General information

Atocha Train Station or Estación de Atocha is situated in the southern part of the city, near the city center. It's the largest and busiest station of the Spanish capital Madrid and handles approximately 16 million passengers annually. It's situated in the district of Arganzuela and was inaugurated in 1851. The gigantic railway complex serves the Spanish commuter trains (Cercanías), as well as intercity, regional and high-speed trains in the direction of Seville, Córdoba, Barcelona or Valencia.

Atocha has been in the news a lot because of the terrorist attacks in 2004, killing 191 people and wounding 1,800.

Transportation

Do you want to stay in Madrid? Tourist attractions like the Queen Sofia Museum, the botanical garden and the Parque del Retiro, are all at walking distance. There are, however, also taxis and city buses near the station on the Plaza del Emperador Carlos V. In addition, there are two subway stations: Atocha and Atocha Renfe. You can also rent a car in Madrid.

Services

The station, with its impressive nineteenth-century glass roof, looks more like a modern airport than an old train station. It's fully equipped including an information desk, a lost-and-found desk, ticket offices, and several travel agencies.

Restaurants and shops

The old station, which no longer met the needs of these times, was preserved and turned into a shopping mall with many (fast-food) restaurants and (outdoor) cafés where you can eat and drink something nearby the tropical garden! Outside the station you'll find a wide range of nice and affordable restaurants, with sandwiches and daily menus at € 13.

Useful links

• Next arrivals and departures Madrid Atocha
• Wikipedia