Trains to Valencia

Valencia train stations

Spain’s third-largest city lies mid-way down the country’s east coast, facing out over the Mediterranean Sea. Its thriving culture and art scene make it a rival to Madrid or Barcelona as a popular holiday destination. Its unique claim to fame is that it is the home of the futuristic Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of Arts and Sciences), one of Europe’s largest cultural centres, incorporating art galleries, a planetarium, an aquarium, an interactive science centre and lots more. The city has two railway stations — Joaquín Sorolla station in the south of the city and the central Estación del Nord, which is only around 800 metres to the north. Valencia Joaquín Sorolla station is the base for AVE high-speed inter-city trains from Madrid and other main cities, while Estación del Nord serves high-speed long-distance and medium-distance services, as well as local and commuter trains.

Valencia Joaquín Sorolla train station

Valencia Joaquín Sorolla station is a grey, airport-style building, low-key and functional, opened in 2010 to accommodate AVE high-speed trains. The newer of the two Valencia train stations, it started life as a temporary solution in order to accommodate the new breed of trains. The intention was to develop an underground station, but this has become a permanent fixture. Inside, it has the usual catering and retail outlets expected of a transport hub, as well as railway service points, all in an airy, exposed metal-work space. It has six platforms, nine tracks, and services include up to 15 high-speed trains to Madrid every day (a journey that takes a speedy 1h45mins). There are also high-speed trains to other Spanish cities. For example, the journey to Seville can be completed in under 4h00mins. Local transport to any location in Valencia is well provided for, with the Joaquín Sorolla metro, which is on lines 1 and 5, as well as buses and taxis nearby.

Valencia del Nord train station

The palatial edifice of the Valencia del Nord station is right in the city centre, next to the Plaza de Toros de Valencia, which is the city’s bullring. Of the two Valencian train stations, this one is a visitor destination in its own right. It was built in the early 20th century in the Vienna Secessionist style. The exterior is decorated with symbols representing typical Valencian culture and landscapes, such as lakes, women in traditional dress, and oranges everywhere. Inside, the decoration continues in a cavernous space, with iron-work forming great arches over the platforms and tracks. The station covers local Cercanías (commuter services), as well as medium-distance and long-distance AVE high-speed services to major Spanish cities. The trip to Madrid can be done in 3h00mins, and visitors from Barcelona can cover the journey to Valencia in under 3h30mins. The station provides good local transport links to the rest of the city, with buses and taxis outside, in addition to a convenient connection with the Xátiva metro station, which is on lines 3 and 5 of Valencia’s metro network.