How to get to Badajoz from Seville

Badajoz, located by the Portuguese border, is pretty much the same distance away from Lisbon as it is from the Andalusian capital. Extremadura’s largest city is a good place to stop, either for the day or overnight, on a Spain-Portugal road trip.

This article, aimed at travellers looking to get to Badajoz from Seville, includes all the transport options available, the advantages of each means of transport, a detailed car journey description, practical info and some tips to help you plan your trip.

Getting to Badajoz from Seville by car

Badajoz is 213 kilometres away from Seville. A typical car journey takes 2h 20min, making it the fastest way (road traffic permitting) to get to Badajoz from Seville.

Reasons for driving to Badajoz from Seville:

You can hire a car right at the airport. If you flying into Seville, hiring a car at the airport is very convenient. You avoid having to get into the city by public transport or taxi to get to the bus or the train station.

You can leave when you want. You don’t need to kill time while waiting for a coach or train. As soon as you land, you can go get your car and leave straight away.

It can be the cheapest option if travelling with others.

It’s the fastest option. Driving from Seville to Badajoz will be at least 10min quicker than the fastest coach and 2h 30min quicker than the train.

It gives you the most flexibility. Driving allows you to stop whenever and wherever you want. You might need regular quick rest stops, or you may want to take it slowly and visit other places on the way, such as Zafra.

It may be your only option. If you want or need to leave Seville late in the evening, hiring a car may be your only option to get to Badajoz, since the last coaches depart at 3.30pm and the last trains from Seville to Extremadura usually depart before 5pm.

The car journey to Badajoz from Seville

If you’re setting off from Seville Airport, the journey involves crossing the northern part of Seville from east to west and across the river Guadalquivir to then join the A-66/E-803 road up to Badajoz.

Traffic is fast-paced on the A-4 road out of the airport. It’s good to have someone else in the passenger seat help with directions and making sure you don’t miss your exit, particularly if you’re driving at night. Follow the signs for Mérida (often appearing in the same sign as SE-20 I. de la Cartuja) onto the SE-20 road, which merges onto the SE-30 just before the river. After crossing the river, get off at exit 20 A (E-803/A-66) Mérida-bound.

Once on the A-66/E-803 motorway, driving is easy and comfortable. Road traffic is generally low to moderate. Get off at exit 684 and join the N-432 road Badajoz-bound all the way to Badajoz.

Parking in Badajoz

Finding a good place to leave your car in a new city is not always easy.

For an overnight stay, I would personally try to book accommodation in Badajoz which includes parking.

If parking isn’t included or you’re just stopping in Badajoz for the day, choose a secure car park. My personal experience with car parks in central Badajoz has not been fantastic. You may want to check whether Parking Plaza Conquistadores suits you and your vehicle (I have not parked there myself, but it’s the best-reviewed 24-hour car park in Badajoz and is only 10-12 minutes away on foot from the historical centre).

Getting to Badajoz from Seville by coach

Basebus serves this route with two services on weekdays and Sundays, and one service on Saturdays. Coaches depart from Estación de Autobuses Plaza de Armas. You can purchase your tickets online in advance. The journey duration varies between 2h 30min and 3h 20min.

Badajoz Bus Station is located in Calle José Rebollo López, about twenty minutes away on foot from the city centre.

Travelling to Badajoz from Seville by coach may suit you in these cases:

You travel alone. A coach ticket will be cheaper than hiring a car on your own.

You don’t drive. Coaches are more frequent, more reliable and faster than trains.

Getting to Badajoz from Seville by train

There are no direct trains between Seville and Badajoz.

There is, however, a way to reach Badajoz from Seville by train. It’s not quick or convenient and it won’t suit most travellers. But if you’re a slow travel-loving train aficionado, you may want to check it out.

It involves two train journeys: Seville-Mérida and then Mérida-Badajoz.

Trains from Seville depart from Estación de Tren Sevilla-Santa Justa. There are two (slow) daily train services to Mérida, with a journey duration of 3h 50min (Media Distancia service) or 3h 55min (Regional Exprés service).

Trains from Mérida depart from Estación de Mérida. There are seven train services to Badajoz Monday-Saturday and five services on Sundays, with a journey duration ranging from 55min (Alvia service) to 1h 25min (Intercity and Media Distancia services).

Tickets can be purchased in advance online

Badajoz Train Station is located in Avda Carolina Coronado, s/n. From this bus stop by the roundabout outside the station you can catch several local buses (L18, LC1) which will get you across the river to the centre of Badajoz.

Bearing in mind the duration of car, coach and train journeys, it’s not unfair to say that travelling from Seville to Badajoz by train is a last-resort option. However, you may have to travel by train if you travel alone, you don’t drive, and there are no coach services available (highly unlikely). Or you may choose the train by personal preference, despite its disadvantages.