Traveling back to the 1980s will be possible on February 7, thanks to a historic train that will run between Madrid and Segovia. It is part of the “Train of the 80s” initiative, organized by the Association of Friends of the Madrid Railway (AAFM) and Alsa, which will continue throughout the year with more experiences throughout Spain.
History, landscape, and heritage come together on this journey, where passengers will board a 9000 series train, a historic locomotive built in the 1980s. The main landscape will be the Sierra de Guadarrama, and there will also be time to visit Segovia and its monuments.
The “Imperial” route
Stop at Tablada station and arrival in Segovia. | Editorial credit: Ranchos Railway Museum and Wikimedia Commons
The train will depart from Madrid-Chamartín station at 9:55 a.m. and will follow the first few kilometers of the “Imperial” route between Madrid and Hendaye, a historic line linking Madrid with the French border.
It will pass through El Pardo and the Cuenca Alta del Manzanares Regional Park, with stops in Pitis and Villalba de Guadarrama to pick up passengers. On the way to Segovia, you will be able to see an environment full of pine forests, meadows, and granite rocks, and there will even be a photo stop at Tablada station.
Located at an altitude of over 1,200 meters, this stop in the municipality of Guadarrama offers incredible views of the high mountain environment and marks the transition between the Madrid landscape and the Segovian mountains.
Finally, the locomotive will arrive in Segovia at around 12:00 noon, leaving passengers time to have lunch and visit the city, with a return trip in the mid-afternoon and an estimated arrival time of 8:00 p.m.
Movie train from €22
Almodóvar filming with trains from the 1980s. | Editorial credit: AAFM
Tickets are now on sale on the Alsa website and at the social club of the Madrid Railway Friends Association (Paseo de las Delicias, 61).They cost from €21.95 per person, depending on the type of carriage, with a 20% discount for AAFM members.
The experience allows you to board a train from the 1980s, when railway companies were trying to modernize before the arrival of high-speed trains. This particular train stands out for its yellow and blue colors, although there were also other models painted in brown and cream.
Upcoming trips
Train from the 1980s. | Editorial credit: Alberto Paz and AAFM
The trip to Segovia is just the beginning of a calendar of historic train routes that will take place throughout 2026. The upcoming trips and itineraries can be found on the website of the Association of Friends of the Madrid Railway (AAFM).
During the month of February, the other route that can be enjoyed will be from Madrid to Valladolid, with a similar start to the Segovia route and a price starting at €27.95 per person.