Madrid - Puerta de Atocha - Almudena Grandes

On 9 February 1851, Spain’s second railway line was inaugurated (connecting Madrid with Aranjuez), and with it arrived the capital’s first railway station, Atocha, which was a mere stopping point with a wooden platform.

As expected, the station was subsequently expanded, first in 1865 and later in 1892. The most notable feature of the work done in 1892 is the roof over the central hall. Designed by French engineer Henri de Saint-James and measuring 152 metres long, 48 metres wide and 27 metres tall, it has become one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks.

Since the refurbishment carried out by Spanish architect Rafael Moneo between 1984 and 1992, the Atocha complex comprises two stations: the old and the new. The new part is used for rail traffic (it’s the terminal for the high-speed network AVE, long-distance trains and local Cercanías services), while the old part is home to the Renfe’s offices (where the staff of the Spanish national railway company can be found) and a shopping and leisure area that houses a tropical garden with over 100 different species, including 70 palm trees and 1,000 other plants.

Located right beside the tropical garden and the Cercanías area, visitors will find luxury toilets. For just €1—which can be earned back later through discounts at the station’s shops—you’ll have access to the following facilities: toilets with touch-free technology; showers; a health assessment station where you can check your blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen levels, weight, BMI and height; a breastfeeding room with a changing table, microwave and nursing chair; a family room with both an adult’s and a child’s toilet and a changing table; a hydration station; and a “Beauty Bar” where you'll find a dressing table equipped with smart mirrors offering, for example, real-time weather information and hygiene recommendations. There’s also an accessible space designed to accommodate people with mobility or physical disabilities.

Don’t miss the Cervantes Train, running to and from Atocha, which will have passengers in the author of Don Quixote’s hometown, Alcalá de Henares, in just 40 minutes. 

As of November 2022, the station has added “Almudena Grandes” to its name, honouring the great Madrid writer who passed away in 2021.