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TRANSPORTATION

Airport (Aeropuerto)

Most people arrive in Madrid by air at Barajas airport. Madrid's Barajas Airport (MAD) is about 15 km (9 miles) from the city center, with connections by bus and Metro. The Metro can be easily accessed from all four terminals and Line 8 connects the airport with the city. It takes about 15 minutes to get from Aeropuerto Station (T1, T2, T3) to Nuevos Ministerios, and 25 minutes from Aeropuerto T4.

Read more about Barajas Airport here.

Madrid Metro Logo Metro

Madrid Metro.

The metro is the fastest and most convenient way to get around the city, since it avoids the heavy traffic of the streets of the capital. Madrid's underground network consists of 12 color-coded lines connected with each other and over 200 stations. The metro operates from 06:05 am to 02:00 am. A single-trip ticket (sencillo) costs 1 Euro and is valid to move through all the metro network within Madrid capital (Zona A). There are 10-trip Metro-Bus tickets available as well for 6.70 Euros, and these are valid for both Metro and Bus. Before entering the metro take a look at the map keeping an eye on the appropriate line you want to take and the name of the last station for the direction you will be traveling in. Metro travelers should be aware of pickpockets especially in those stations of the city center.

View metro map here (120 KB .pdf file).

For more information check Madrid's Metro website (Spanish Language only) at: http://www.metromadrid.es

Railway

The railway is also a good way to move through the city and in some cases can get you to certain places even faster than the metro. You can explore Madrid surroundings by train as well, and get to places such as El Escorial, Alcalá de Henares, Segovia and Toledo. The main railway stations are Chamartín in the north, and Atocha in the south, both with connections with metro stations.

For more information check RENFE (Spain's National Railway) website at: http://www.renfe.es

Bus

EMT, the municipal transport company, operates about 2,000 buses between 06:00 am to 24:00 pm, plus a few all-night buhos (owls). Tickets are bought on the bus.

"Madrid VISION" tourist buses.

Madrid VISION tourist bus "Madrid VISION" tourist bus.

One of the easiest and most attractive ways to tour Madrid is on one of "Madrid VISION" double-decker tourist buses. They offer guided tours through the city for a modest price (1-day ticket for an adult costs 15,30 Euros). There are currently two different routes around the city, historical Madrid and modern Madrid. The approximate duration of these routes is 75 minutes and tickets are valid for both. Through headphones you get the necessary information about the places you are seeing in different languages to choose from. Passengers can hop on and off and change between the routes as much as they like.

Phone: (+34) 91 779 18 88

Website: http://www.madridvision.es/en/index.php

Taxis

Madrid Taxi A taxi in the Puerta del Sol.

There are more than 16,000 licensed taxis in Madrid, so it is not hard to find one when needed. They are white with a diagonal red stripe on the front doors and the city's coat of arms. A green light on the roof, and the LIBRE (free) sign behind the windscreen indicate when the taxi is available for hire.

The meter starts running only after you tell the taxista (taxi driver) where to go and he starts driving.

The initial charge is 1.95 Euros every day of the week between 06:00 am to 22:00 pm.

From Mondays to Fridays between 22:00 pm and 06:00 am on the next day the initial charge is 2.15 Euros.

On Saturdays and holidays between 22:00 pm and 06:00 am on next day the intial charge is 2.95 Euros.

Routes to and from the airport have an additional cost of 5.25 Euros.

Approximate taxi fares from the Airport to the city (including the 5.25 Euro fee):

- From Terminals 1, 2 and 3 to Plaza de Colón: 22 Euros.
- From Terminals 1, 2 and 3 to Puerta del Sol: 24 Euros.
- From Terminals 1, 2 and 3 to Plaza de España: 24 Euros.
- From Terminals 1, 2 and 3 to Atocha Station: 25 Euros.
- From Terminals 1, 2 and 3 to Chamartín Station: 21 Euros.

- From Terminal 4 to Plaza de Colón: 29 Euros.
- From Terminal 4 to Puerta del Sol: 34 Euros.
- From Terminal 4 to Plaza de España: 32 Euros.
- From Terminal 4 to Atocha Station: 32 Euros.
- From Terminal 4 to Chamartín Station: 28 Euros.

From the airport always take a taxi at the terminals' stop (T1, T2, T4 Ground Floor Arrivals) and avoid taxis located in other areas. The taxi driver must give you a receipt if you require one, and if you have any complaints you can fill up a form (hoja de reclamaciones) available in the taxi and send it to:

Dirección General de Movilidad
Calle Albarracín nº 31, 3º
28037 Madrid

Tel: 91 4804613
Fax: 91 4804618