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Distance between cities

Madrid to Albacete distance

Madrid and Albacete are 223 km (139 mi) apart in a straight line and 255 km (159 mi) apart by road: about 2 hr 50 min of driving without stops, mostly on the A-3 and the A-31. Below you’ll find the route map, both halfway points, the bearing and where every figure comes from.

By the All Map Tools Team

Map from Madrid to Albacete: the straight line and the driving route
By road
255 km (159 mi)
Driving time
2 hr 50 min
Straight line
223 km (139 mi)
  • Driving route
  • Straight line
  • Straight-line midpoint
  • Halfway by road
Straight line vs driving distance

Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on the midpoint. Route: FOSSGIS OSRM with data © OpenStreetMap contributors, calculated on November 1, 2026; simplified line.

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The figures

Figure Value
Straight line 223 km (139 mi) geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid
By road 255 km (159 mi) fastest driving route (OSRM)
Driving time 2 hr 50 min no stops, no traffic
Road detour +15% 1.15 times the straight line
Average speed 90 km/h (56 mph) along the route, without stops
Bearing 135° (southeast) leaving Madrid toward Albacete
Midpoint 39.7113° N, 2.7644° W near Tresjuncos (Cuenca)
Halfway by road Near Villares del Saz (Cuenca) 128 km from each city by road
Time difference None both share the same time
Elevation Madrid: 645 m (2,116 ft) · Albacete: 681 m (2,234 ft) IGN (Spain)
Population Madrid: 3,506,730 · Albacete: 175,400 INE population register, January 1, 2025

Madrid to Albacete by road

The fastest driving route is 255 km (159 mi) long and takes about 2 hr 50 min without stops or traffic. It runs mostly on the A-3 (173 km) and the A-31 (76.2 km).

It goes through 2 autonomous communities: the Community of Madrid (71.7 km) and Castilla–La Mancha (184 km). That’s an average of 90 km/h (56 mph). Spain’s traffic authority (DGT) recommends a break every two hours or 200 km: with 1 stop of 20 minutes, the trip takes about 3 hr 10 min. The time is OSRM’s estimate with OpenStreetMap data: no traffic and speeds somewhat below the limits, so real trips can differ.

Straight-line distance and bearing

In a straight line, the shortest distance over the Earth’s surface, Madrid and Albacete are 223 km (139 mi) apart. That’s the geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid, the distance “as the crow flies”.

The road is 15% longer: for every 100 km in a straight line you drive 115. That’s a normal detour between two cities. Of the 120 Spanish driving pairs in this series, it ranks 105th for detour (the average is 24%).

From Madrid, Albacete lies to the southeast (bearing 135°), and from Albacete, Madrid lies to the northwest.

Halfway between Madrid and Albacete

Halfway along the straight line, 112 km (69.3 mi) from each city, is the point 39.7113° N, 2.7644° W. It falls near Tresjuncos (Cuenca, pop. 258), 1.5 km away. The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is Villarrobledo (Albacete, pop. 25,400), 51.5 km away.

By road, the halfway point is 128 km (79.4 mi) from each city, near Villares del Saz (Cuenca, pop. 499), 3.4 km away. The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is Cuenca (pop. 53,600), 42.3 km away. The two midpoints are 25.5 km apart: if you want to meet halfway, the one on the road is the useful one.

By plane

No flight time is given: under 500 km (311 miles) in a straight line, time at the airport outweighs time in the air.

The two cities

Madrid sits at 645 m (2,116 ft) and Albacete at 681 m (2,234 ft), 36 m (118 ft) higher.

Madrid has 3.5 million people and Albacete 175,400 people (INE population register, January 1, 2025).

Frequently asked questions

How many kilometers is it from Madrid to Albacete?

223 km (139 mi) in a straight line and 255 km (159 mi) by road on the fastest route (mostly on the A-3 and the A-31).

How long is the drive from Madrid to Albacete?

About 2 hr 50 min without stops or traffic, according to OSRM with OpenStreetMap data; with 1 stop of 20 minutes, about 3 hr 10 min.

Where is the halfway point between Madrid and Albacete?

In a straight line, near Tresjuncos (Cuenca). By road, 128 km from each city, near Villares del Saz (Cuenca).

Which direction is Albacete from Madrid?

Southeast: the straight line leaves Madrid on a bearing of 135° (0° is north and 90° is east).

Measure it yourself on the map

The same two cities, already set up in the tools: move the points, get the route by bike or on foot and download the map.

Similar pairs

The ones in this series whose cities are closest to these two, in case another one suits you better.

More distances from Madrid

All distances

More distances from Albacete

Sources