maps4kids teamThe “Cercanías” (regional commuters)
Thanks for stopping by on the second leg of a voyage through the systems of trains in Spain. Part One was all about the bullet trains and probably should have included this spin-off of an old adage about the rain in Spain:
“The trains in Spain flow swiftly cross the plains“
But on with the story ! The Cercanías are defined as several networks of commuter trains in Spain that mostly take people to work. But they also help city folks and tourists get out to some of the great sites around their cities. More than a dozen cities around Spain have networks of these commuter trains. Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia are a few, and many of the cities along the northern coast in the Basque country, Cantabria, and Asturias have them as well.
Today we’ll dive in to the system in Madrid, and we we will also travel to two great exciting outside of the city to explore – El Escorial and Aranjuez. But first, a quick video of how these trains look as they make their way through Madrid.
The network in Madrid is made up of nine different lines and ninety stations with 370 km (230 mi) of tracks. They shuttle close to one million people a day into and around the city. A large number of visitors to Madrid take advantage of the Cercanías to reach the city center from the airport. This network was first operated in 1975 and has expanded steadily since. The trains can reach a top speed of 120 km/h (75 mph). This allows commuters from as far as 50 km (30 mi) outside the city to quickly get to Madrid. We recently took a few day trips using the Cercanías starting in Madrid.
A trip to El Escorial
To the west of Madrid lies the small town of El Escorial. It is home to one of the great palaces of Spain – the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. The C3 Cercanías will take you from downtown Madrid to El Escorial in about 40 minutes. It’s about a 47 km (29 mi) trip. In 1984, UNESCO designated this a World Heritage Site, and close to 500,000 people visit each year.
This 500 year old palace is home to amazing artwork and a crypt containing royal family members going back centuries. The views from the garden looking back towards Madrid, which can be seen on clear days.
Aranjuez
The sleepy town of Aranjuez list on the same C3 train line, but in the exact opposite direction. Just over 40 km (25 mi) southeast of Madrid, this town has a classic train station, an amazing palace and a town square with endless arches. We were there on a bright, fall day and enjoyed a tour of the palace and the fall colors. This was also name a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. The palace used to server as a residence for the royal family and was built in 1523. In its early days, it was used as a based for spring hunting trips.
We hope you have enjoyed this look at the Cercanías trains in Spain, some places to visit. and welcome any questions you might have. Stay tuned for Part Three. it will study the incredible subway (metro) system in Madrid !
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