The Strawberry Train, or Tren de la Fresa, is less a way to reach Aranjuez than a whole organised day out. Wooden carriages with small balconies leave the Madrid Railway Museum at Delicias at 10am, a group of actors rides along, and the return leaves Aranjuez at 6.54pm, reaching Madrid around 8.08pm, with Aranjuez strawberries handed out on the way back. In autumn 2026 there are 13 dates left, from 3 October to 8 November, and fares run from €32 for the train alone to €60 for combined routes.
The Strawberry Train is a heritage train between Madrid and Aranjuez run by the Spanish Railways Foundation since 1984, on spring and autumn weekends.
Is there an English version of the Strawberry Train? Yes. The Strawberry Train’s English Tour costs €53 for adults and €42 for children and covers the Royal Palace of Aranjuez, the Royal Barge Museum and the gardens, all in English. The cheapest route, train only, costs €32. Children are priced by height, from 1 to 1.40 metres, and tickets cannot be refunded.
Which route suits a visitor who speaks English?
Two routes make sense for most English speakers, and they suit opposite travellers.
- You want the palace explained: book the English Tour, the only route the Spanish Railways Foundation describes as guided entirely in English, covering the palace, the barge museum and the gardens.
- You want the ride and your own pace: book Fresas al Natural, train only, and buy the palace ticket at the door. The organisers do not describe any other guided route as English-language.
- You are travelling with a dog: only Fresas al Natural and the canoe route, Fresas entre Piraguas, take pets, up to 40 kg, on a lead or in a carrier.
| Route | Adult | Child | Includes beyond the train |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Tour | €53 | €42 | Palace, barge museum and gardens, in English |
| Fresas Reales | €49 | €38 | Palace, barge museum and Prince’s Garden |
| Fresas del Tajo | €49 | €38 | River boat and gardens |
| Fresas con Nata | €43 | €32 | Tourist road train and gardens |
| Fresas al Natural | €32 | €24 | Nothing, free time |
Is it worth it compared with the regular train?
Commuter line C-3 also runs to Aranjuez, on a zone ticket explained in Madrid Cercanías tickets, and the palace alone costs €9 at the gate, per Patrimonio Nacional, as set out in Royal Palace of Aranjuez tickets.
For the English Tour the Foundation charges €53, which leaves roughly €44 for the heritage train, the English guide, the barge museum and the strawberries. The train-only fare plus a palace ticket comes to €41, and on 12 October, a Monday bank holiday, the palace is free, so the do-it-yourself version drops to €32.
It is worth it for families and first-timers who want the day organised. It is not for anyone who wants Aranjuez at their own pace or to be back in Madrid before evening. The Foundation warns that every route involves plenty of walking.
How do I get to Delicias in time for boarding?
The train leaves from the Madrid Railway Museum, Paseo de las Delicias 61, not from Atocha. Doors open at 9.15am and boarding closes at 9.50am, and the order in which people pass the entry control decides their group.
From the centre, take Metro Line 3 to Delicias, about 250 metres from the museum, or Cercanías from Atocha, two stops away, on a single ticket.
Coming straight from the airport, Cercanías line C-1 runs from Airport T4 to Delicias without a change and without the €3 airport supplement the Metro charges, though a first flight rarely lands in time for a 9.50am boarding. Access, hours and the museum itself are covered in the Madrid Railway Museum.
What does the day look like, and when do you eat?
On Fresas Reales, group A tours the palace from 11.05am to 12.30pm, has free time for lunch until 4pm, then visits the barge museum and the Prince’s Garden until 5.45pm. Spaniards eat later than most visitors: lunch is served from around 2pm, so that gap lands on local lunchtime rather than eating into sightseeing. Lunch is paid separately on every route, and you cannot choose whether the palace comes in the morning or the afternoon.
Back in Madrid at about 8.08pm, you are still early for a Spanish dinner. On the train-only route the day in Aranjuez is on foot: the Royal Palace is about 1.3 km from the station, and the Royal Barge Museum another 1.3 km beyond it.
What should I know before booking?
- Children are priced by height, not age: 1 to 1.40 m (3ft 3in to 4ft 7in) pay the child fare, and under 1 m travel free without a seat. There is no large-family discount, although the palace itself lets large families in free.
- No changes or refunds. Tickets are sold online or at the museum ticket office, Monday to Friday 11.30am to 2.30pm, and do not need printing.
- Bring wired headphones with a mini-jack plug for the guided palace visit; the Foundation asks passengers to carry their own.
- Pushchairs travel in the luggage van. E-scooters and electric unicycles are not allowed on board.
- Staying the night? Passengers who sleep in Aranjuez on Saturday can ride back on Sunday’s train at no extra cost, with limited seats, if they ask first.
If the fixed timetable does not suit you, day trips from Madrid and Madrid day trips by train cover Aranjuez and other towns by regular train, and Toledo or Segovia weighs the two classic alternatives.
Strawberry Train questions from visitors
Is there an English tour on the Strawberry Train?
Yes. The English Tour route costs €53 for adults and €42 for children and covers the Royal Palace of Aranjuez, the Royal Barge Museum and the historic gardens, entirely in English. It is the only route the organisers describe that way, so check the language before booking any other.
What time should I get to the Railway Museum for the Strawberry Train?
By 9.15am, when the doors open. Boarding closes at 9.50am and the train leaves at 10am. Delicias Metro on Line 3 is about 250 metres from the museum, and Delicias Cercanías station is two stops from Atocha.
When does the Strawberry Train run in 2026?
In autumn 2026 it runs on 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 24, 25 and 31 October and 1, 7 and 8 November. It leaves the Madrid Railway Museum at Delicias at 10am and gets back around 8.08pm.
How are children priced on the Strawberry Train?
By height, not age. Children between 1 and 1.40 metres, about 3ft 3in to 4ft 7in, pay the child fare, from €24 on the train-only route. Under 1 metre travel free if they do not take a seat. There is no large-family discount.
Can I get a refund on Strawberry Train tickets?
No. The Spanish Railways Foundation, which runs the train, allows no changes or refunds, so check the date, the route and the child’s height before paying. Tickets do not need to be printed, and the ticket office at the Madrid Railway Museum opens Monday to Friday from 11.30am to 2.30pm.
Book the English Tour if you want the palace explained; take the C-3 if you only want Aranjuez.