A unique cultural experience connecting Madrid and Aranjuez aboard a hundred-year-old convoy

Traveling on the Strawberry Train means immersing yourself in a living story of Spain, as a historic convoy connects Madrid with the Royal Site of Aranjuez through an evocative route reviving the spirit of the first Madrid railway. Every weekend during spring and autumn, this heritage train invites travelers to discover royal gardens, river landscapes, and spaces steeped in memory, as well as offering a particularly attractive experience for families looking to share a different cultural activity with the little ones. The journey culminates in a tasting of the emblematic Ribera strawberry, adding a playful and sensory element to the trip. The Strawberry Train is one of the most significant cultural itineraries travelers can enjoy in Madrid and, at the same time, an accessible offering for audiences of all ages. Each season, this proposal revives the essence of former railway journeys through a unique convoy in Spain, made up of wooden cars with little balconies, historic baggage car, and a mid-20th century metal car. Its design, leisurely pace, and interior ambiance transform the journey into a faithful reproduction of the origins of the railway, arousing children’s curiosity and offering their first introduction to historical heritage in an enjoyable way.

The Strawberry Train consists of a baggage car and a carriage from the 1960s, four ‘Costa’ wooden cars from the 1920s, and a metal corridor side car from the 1940s © trendelafresa.es | Lidia Moreno Reyes

This route begins at the old Madrid-Delicias station, a 19th-century building housing the iconic Railway Museum. There, a group of actors welcomes visitors, introducing them to the history of the train, the Royal Site of Aranjuez, and the key figures associated with this line inaugurated in 1851. Along the way, these characters will accompany the audience through curious stories and short scenes that transform the journey into an educational and entertaining experience—highly stimulating for children and young people. After 45 minutes of travel, the train arrives in Aranjuez, a city listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From this point, various itineraries are offered to allow visitors to explore the destination from alternative perspectives. These include walks through historic gardens with expansive green spaces, sightseeing cruises on the Tagus River, or urban train routes—all options designed for family visits, adapting the experience to different paces and ages.

During the return journey to Madrid, travelers can savor the typical Aranjuez strawberry © trendelafresa.es

Each route offers a different approach to Aranjuez: from the serenity of its gardens to views over the Tagus River or the trails that traverse its cultural landscape. Travelers interested in heritage will discover an exceptional site for understanding court life at the Royal Palace and the Royal Barge Museum. The return to the capital includes a symbolic gesture: tasting the typical Aranjuez strawberry, an emblematic product from the banks of the Tagus—the culinary finale to an experience blending learning, leisure, and shared enjoyment. The Strawberry Train is an unbeatable route for discovering the Madrid region from an approachable, accessible perspective linked to Spain’s cultural heritage.

Location

The Community of Madrid is located in the center of Spain and can be accessed through a network of national highways and motorways. It relies on the Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport as its main international entry point, alongside high-speed train stations such as Atocha and Chamartín, and Madrid’s Dry Port as an inland logistics hub.