Madrid to Córdoba distance
Madrid and Córdoba are 296 km (184 mi) apart in a straight line and 394 km (245 mi) apart by road: about 4 hr 30 min of driving without stops, mostly on the A-4. Below you’ll find the route map, both halfway points, the bearing and where every figure comes from.
By the Mapsfera Team
- By road
- 394 km (245 mi)
- Driving time
- 4 hr 30 min
- Straight line
- 296 km (184 mi)
- Driving route
- Straight line
- Straight-line midpoint
- Halfway by road
Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on the midpoint. Route: FOSSGIS OSRM with data © OpenStreetMap contributors, calculated on October 31, 2026; simplified line.
The figures
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Straight line | 296 km (184 mi) geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid |
| By road | 394 km (245 mi) fastest driving route (OSRM) |
| Driving time | 4 hr 30 min no stops, no traffic |
| Road detour | +33% 1.33 times the straight line |
| Average speed | 88 km/h (55 mph) along the route, without stops |
| Bearing | 199° (south) leaving Madrid toward Córdoba |
| Midpoint | 39.1535° N, 4.2438° W near Porzuna (Ciudad Real) |
| Halfway by road | Near Valdepeñas (Ciudad Real) 197 km from each city by road |
| Time difference | None both share the same time |
| Elevation | Madrid: 645 m (2,116 ft) · Córdoba: 110 m (361 ft) IGN (Spain) |
| Population | Madrid: 3,506,730 · Córdoba: 323,262 INE population register, January 1, 2025 |
Madrid to Córdoba by road
The fastest driving route is 394 km (245 mi) long and takes about 4 hr 30 min without stops or traffic. Almost all of it is on the A-4: 381 km of 394 km.
It goes through 3 autonomous communities: the Community of Madrid (42.9 km), Castilla–La Mancha (205 km), and Andalusia (146 km). That’s an average of 88 km/h (55 mph). Spain’s traffic authority (DGT) recommends a break every two hours or 200 km: with 2 stops of 20 minutes, the trip takes about 5 hr 10 min. The time is OSRM’s estimate with OpenStreetMap data: no traffic and speeds somewhat below the limits, so real trips can differ.
Straight-line distance and bearing
In a straight line, the shortest distance over the Earth’s surface, Madrid and Córdoba are 296 km (184 mi) apart. That’s the geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid, the distance “as the crow flies”.
The road is 33% longer: for every 100 km in a straight line you drive 133. That’s a big detour: the fastest route strays quite far from the straight line. Of the 40 Spanish pairs in this series, it ranks 9th for detour (the average is 24%).
From Madrid, Córdoba lies to the south (bearing 199°), and from Córdoba, Madrid lies to the north.
Halfway between Madrid and Córdoba
Halfway along the straight line, 148 km (92.1 mi) from each city, is the point 39.1535° N, 4.2438° W. It falls near Porzuna (Ciudad Real, pop. 3,529), 7.8 km away. The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is Ciudad Real (pop. 76,217), 33.1 km away.
By road, the halfway point is 197 km (122 mi) from each city, near Valdepeñas (Ciudad Real, pop. 30,782), 6.6 km away. The two midpoints are 82.3 km apart: if you want to meet halfway, the one on the road is the useful one.
By plane
No flight time is given: under 500 km (311 miles) in a straight line, time at the airport outweighs time in the air.
The two cities
Madrid sits at 645 m (2,116 ft) and Córdoba at 110 m (361 ft), 535 m (1,755 ft) lower.
Madrid has 3.5 million people and Córdoba 323,262 people (INE population register, January 1, 2025).
Frequently asked questions
How many kilometers is it from Madrid to Córdoba?
296 km (184 mi) in a straight line and 394 km (245 mi) by road on the fastest route (mostly on the A-4).
How long is the drive from Madrid to Córdoba?
About 4 hr 30 min without stops or traffic, according to OSRM with OpenStreetMap data; with 2 stops of 20 minutes, about 5 hr 10 min.
Where is the halfway point between Madrid and Córdoba?
In a straight line, near Porzuna (Ciudad Real). By road, 197 km from each city, near Valdepeñas (Ciudad Real).
Which city is higher, Madrid or Córdoba?
Madrid, at 645 m (2,116 ft); Córdoba sits at 110 m (361 ft).
Which direction is Córdoba from Madrid?
South: the straight line leaves Madrid on a bearing of 199° (0° is north and 90° is east).
Measure it yourself on the map
The same two cities, already set up in the tools: move the points, get the route by bike or on foot and download the map.
- Distance between two points Measure the distance between any two places or points on the map, in miles or kilometers.
- Straight line vs driving distance Compare the as-the-crow-flies distance with the real driving distance and see how much the road adds.
- Halfway point Find the exact halfway point between two places and see it on the map, ready to share.
More distances from Madrid
All distances- Madrid to Murcia 349 km straight line · 397 km by road · 4 hr 25 min
- Madrid to Santander 338 km straight line · 395 km by road · 4 hr 55 min
- Madrid to San Sebastián 352 km straight line · 452 km by road · 5 hr 5 min
- Madrid to Oviedo 372 km straight line · 450 km by road · 5 hr 5 min
- Madrid to Santiago de Compostela 488 km straight line · 593 km by road · 6 hr 40 min
- Madrid to Segovia 69.4 km straight line · 97.2 km by road · 1 hr 20 min
More distances from Córdoba
Sources
- Driving route: FOSSGIS OSRM, car profile (calculated on October 31, 2026) · FOSSGIS e.V.
- Roads, streets and places · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Straight line, bearings and midpoint (geodesics on the WGS84 ellipsoid) · GeographicLib (C. F. F. Karney)
- Location and elevation of Spanish cities (gazetteer and DEM) · Instituto Geográfico Nacional (CC BY 4.0)
- Population register, January 1, 2025 · INE (Spain)
- Places near the midpoints: Mapsfera gazetteer (GeoNames, INE, IGN and Census) · Mapsfera
- Time zones (timezone-boundary-builder outlines and the IANA database) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Map: provinces (IGN), states (US Census Bureau) and countries (Natural Earth) · IGN, Census and Natural Earth
- Methodology