Córdoba day trip from Granada: nine direct trains a day in 89 to 112 minutes, the €15 Mezquita-Catedral and its free hour, and a 7-hour tour at €165

In this guide

💡 The Short Version: Take the train: nine direct Renfe trains a day run each way in 89 to 112 minutes, the first at 06:09 and the last back at 21:36. The Mezquita-Catedral is €15, and free from 08:30 to 09:30 Monday to Saturday (no groups; entry stops at 09:20), and only the 06:09 train gets you there for the free hour. The Mezquita is an active cathedral: hats off, no large bags. The only tour from Granada is a 7-hour day from €165 with 58 reviews; on the ground, a guided Mezquita tour with the ticket is €32. Carry a passport or photo ID. Prices are in euros. Or book now: the Mezquita-Catedral guided tourad is from €29.76 and the Jewish Quarter, Mosque and Alcázar tourad from €52 (GetYourGuide).

Getting there compared

As of November 2026 the trains leave Granada at 06:09, 06:22, 07:55, 11:04, 13:12, 15:00, 16:22, 18:05 and 18:17, and leave Córdoba at 08:29, 09:07, 10:44, 13:06, 15:21, 18:35, 20:04, 21:25 and 21:36. The 06:09 AVE arrives at 07:40 and the 07:55 AVE at 09:24. Granada’s train station is on Avenida Andaluces in the centre (Granada public transport), and Córdoba station is open from 06:00 to 00:00. A Renfe ticket to Córdoba includes a free Cercanías ride (Renfe, Granada to Córdoba).

The Mezquita-Catedral

€15 · free 08:30 to 09:30 Monday to Saturday · tickets from the Cabildo

The Cabildo, the cathedral chapter that runs the monument, sells tickets in its online shop and at the Patio de San Eulogio reception centre (mezquita-catedraldecordoba.es).

The paid visit runs Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 19:00 until 31 October 2026 and 10:00 to 18:00 from 3 to 30 November. The exceptions are Monday 2 November (to 17:00), Saturday 14 November (12:30 to 17:30), Tuesday 17 and Thursday 19 November (to 16:00) and Friday 20 November (to 15:00). On Sundays the visit is split around Mass: 08:30 to 11:30 and 15:00 to 18:00 from 1 November. The last entry is 30 minutes before closing. The Cabildo has not published hours beyond 30 November, so use the hours tool on its ticket page for a later date.

The rules: remove your hat, wear appropriate clothing and keep your shoes on, no large bags or packages, no tripods, no photography of services, no eating or drinking, and children under 14 must be accompanied.

The Patio de los Naranjos, the orange-tree courtyard of the Mezquita-Catedral. Photo: Falk2, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

What to see

Allow 1½ hours, plus 30 minutes for the Bell Tower.

• The Patio de los Naranjos, the orange-tree courtyard, and the Bell Tower beside it.
• The prayer hall, the forest of red-and-white arches, built in stages from the 8th century by Abd al-Rahman I and extended by Abd al-Rahman II, Abd al-Rahman III, Al-Hakam II and Almanzor.
• The mihrab, part of Al-Hakam II’s 10th-century extension.
• The cathedral inside: the Royal Chapel, and the main chapel, transept and choir, built from the 16th century.

The striped double arches of the prayer hall in the Mezquita-Catedral. Photo: Gzzz, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The Cabildo’s own pages date every stage (the building). A reader who prefers a guide has two: the guided Mosque-Cathedral tourad (from €29.76, 75 minutes to 1½ hours, 4.6 from 11,077 reviews, Córdoba a Pie) includes the ticket, the Bell Tower and the Fernandine Churches, and the Artencordoba tourad (from €32, 1½ hours, 4.7 from 7,461 reviews) is led by an art historian and includes the ticket.

The rest of Córdoba

The old town round the Mezquita is a walk of narrow streets, and the guided walks combine its sights.

