Atocha

It is worth to visit the railway station Madrid Puerta de Atocha without wanting to use a train. The dead-end station has a new and an old main hall; the older one is from 1888 and was built in art nouveau style. Under the fantastic roof made of cast iron and glass there is now a large palm garden you can walk through and sit down in. Waiting for a train has never been that nice! When you relax under the trees you might forget that you are currently at the most important inner-city hub.

Madrid, Spain has two important railway stations: Chamartín in the north and outside of the city center and Atocha. Only from Atocha you can easily reach some interesting sights on foot – like the botanical garden, El Retiro or the three major art museums. But one thing feels strange here: you’re only allowed to get to the tracks if you have a valid ticket for the current day and you’ll have to pass a security check. I never had this while visiting a railway station abroad and it was the first time I couldn’t get some pictures of trains. To compensate this: there is a nice railway museum close by.

Madrid Puerta de Atocha
Calle de Méndez Álvaro, 1
28045 Madrid
Spanien