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Barcelona to Madrid drive weather

620 km (385 miles), about 5½ hours of driving via A-2 and AP-2. The high point is Puerto de Alcolea at 1,224 m (4,017 ft), about 4 h 25 min in.

Distance
620 km
Drive time
~5½ hours
High point
1,224 m
Country
Spain

Next 7 departures

Leaving Barcelona at 7 AM each day · Updated · Forecast: MET Norway

  1. SatOct 3

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 16–19°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Barcelona7 AM CESTRain showers18°C
    El Vendrell7:45 AM CESTMostly sunny18°C
    Lleida8:30 AM CESTMostly sunny16°C
    Zaragoza9:45 AM CESTCloudy19°C
    Calatayud10:30 AM CESTFog18°C
    Puerto de Alcolea11:30 AM CESTCloudy16°C
    Guadalajara12:15 PM CESTLight rain18°C
    Madrid12:45 PM CESTLight rain19°C
  2. SunOct 4

    CautionHeavy rain near Barcelona around 7 AM CEST.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Barcelona7 AM CESTHeavy rain20°C
    El Vendrell7:45 AM CESTRain19°C
    Lleida8:30 AM CESTRain17°C
    Zaragoza9:45 AM CESTCloudy19°C
    Calatayud10:30 AM CESTCloudy18°C
    Puerto de Alcolea11:30 AM CESTLight rain14°C
    Guadalajara12:15 PM CESTCloudy19°C
    Madrid12:45 PM CESTCloudy19°C
  3. MonOct 5

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 16–21°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Barcelona7 AM CESTCloudy21°C
    El Vendrell7:45 AM CESTCloudy19°C
    Lleida8:30 AM CESTPartly sunny16°C
    Zaragoza9:45 AM CESTCloudy19°C
    Calatayud10:30 AM CESTFog18°C
    Puerto de Alcolea11:30 AM CESTPartly sunny18°C
    Guadalajara12:15 PM CESTCloudy21°C
    Madrid12:45 PM CESTRain20°C
  4. TueOct 6

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 16–20°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Barcelona7 AM CESTCloudy18°C
    El Vendrell7:45 AM CESTMostly sunny18°C
    Lleida8:30 AM CESTCloudy18°C
    Zaragoza9:45 AM CESTPartly sunny19°C
    Calatayud10:30 AM CESTPartly sunny18°C
    Puerto de Alcolea11:30 AM CESTMostly sunny16°C
    Guadalajara12:15 PM CESTPartly sunny19°C
    Madrid12:45 PM CESTCloudy20°C
  5. WedOct 7

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 14–19°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Barcelona7 AM CESTRain19°C
    El Vendrell7:45 AM CESTHeavy rain18°C
    Lleida8:30 AM CESTPartly sunny17°C
    Zaragoza9:45 AM CESTCloudy18°C
    Calatayud10:30 AM CESTPartly sunny17°C
    Puerto de Alcolea11:30 AM CESTLight rain14°C
    Guadalajara12:15 PM CESTCloudy17°C
    Madrid12:45 PM CESTLight rain18°C
  6. ThuOct 8

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 13–19°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Barcelona7 AM CESTMostly sunny17°C
    El Vendrell7:45 AM CESTSunny17°C
    Lleida8:30 AM CESTMostly sunny16°C
    Zaragoza9:45 AM CESTSunny18°C
    Calatayud10:30 AM CESTLight rain showers15°C
    Puerto de Alcolea11:30 AM CESTPartly sunny13°C
    Guadalajara12:15 PM CESTSunny17°C
    Madrid12:45 PM CESTPartly sunny19°C
  7. FriOct 9

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 9–14°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Barcelona7 AM CESTLight rain14°C
    El Vendrell7:45 AM CESTMostly sunny13°C
    Lleida8:30 AM CESTSunny10°C
    Zaragoza9:45 AM CESTSunny13°C
    Calatayud10:30 AM CESTSunny11°C
    Puerto de Alcolea11:30 AM CESTMostly sunny9°C
    Guadalajara12:15 PM CESTSunny13°C
    Madrid12:45 PM CESTSunny14°C

The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.

The route, stop by stop

Checkpoints in order, with driving time from Barcelona (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.

Puerto de Alcolea · 1,224 m 0 km 620 km
Elevation along the route (Terrain Tiles, sampled every 8 km).
  1. Barcelona, SpainStart 30 melevation
  2. El Vendrell, SpainKm 76 · 47 min 54 melevation
  3. Lleida, SpainKm 169 · 1 h 36 min 162 melevation
  4. Zaragoza, SpainKm 307 · 2 h 49 min 218 melevation
  5. Calatayud, SpainKm 389 · 3 h 33 min 540 melevation
  6. Puerto de Alcolea, SpainMountain pass · Km 483 · 4 h 25 min 1,224 melevation
  7. Guadalajara, SpainKm 565 · 5 h 8 min 712 melevation
  8. Madrid, SpainKm 620 · 5 h 44 min 663 melevation

Typical weather by month

Average daily highs and lows, and days with 2.5 cm (an inch) or more of snow, at Barcelona, Calatayud and Madrid.

MonthBarcelona
Barcelona (El Raval) station · 33 m
Calatayud
Daroca station · 779 m
Madrid
Madrid (Retiro) station · 667 m
High / low °CHigh / low °CHigh / low °C
Jan15° / 9°10° / 0°10° / 3°
Feb15° / 8°12° / 0°12° / 4°
Mar17° / 10°16° / 2°16° / 6°
Apr19° / 13°18° / 5°19° / 8°
May23° / 16°22° / 9°23° / 12°
Jun27° / 20°28° / 13°29° / 17°
Jul29° / 23°31° / 15°33° / 20°
Aug29° / 23°31° / 15°32° / 19°
Sep26° / 20°26° / 11°27° / 16°
Oct23° / 17°20° / 8°20° / 11°
Nov18° / 12°14° / 3°13° / 6°
Dec16° / 9°10° / 0°10° / 4°

1991–2020 averages computed from NOAA NCEI daily station records (GHCN-Daily): BARCELONA EL RAVAL, SP (SPE00155991, 33 m); DAROCA, SP (SPE00120629, 779 m); MADRID RETIRO, SP (SP000003195, 667 m). Snow days are days with at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.

Road conditions

Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for Spain rather than repeat them.

Check the official forecast from AEMET and each road report before you leave.

Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there

Road Travel plans the drive from Barcelona to Madrid with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.

Questions about this drive

How long is the drive from Barcelona to Madrid?

620 km (385 miles), about 5½ hours of driving without stops, by way of A-2 and AP-2. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.

What is the highest point on the drive?

Puerto de Alcolea, at 1,224 m (4,017 ft). It comes at km 483, about 4 h 25 min of driving after you leave Barcelona.

How cold is Madrid in January?

The nearest long-term NOAA station, Madrid (Retiro) (667 m), averages a high of 10°C and a low of 3°C in January (1991–2020 averages).