What is the travel distance from Madrid to Cartagena?

The distance between the two cities is 243 miles (392 km).

What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Madrid to Cartagena?

The majority of buses traveling from Madrid to Cartagena start their journey at Estación Sur and wind up at Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena. These are the main departure and arrival locations on this route, but you can also find other options that could better fit your plans.

What are the best sights and things to do in Cartagena?

Once in Cartagena, you can start exploring the city and discover its surroundings. The top sights and things to do are Bazurto Market, Palace of Inquisition, Cartagena Walled City, Rosario Islands and Castillo San Felipe de Barajas.

Bus Madrid to Cartagena from $38 | Refundable Tickets

Next bus departures

Next departures for Madrid to Cartagena on November 20
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	7:45am	Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, MAD T4	6h 5m	1:50pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	Cheapest
Bus	8:30am	Estación Sur	5h 20m	1:50pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	Fastest
Bus	11:45am	Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, MAD T4	7h 20m	7:05pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags
Bus	12:30pm	Estación Sur	6h 35m	7:05pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags
Bus	3:45pm	Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, MAD T4	6h 5m	9:50pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags

Next departures for Madrid to Cartagena on November 21
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	12:30pm	Estación Sur	6h 35m	7:05pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	Cheapest
Bus	12:30am	Estación Sur	5h 20m	5:50am	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	Fastest
Bus	7:45am	Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, MAD T4	6h 5m	1:50pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags
Bus	8:30am	Estación Sur	5h 20m	1:50pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags
Bus	11:45am	Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, MAD T4	7h 20m	7:05pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags

Next departures for Madrid to Cartagena on November 22
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	8:30am	Estación Sur	5h 20m	1:50pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	Cheapest
Bus	12:30am	Estación Sur	5h 20m	5:50am	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	Fastest
Bus	7:45am	Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, MAD T4	6h 5m	1:50pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags
Bus	8:30am	Estación Sur	5h 20m	1:50pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags
Bus	11:45am	Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, MAD T4	7h 20m	7:05pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags

Next departures for Madrid to Cartagena on November 23
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	8:30am	Estación Sur	5h 20m	1:50pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	Cheapest
Bus	12:30am	Estación Sur	5h 20m	5:50am	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	Fastest
Bus	7:45am	Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, MAD T4	6h 5m	1:50pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags
Bus	8:30am	Estación Sur	5h 20m	1:50pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags
Bus	11:45am	Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, MAD T4	7h 20m	7:05pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags

Next departures for Madrid to Cartagena on November 24
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	8:30am	Estación Sur	5h 20m	1:50pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	Cheapest
Bus	12:30am	Estación Sur	5h 20m	5:50am	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	Fastest
Bus	7:45am	Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, MAD T4	6h 5m	1:50pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags
Bus	8:30am	Estación Sur	5h 20m	1:50pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags
Bus	11:45am	Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, MAD T4	7h 20m	7:05pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags

Next departures for Madrid to Cartagena on November 25
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	8:30am	Estación Sur	5h 20m	1:50pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	Cheapest
Bus	12:30am	Estación Sur	5h 20m	5:50am	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	Fastest
Bus	7:45am	Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, MAD T4	6h 5m	1:50pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags
Bus	8:30am	Estación Sur	5h 20m	1:50pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags
Bus	11:45am	Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, MAD T4	7h 20m	7:05pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags

Next departures for Madrid to Cartagena on November 26
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	12:30pm	Estación Sur	6h 35m	7:05pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	Cheapest
Bus	12:30am	Estación Sur	5h 20m	5:50am	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	Fastest
Bus	7:45am	Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, MAD T4	6h 5m	1:50pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags
Bus	8:30am	Estación Sur	5h 20m	1:50pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags
Bus	8:30am	Estación Sur	5h 20m	1:50pm	Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena	No tags

Last refresh of the prices: Yesterday at 11:21 PM CET.

Compare 2 ways to go from Madrid to Cartagena

We recommend carpooling

Among the sustainable travel choices, the carpool stands out as the good way to reach Cartagena. The journey takes about 4 hours 10 minutes and with fares starting at just $20, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

27carpool per day

4h 10mAverage Duration

241 milesDistance

16kgCO₂ emissions

	Average Price	Average Duration	CO₂ emissions	Actions
Bus	Average Price$54 - $99	Average Duration6h 5m	CO₂ emissions 10kg CO₂e
Carpool	Average Price$20 - $57	Average Duration4h 10m	CO₂ emissions 16kg CO₂e

Compare bus companies

ALSA

4.5/560,787 reviews

Staff4.7

Timeliness4.4

Cleanliness4.7

Wifi3.5

According to 40 reviews, ALSA received a 4.2-star rating for this journey. Travelers were especially satisfied with the staff and the temperature, but some complained about the wifi. ALSA ticket prices on this trip start at $54

ALSA Supra Madrid Cartagena recent customer reviews

Puntual. Comfortable.

Luis A.

July 25, 2023

Very good service

Fernando D.

June 3, 2018

ES bus companies: FlixBus, BlaBlaCar Bus, ALSA, Greyhound, Intercape, Rede Expressos, Trenitalia

Where are the popular stops in Madrid and Cartagena?

Stops in Madrid

A - Estación Sur

B - Madrid-Barajas Airport

C - Avenida de América Metro

D - Moncloa

E - Madrid Interc. Plaza Castilla

F - Ronda de Valencia 6

Stops in Cartagena

A - Estación de Autobuses de Cartagena

Frequently asked questions about traveling from Madrid to Cartagena by bus

What is the travel distance from Madrid to Cartagena?
What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Madrid to Cartagena?
What are the best sights and things to do in Cartagena?

Find cheapest prices for buses

Price is for a one-way ticket for one passenger and based on past searches.

Best price found

11/18

$49

11/19

$49

Today

$48

11/21

$46

11/22

$38

11/23

$42

11/24

$42

11/25

$42

The cheapest trip from Madrid to Cartagena was searched and found on Nov 22, 2025 with a price of $38

To save money and be sure you have the best seat, it's a good idea to buy your bus tickets from Madrid to Cartagena, as early as possible.

You can expect to pay from $38 to $80 for a bus ticket from Madrid to Cartagena based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at $38 which is on 2025-11-22.