How much does it cost?

From £2,195 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $2,965 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is train travel included?

Yes, this trip is entirely by rail: international standard class trains to and from London, plus rail travel within Spain between Girona, Madrid, Burgos, and San Sebastian.

Is it escorted or independent?

It is a tailor-made journey. Most days are at leisure to explore independently; day 5 in Madrid includes a private driver for regional excursions.

Which cities does it visit?

London, Girona, Madrid, Burgos, and San Sebastian.

What hotels are included?

Hotel Historic in Girona, Hotel Catalonia Puerta del Sol in Madrid, NH Burgos Palacio, and Hotel Villa Soro in San Sebastian.

The trip is priced for February (from £2,195) and May (from £2,795) departures.

Cox & Kings · Tailor-Made Journey

London to Madrid by Rail

10-day all-rail tailor-made journey from London across Spain

Cox & Kings runs this 10-day, 9-night tailor-made rail journey across Spain, traveling entirely by train from London to Girona, Madrid, Burgos, and San Sebastian and back. Day 1 is a full-day rail journey via Paris into Girona, a walled medieval city where day 2 is spent exploring the Girona Cathedral and Jewish quarter. Three nights in Madrid follow, with a day at leisure for the Prado and Retiro Park, plus a private-driver day to Aranjuez or El Escorial. The trip then continues by train to Burgos, where the gothic cathedral holds the tomb of El Cid, and finishes in the coastal Basque city of San Sebastian, known for its old town, La Concha Beach, and pintxos. Most days are unstructured, giving travelers freedom to set their own pace between the scheduled train transfers. This suits travelers who want to see Spain by rail without a flight, moving between historic cities on their own schedule rather than a fixed group tour.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has held at £2,195 every time.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 2 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

One reading is held out of the price above and this history: an unconfirmed large change. We only price on the operator's package from-price, read from its own page.

What to know before you look closer

Most days are unguided free time to explore independently; only day 5 in Madrid includes a private driver for excursions to Aranjuez or El Escorial.
Pricing varies notably by season, from £2,195 per person for a February departure to £2,795 for a May departure.
The legs to and from London on day 1 and day 10 are long full-day train journeys via Paris; the rest of the trip is by train within Spain.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Girona
Arrive in Girona, Spain.
Travel by rail from London to Girona, Spain, via Paris, France. Check in at Hotel Historic for 2 nights.
Day 2overnight: Girona
Girona
Enjoy a day at leisure to explore Girona. The city has an ancient history, changing hands from the Iberians to the Romans to the Visigoths. Historic landmarks include the walkable city walls; the Girona Cathedral; and the attractive Jewish quarter.
Day 3railovernight: Madrid
Madrid
Transfer by rail from Girona to Madrid, then check in at Hotel Catalonia Puerta del Sol for 3 nights.
Day 4overnight: Madrid
Madrid
Your day is at leisure to explore Madrid, the capital of Spain. You may wish to amble through the lush, leafy Parque del Retiro, admire the imposing Royal Palace, sample local produce at the San Miguel Market, and browse centuries-old masterpieces in the Museo del Prado.
Day 5overnight: Madrid
Madrid
Enjoy a day exploring the Madrid region with a private driver. Perhaps journey south to Aranjuez with its UNESCO-listed old town, or northwest to El Escorial monastery, the largest Renaissance building in the world.
Day 6overnight: Burgos
Burgos
Journey from Madrid to Burgos and check in at NH Burgos Palacio for 2 nights.
Day 7overnight: Burgos
Burgos
Enjoy a day at leisure in Burgos, part of the autonomous Castile and León region. You may wish to visit the royal hunting lodge-turned-monastery of Miraflores, Burgos Cathedral and its dazzling Chapel of the Constables.
Day 8railovernight: San Sebastián
San Sebastian
Travel from Burgos to San Sebastian by train, then check in at Villa Soro for 2 nights.
Day 9overnight: San Sebastián
San Sebastián
Your day is at leisure to explore San Sebastián in the Basque region. You could tour the historic old town, venture down to the gold sands of La Concha Beach, or gain insight into Basque culture at the San Telmo Museum.
Day 10rail
Depart San Sebastián.
Transfer from San Sebastian to Hendaye, then take the train to London via Paris.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 2A day exploring Girona's historic city walls, Girona Cathedral, and the Jewish quarter, in a city that has changed hands from the Iberians to the Romans to the Visigoths.
Day 4A day in Madrid to explore the Parque del Retiro, the Royal Palace, the San Miguel Market, and the Museo del Prado.
Day 5A day exploring the Madrid region with a private driver, with the option to visit Aranjuez's UNESCO-listed old town or the El Escorial monastery, the largest Renaissance building in the world.
Day 7A day in Burgos with the option to visit the Miraflores monastery, Burgos Cathedral, and its Chapel of the Constables, where El Cid is entombed.
Day 9A day in San Sebastian to explore the old town, La Concha Beach, or the San Telmo Museum of Basque culture.

Included

Accommodation, itinerary & meal basis as described
International standard class train tickets to/from London and domestic rail travel
Local guides & entrance fees where applicable
Local Transfers in a private chauffeur-driven vehicle, where applicable

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £2,195 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $2,965 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is train travel included?: Yes, this trip is entirely by rail: international standard class trains to and from London, plus rail travel within Spain between Girona, Madrid, Burgos, and San Sebastian.
Is it escorted or independent?: It is a tailor-made journey. Most days are at leisure to explore independently; day 5 in Madrid includes a private driver for regional excursions.
Which cities does it visit?: London, Girona, Madrid, Burgos, and San Sebastian.
What hotels are included?: Hotel Historic in Girona, Hotel Catalonia Puerta del Sol in Madrid, NH Burgos Palacio, and Hotel Villa Soro in San Sebastian.
When does it run?: The trip is priced for February (from £2,195) and May (from £2,795) departures.