If we have accepted the establishment of a laughable and parodiable maxim in Madrid-centric journalism that talks about a restaurant in Zamora that is only equis hours away from Madrid, we will conclude that the hyperbole of this form of headline could lead us to think that there are Greek ruins that you must discover because they are only 87 hours away from the capital.
The radial structure of Madrid and its geographical position mean that, except for the boat (and not so in Aranjuez), any means of transport is a good solution. Routes between Madrid and Tokyo have recently been established by direct flight, you can reach France by train and bus routes are the panacea of aerophobia.
Berlin or London via Paris
Travel to London? Even the English Channel is no problem. A techno party in Berlin? A mere 34 hours are to blame for the fact that you’re not enjoying it – that and a mere 174€ spent on the outward journey. Direct trip to Paris? A coffee in front of the Eiffel Tower for just €35, bought without time and in 16 hours.
While this article may seem like a eulogy to Flixbus, it’s really more of a eulogy to the European road system or the infinite field of possibilities offered by a bus trip.
Namely, the longest journey that can be made by bus (in the world) corresponds to the Lima – Rio de Janeiro route, which covers 6,200 kilometers, runs through four countries and takes around one hundred hours.
The equivalent option in Europe – or at least from Madrid – has as its destination the Greek ruins mentioned in the first paragraph. Athens is only (only) 87 hours away and the cost is about 455€ with about three transfers. There are other destinations such as Tallinn (63 hours), Kiev (60 hours) or Stockholm (49 hours).