If you'll be in Madrid this July, plan a 3-4 day trip to Pamplona, Spain to experience the world-famous Running of the Bulls festival that takes between July 6th-July 14th.
If you're wondering how you can get to Pamplona from Madrid, we got you! Here are five options for traveling from Madrid to Pamplona to experience the bull runs at the San Fermín, or Running of the Bulls, festival:
1. Train: This is the typically the best option for travelers, no matter what their budget is! Look at train options from Madrid to Pamplona on Omio. If you book in May or June, there are several round-trip train options between Madrid and Pamplona throughout the festival for as low as $60-$80 USD. One way travel by train between Madrid and Pamplona is typically a 3 hour journey, or roughly 5-7 hours if you need to transfer in Zaragoza.
2. Bus: Long distance bus travel is another common option for travelers going into and out of Pamplona, but it may be a little less comfortable than the train. Alsa offers bus tickets from Madrid to Pamplona for as low as $20 throughout the summer.
3. BlaBlaCar: BlaBlaCar is Europe's ride-sharing app for long-distance travel. People traveling long distances by car post their trip plans on BlaBlaCar, and you can pay to be a passenger in their car. It helps local travelers reduce the costs of their drive, and it helps people like you take long-distance trips at a reasonable price! BlaBlaCars typically take 5 hours to travel between Madrid and Pamplona.
4. Plane: There is a small airport in Pamplona, and you can sometimes find great deals. However, during the San Fermín festival, flight prices can spike to as high as $750 for a round trip ticket between Madrid and Pamplona. Feel free to check out flight options through companies like Iberia if you're open to pricier options.
5. Rental Car: If you'd like to take a road trip, rent a car to drive from Madrid to Pamplona. If you choose this option, we recommend that you return your car to the rental company upon arriving in Pamplona. Parking is extremely limited and usually very expensive during the festival.