Atocha Railway Station is the main station in Madrid. The capital's first train station was inaugurated in 1851 under the name “Estación del Mediodía” (Midday Station). In 2018, Atocha served over 100 million passengers. The station has been renovated and enlarged on several occasions.

The most popular and largest train station in Madrid is Atocha (Estación de Madrid Atocha). In 2026, it serves as the primary hub for Spain's high-speed AVE trains, as well as regional and commuter (Cercanías) services, handling over 110 million passengers annually. The station is famous for its massive indoor tropical garden, which occupies the original 19th-century train shed and features over 7,000 plants and a pond that was historically home to many turtles. In late 2021, the station was officially renamed Madrid-Puerta de Atocha-Almudena Grandes to honor the late Spanish writer. While Chamartín station in the north of the city has grown in importance due to the liberalization of the rail market and new high-speed connections to the north, Atocha remains the "heart" of the Spanish rail network. For tourists, it is often the first point of entry into the city, located just a short walk from the "Golden Triangle of Art," which includes the Prado and Reina Sofía museums.