I would not stay near the train station. There are much better locations closer to things you will want to see yet still close to the museums. Try hotels in the Plaza St. Ana area or Plaza Mayor or Plaza Cibeles.

I stayed at the AC Hotel Recoletos during both of my stays. It was a good location near Plaza Cibeles and I could walk to just about everywhere or take a bus if I preferred.

The express bus from the airport does make a stop at Plaza Cibeles.

For hotels at the Plaza Santa Ana try The Persal or Room Mate Alicia. Cheap cab ride from Atocha.

Oops no direct overnight train anymore between Paris and Spain but a domestic French overnight train to Perpignan from where TGVs ot AVEs swoosh you to Madrid or Barcelona by mid morning.

I would not stay near the train station.>

Depends IMO on which station you are talking about - Chmartin is way out in a blah suburban area - Atocha is right in the heart of town near many major museums and the Retiro park - not a bad location.

Both Plaza Cibeles and Plaza Santa Ana are just over 1 km (a 15 minute walk) from Atocha - Madrid's main station.

The Prado, Thyssen, and Reine Sofia museums are all closer to Atocha than that so it is difficult to call it a sub-optimal location.

Thanks everyone for your help. I decided to go to Italy for 6 days to catch this exhibit.

If anyone is interested, the link is

http://arthistorynewsreport.blogspot...olupte-in.html

There is still an overnight train rolling between Paris and Italy - Milan and Venice but no longer Rome or Florence. www.thello.com is the official site.

Glad we could be of help.