The Roman bridge over the Guadalquivir and the Calahorra Tower. Photo: Rafesmar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The Jewish Quarter and the Alcázar

From €52 · 3½ hours · 4.6 from 5,761 reviews

Córdoba: Jewish Quarter, Mosque and Alcázar Tourad covers the Mosque-Cathedral, the Jewish Quarter and the Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs. Read the option you pick for what the price includes.

Medina Azahara

EU citizens free, others €1.50 · shuttle €3 return · 2½ to 3 hours

Abd al-Rahman III ordered the palace city of Medina Azahara, about 8 km from Córdoba, in the early 10th century. It is run by the Junta de Andalucía. EU citizens enter free and other nationalities pay €1.50. A shuttle bus runs between the museum and the site every 15 to 20 minutes for €3 return, and the last shuttle leaves 60 minutes before closing. From 21 September to 20 March it opens Tuesday to Saturday 09:00 to 18:00 and on Sundays and holidays 09:00 to 15:00, and it is closed on Mondays except the eve of a holiday, so it is open on Monday 2 November and Monday 7 December 2026. It is closed on 24, 25 and 31 December and on 1 and 6 January (Junta de Andalucía).

The Salón Rico at Medina Azahara. Photo: R Prazeres, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Medina Azahara is outside the city, and two guided tours start in Córdoba and take 3 hours: Córdoba: Medina Azahara 3-Hour Guided Tourad (from €18, 4.6 from 1,046 reviews) is led by an archaeologist, includes the entry ticket and offers return transport from Córdoba as an option, and the Artencordoba tourad (from €20, 4.5 from 1,151 reviews) offers the site’s tourist bus as an option. Medina Azahara is a half day on its own.

Planning the day

1. Book the train on Renfe, and carry a passport or photo ID.
2. For the free hour, take the 06:09: it arrives at 07:40, and entry stops at 09:20. Otherwise buy the €15 ticket online for a time that suits the later trains.
3. The Mezquita first, then the Jewish Quarter on foot.
4. Medina Azahara only if you drop the walk, and not on a Monday.
5. A Sunday splits the Mezquita around Mass, and the visit is closed between 11:30 and 15:00.
6. The last train back is 21:36 as of November 2026.

Córdoba is one of the day trips from Granada; Seville is the longer train, and Málaga has the other fast one. From Seville, the Córdoba guide for Seville has the 45-minute train and the tours that leave from there. Granada public transport covers the way to the station, and what to book before you go to Granada lists the sights that need tickets. Where to stay in Granada compares the areas.

Common questions

How long is the train from Granada to Córdoba?

89 to 112 minutes on the nine direct Renfe trains a day in each direction, AVE, Alvia and Avant, as of November 2026. The first leaves Granada at 06:09 and the last train back leaves Córdoba at 21:36. Renfe's app or website gives the fare for your date.

How much is the Mezquita-Catedral in Córdoba?

€15 for a general ticket, €12 for over-65s, students aged 15 to 26 and European Youth Card holders, and €8 for children aged 10 to 14. Children under 10 are free. Entry is free from 08:30 to 09:30, Monday to Saturday, for individual visitors.

Can I use the free hour at the Mezquita on a day trip from Granada?

Only from the 06:09 train, which arrives at 07:40. Entry in the free hour stops at 09:20, and the 07:55 train arrives at 09:24, too late. Groups are not admitted in the free hour.

Is a tour from Granada to Córdoba worth it?

Rarely. The one tour that leaves Granada is a 7-hour day from €165, rated 4.6 from 58 reviews. The train leaves the whole day in Córdoba, and a guided Mezquita tour on the ground is from €29.76 with the ticket included.

Can I see Medina Azahara and the Mezquita in one day from Granada?

Only if you drop the rest of the city. Medina Azahara is about 8 km outside Córdoba, takes 2½ to 3 hours with the shuttle, and is closed on Mondays. Guided tours from Córdoba are 3 hours from €18.

Is there a bus from Granada to Córdoba?

Yes, Alsa runs one, and its route page gives about 2 hours 30 minutes for the 200 km. The train is quicker.