spanish capital and significantly reduces travel times from the Catalan city. With intermediate stops in Tarragona, Lleida, Zaragoza, Ciudad Real, Puertollano, and Córdoba
- Barcelona–Granada: via the same bypass mentioned above, with a stop in Tarragona, Lleida, Zaragoza, Córdoba, Puente Genil, and Antequera
- Barcelona–Málaga: via the same Perales del Río bypass, with a stop in Tarragona, Zaragoza, Córdoba, Puente Genil, and Antequera
- Valencia–Seville: it uses another bypass in Madrid (Torrejón de Velasco), so it does not stop in the capital either. Its intermediate stops are Cuenca, Ciudad Real, Puertollano, and Córdoba
From all of this, an interesting point emerges: the importance of Córdoba station is crucial, becoming a true gateway to the region, as all AVE services in Andalusia pass through it.
As for the ticket price, it varies greatly and depends on the route, the seat, and any promotions available, as options such as Flexible or Promo are offered, with special benefits. However, by way of illustration, we indicate the standard, approximate prices for the routes mentioned above when travelling the full distance:
- Madrid–Seville: €54
- Madrid–Granada: €54
- Madrid–Málaga: €54
- Barcelona–Seville: €83
- Barcelona–Granada: €83
- Barcelona–Málaga: €83
- Valencia–Seville: €66
The future: AVLO and new stations
Although AVE in Andalusia works very satisfactorily—both in terms of occupancy and territorial coverage, frequency, and punctuality—expectations for the coming years are even better, as new destinations are expected to open and prices to fall.
The new destinations, although still under construction or being studied, are Almería and Huelva. Service is also being considered for places such as Jaén, Marbella, Estepona, or Algeciras. Cádiz, for its part, already has a high-speed line connected to Seville which, although it is not an AVE, does provide continuity of service.
Finally, in 2020 the so-called AVLO (Low-Cost High Speed) began operating, alongside a liberalisation of the service, meaning it will no longer be exclusive to Renfe, the state-owned company. Both developments suggest a significant reduction in ticket prices from now on.