If you’re looking for the cheapest way to get from the capital of the UK to the capital of Spain, buses from London to Madrid are your best choice.
To travel between the UK and Spain, you must first take a bus from London to Paris and then transfer to a bus from Paris to Madrid.
National Express run buses from London to Paris. Coaches depart London Victoria Coach station for Paris Gallieni bus station five times a day. Three daytime buses to Paris leave at 8:00, 10:00, and 12:00 and two overnight buses to Paris depart at 21:30 and 22:30.
The scheduled journey time on this route is 8.5 to 10.25 hours, depending on your departure time. Tickets for buses from London to Paris cost from £9 if you buy them online ahead of travelling. More information about this route can be found here.
Once you arrive in Paris, you can transfer to a bus from Paris to Madrid. These are offered by a company called Eurolines. Their coaches depart Paris Gallieni bus station for Madrid South bus station twice a day at 14:30 and 18:00. The scheduled travel time from Paris to Madrid is 16.5 to 18.5 hours.
Bus tickets from Paris to Madrid on Eurolines buses cost from 37 euros if you book your tickets online in advance. You can find out more information about this route here.
A good way to travel by bus from London to Madrid is to plan an overnight stay in Paris on the way. This will allow you to rest and ensure that you don’t miss your connection if your coach from London is delayed.