From Madrid, a group day trip to Toledo, Segovia or Ávila costs €41-79 per person, and the only full-day private trip we sell, El Escorial, works out at €320-410 per person. Unlike Seville or Málaga, the balance here tips clearly towards group tours, for two reasons: they're cheap and have thousands of reviews, and Toledo and Segovia are so close by train that going independently is easy.
Quick answer by who's travelling
- Couple: group tour. Toledo and Segovia in a day for €41 each, or Toledo with tickets for €79.
- Family of 4: group, or independently by train if the children don't like coaches. The private El Escorial trip would cost you €1,480 against €248 in a group.
- Party of 6: the group still wins on price (€62 against €320 each to El Escorial). Private only makes sense if someone needs collecting from the door.
- First time in Madrid: Toledo with a guide and tickets. It's the day trip people remember most.
- Tight budget: Segovia and Toledo from €41, or the train on your own.
Price table per person
| Day trip from Madrid | Group (per person) | Private, 2 people | Private, 4 people | Private, 6 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Escorial and Valley of Cuelgamuros | €62 Book | €410 (€820 total) Book | €370 (€1,480) | €320 (€1,920) |
| Toledo, full day with tickets | €79 Book | — | — | — |
| Toledo and the Consuegra windmills | €125 (small group by minivan) Book | — | — | — |
| Segovia and Toledo | €41 Book | — | — | — |
| Ávila and Segovia with tickets | €79 Book | — | — | — |
| Alcalá de Henares and winery | — | from €188 (€375 for up to 2) Book | — | — |
| Winery and lunch in Chinchón | — | €200 per person, private transport Book | €200 | €200 |
"From" prices on our tour pages as of 1 November 2026. "—" means we don't offer that version or the page gives no price for that group size. Chinchón is priced per person (minimum 2, maximum 8), so it doesn't get cheaper with numbers.
How many people before private costs the same?
From Madrid, never. The private El Escorial trip barely drops per person because it includes an official guide and a ticket for everyone: from €410 for 2 to €320 for 6. The surcharge over the group tour is €348 per person for a couple, €308 for 4 and €258 for 6. No group size brings it close.
The cheap "private" alternative is going independently: the Avant to Toledo takes 33 minutes from Atocha, and to Segovia about 30 from Chamartín (plus 15 minutes on the city bus to the aqueduct). We cover it in detail in Toledo or Segovia from Madrid.
Pros and cons
Group tours
- For: price, tickets included on most, and plenty of reviews: Segovia and Toledo has over 10,000; Ávila and Segovia over 4,800.
- Against: departure from a fixed point in the centre (Calle San Bernardo or Las Ventas, depending on the tour), a guide explaining in Spanish and English to the same group, and long days: Segovia and Toledo is 12 hours.
Private trips
- For: pickup and drop-off at your hotel, an official guide just for you for 4 hours and tickets included at El Escorial. No waiting for a coach.
- Against: price and limited choice. We don't currently offer private trips to Toledo, Segovia or Ávila.
Small group (the middle ground)
The Toledo and windmills tour€125 goes by minivan for €125, with a guide in Spanish or Italian and audio in other languages. It needs at least 4 people to run.
Who each one suits
- Group: nearly everyone, especially couples and solo travellers.
- Independent by train: those who want their own pace on a budget; ideal for Toledo or Segovia with older children.
- Private El Escorial: older travellers or those with limited mobility, families who don't want to cross Madrid to a meeting point, or anyone wanting an exclusive guide.
- Wine with private transport: Chinchón with winery and lunch€200 · 4.9 (€200) or Ribera del Duero€250 · 4.9 (€250, groups of up to 8), for a different kind of day.
Common mistakes
- Doing Segovia and Toledo in one day and expecting depth. It's an overview; if one of them really interests you, give it the whole day.
- Paying for private just to avoid the coach. The train to Toledo or Segovia gives you that freedom for far less.
- Not checking the departure point. Each tour leaves from a different place, some outside the centre, such as Las Ventas.
- Expecting a single-language guide. On the big tours the guide covers two languages for the same group.
- Booking the train at the last minute. The first morning Avant services fill up.
All our private trips are on private tours from Madrid.
