Are you planning to travel from Malaga to Jaen?
In that case, you have landed in the right place.
I am a local resident on Costa del Sol and have traveled on this route myself, so this article will give you all the details and practical tips to make your planning easier and faster.
Let’s check the best options for this route.
Malaga to Jaen Travel Options
Here is a quick glance view of your transport options for this route, followed by details on each option available:
| Transportation Mode | Details |
|---|---|
| Malaga to Jaen by Car | 2 hrs 10 mins, cost of car rental & petrol |
| Malaga to Jaen by Bus | 2 hrs 45 mins, tickets from €10 one way |
| Malaga to Jaen by Train | 2 hrs 52 mins, tickets from €47 one way |
The Distance from Malaga to Jaen
The distance from Granada to Jaen is approximately 208 km (129 miles).
1. Malaga to Jaen by Car
There are a few routes you can take from Malaga to Jaen by car, the easiest one is the straight up north passing Granada on your way.
It makes also the perfect excuse to stop there for lunch and maybe even visit the Alhambra while you’re passing by.
This route has a total distance of 208 km and will take approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes to drive. Please see the map below for the outline.
According to the map, there should not be any toll roads on this way to Jaen, but it’s a good idea to have some spare cash with you in the car in case you encounter some.
Renting a Car in Malaga
If you haven’t rented a car yet, or thinking about getting it straight from the airport when you arrive, I can highly recommend checking Discover Cars.
Their award winning website works as a price comparison platform, sourcing quotes from local car rental companies and displaying all the options in an easy-to-understand interface. It allows you to quickly scan the details of the policies, so there are no unpleasant surprises when you pick up your car.
Click the button below to get a quick quote for your journey.
Parking in Jaen, Spain
If you’re arriving at a hotel, many of them will offer either free or paid parking within their premises. In the case of private accommodation, the apartments in Jaen are normally in older buildings, with very limited parking options.
Parking on the street is also pretty limited and you might need to drive a bit off to find a free spot.
There are public car parks available in Jaen, marked on the map below.
2. Malaga to Jaen by Train
The train is by far my favourite public transport in Spain. The trains are very affordable, modern and run very frequently.
For this route, you need to remember that the connection between the cities is not direct, so you wil have to change in Cordoba.
There is currently only one departure per day on this route, with the national train operator Renfe. It leaves Malaga at 7.55 am and the journey takes 2 hours and 52 minutes, including changing time in Cordoba.
Train Tickets
The train tickets start from 47 euros one way, for the most basic one. You can also upgrade to a more expensive ticket, which will allow you to change your travel date or cancel with a refund. The basic tickets are nonrefundable.
You can book this journey directly through Renfe website or use Trainline, which you might be more familiar with (linked below).
Jaen Train Station
The train station is located further away from the city center, and it’s definitely not a walking distance. You will need to get a taxi to get to your accommodation in Jaen.
Jaen train station is pretty small and dated.
Dated might actually be an understatement, the train station looks like it was built in the 80s and has not been renovated ever since.
It has a small waiting room with just a handful of chairs, a booth for buying tickets, and access to the platform. There are no shops or souvenir places, and not even vending machines to buy water.
There are no luggage storage facilities either.
The station has a small taxi rank outside, and the taxis tend to follow the arrivals schedule and park there as soon as a train arrives.
I have included a few photos below.
3. Malaga to Jaen by Bus
If you want more flexibility, shorter journey time and better prices, then a bus is the way to go.
The national bus operator Alsa offers up to 8 connections per day, some of these are even departing directly from the airport.
Bus Departures from Malaga to Jaen
Here is an example of a current schedule, keep in mind these are due to change:
- 8.30 am departure from Malaga Airport – arrival 12.00 in Jaen
- 9.00 am departure from Malaga – arrival 12.00 in Jaen
- 10.15 am departure from Malaga Airport – arrival 14.15 pm in Jaen
- 12.30 pm departure from Malaga Airport – arrival 16.30 pm in Jaen
- 15.30 pm departure from Malaga – arrival 20.00 pm in Jaen
- 16.00 pm departure from Malaga – arrival 19.00 pm in Jaen
- 19.30 pm departure from Malaga Airport – arrival 22.45 pm in Jaen
- 20.00 pm departure from Malaga – arrival 22.45 pm in Jaen
Bus Ticket from Malaga to Jaen
You can buy the tickets directly via Alsa website here, or use Omio, which I linked below.
According to the current schedule, the cheapest tickets for this route start at 10 euros one way, and the shortest journey time for this trip is 2 hours and 45 minutes.
Jaen Bus Station
Jaen bus station (Estacion de Autobuses de Jaen) is located next to Parque de la Concordia, at Plaza Coca de la Piñera, 6., not far away from the city center. There is a big road – Avenida de Madrid – that will take you all the way to the old town, but it’s an uphill climb.
Here is a full list of the facilities at the Jaen bus station:
- Luggage lockers
- Public toilets
- Waiting room with space for seating
- Information office
- Ticket purchase office
- Cafeteria
- Taxi rank outside the main entrance, to your right (up to 2 taxis available usually)
If you need a taxi to get to your accommodation and worry there might not be one available, it’s a good idea to save some local taxi numbers you can find online so you can call a taxi on the spot if that is the case. Unfortunately, there is no Uber in Jaen.
Pictures of the bus station are below.
Final Words
Did you find everything you needed to know?
I certainly hope so.
If there is something specific you would like to know, feel free to leave a comment below or ask the question in my private Facebook group.
Transport Guides for Malaga
Málaga to Granada: Tickets & Tips For 5 Best Transport Options
Train From Malaga Airport to Seville: Practical Guide
Malaga to Marbella Train Connections: Detailed Transport Guide
Malaga to Gibraltar: Your Detailed Local Transport Guide
Train from Malaga Airport to Cordoba: Practical Guide
Malaga to Madrid Train: Detailed Transport Guide by a Local
Malaga to Torremolinos: Detailed Transport Guide
Malaga to Seville Bus: Detailed Transport Guide by a Local
Explore Jaen, Spain
Jaén Provincial Museum: Worth a Visit?
Castillo de Santa Catalina, Jaén
The Ancient Jaen Arab Baths: Soak up History
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links – if you decide to book using one of the links, I will earn a small commission that helps me run this site. This is at no extra cost to you.
