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Distance between cities

Madrid to Tarragona distance

Madrid and Tarragona are 425 km (264 mi) apart in a straight line and 541 km (336 mi) apart by road: about 5 hr 55 min of driving without stops, mostly on the A-2 and the AP-2. 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 Tarragona: the straight line and the driving route
By road
541 km (336 mi)
Driving time
5 hr 55 min
Straight line
425 km (264 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 425 km (264 mi) geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid
By road 541 km (336 mi) fastest driving route (OSRM)
Driving time 5 hr 55 min no stops, no traffic
Road detour +27% 1.27 times the straight line
Average speed 91 km/h (56 mph) along the route, without stops
Bearing 78° (east) leaving Madrid toward Tarragona
Midpoint 40.7948° N, 1.2319° W near Rubielos de la Cérida (Teruel)
Halfway by road Near Lucena de Jalón (Zaragoza) 271 km from each city by road
Time difference None both share the same time
Elevation Madrid: 645 m (2,116 ft) · Tarragona: 50 m (164 ft) IGN (Spain)
Population Madrid: 3,506,730 · Tarragona: 143,649 INE population register, January 1, 2025

Madrid to Tarragona by road

The fastest driving route is 541 km (336 mi) long and takes about 5 hr 55 min without stops or traffic. It runs mostly on the A-2 (317 km), the AP-2 (176 km), and the A-27 (25.7 km).

It goes through 5 autonomous communities: the Community of Madrid (40.4 km), Castilla–La Mancha (99.4 km), Castile and León (39.8 km), Aragon (253 km), and Catalonia (109 km). That’s an average of 91 km/h (56 mph). Spain’s traffic authority (DGT) recommends a break every two hours or 200 km: with 2 stops of 20 minutes, the trip takes about 6 hr 35 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 Tarragona are 425 km (264 mi) apart. That’s the geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid, the distance “as the crow flies”.

The road is 27% longer: for every 100 km in a straight line you drive 127. That’s a normal detour between two cities. Of the 120 Spanish driving pairs in this series, it ranks 40th for detour (the average is 24%).

From Madrid, Tarragona lies to the east (bearing 78°), and from Tarragona, Madrid lies to the west. The straight line reaches Tarragona on a bearing of 81°: on a sphere the bearing keeps changing along the way, which is why the shortest route looks slightly curved on a flat map.

Halfway between Madrid and Tarragona

Halfway along the straight line, 212 km (132 mi) from each city, is the point 40.7948° N, 1.2319° W. It falls near Rubielos de la Cérida (Teruel, pop. 20), 3.1 km away. The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is Teruel (pop. 36,655), 51.2 km away.

By road, the halfway point is 271 km (168 mi) from each city, near Lucena de Jalón (Zaragoza, pop. 223), 4.8 km away. The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is Zaragoza (pop. 693,091), 36.1 km away. The two midpoints are 81.0 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 Tarragona at 50 m (164 ft), 595 m (1,952 ft) lower.

Madrid has 3.5 million people and Tarragona 143,649 people (INE population register, January 1, 2025).

Frequently asked questions

How many kilometers is it from Madrid to Tarragona?

425 km (264 mi) in a straight line and 541 km (336 mi) by road on the fastest route (mostly on the A-2 and the AP-2).

How long is the drive from Madrid to Tarragona?

About 5 hr 55 min without stops or traffic, according to OSRM with OpenStreetMap data; with 2 stops of 20 minutes, about 6 hr 35 min.

Where is the halfway point between Madrid and Tarragona?

In a straight line, near Rubielos de la Cérida (Teruel). By road, 271 km from each city, near Lucena de Jalón (Zaragoza).

Which city is higher, Madrid or Tarragona?

Madrid, at 645 m (2,116 ft); Tarragona sits at 50 m (164 ft).

Which direction is Tarragona from Madrid?

East: the straight line leaves Madrid on a bearing of 78° (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 Tarragona

Sources