Jeremy's Transportation Info & Tips for Madrid
With one of the best (if not THE best)
public transportation systems in the world, Madrid is a joy to get around by day
and night. I am from NYC, U.S.A so I guess anything is better than that mess (no
offense to the New Yorkers out there but if you come to Madrid you will know
what I mean 
). I have set this page up to orient visitors as to their options for:
** Special Feature - TAXI SMARTS - How not to get "taken for a ride"! CLICK HERE!
The 3 sections of this page are all very visual with loads of links to photos so you can get a good hold of what transportation is like here. You can either scroll down the page and read it all, or jump to the section that interests you by choosing options 1), 2) or 3) above.
To get from the airport (Madrid Barajas) to the city, as far as I see it visitors have basically 3(4?) decent choices:
1) Taking the Metro:
the
of Madrid is amazing and I recommend it's use whenever
possible. Line # ){kind=small}
will get you from the Airport to the city for 1.15 Euros. If you
are going to be in Madrid for a few days, I would suggest you buy a 10
trip ticket for 5.35 Euros which is approximately $6.00 USD, as it will save
you nearly half the cost and you are likely to use the 10 trips. You can share
the 10
trip ticket (called a MetroBus) with anyone and as many people you like.
You can buy the tickets at either the ticket booths and vending machines in
the Metro itself or at the "Estancos"
(tobacconists) throughout the city of Madrid.
- Advantages and disadvantages of taking the Metro from the airport to town:
Advantages:
- a) it's cheapooooooo!
- b) no way you can get ripped off on the price of the trip
Disadvantages:
- a) the Metro from the airport can only be picked up at the Domestic Terminal of the airport so you will have to make your way from the International Terminal to the Domestic one if you are coming from another country that is not Spain.
- b) depending on where your accommodations are you may have to transfer Metro lines a few times.
- c) if you have a lot of baggage it will be a tough trip lugging it around.
- d) the Metro station that is closest to your hotel/hostel may not be very close at all and may require a bit of hiking.
Logical Conclusion: While the Metro may be a great and inexpensive way to get from the airport to the city, it is probably more fit for the young (and poor
) students and backpackers rather than families or other visitors to Madrid. If you want to take the Metro from the airport to the city, please check out my tips on the Metro and it's usage by clicking HERE.
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The official website for the Metro of
Madrid is online at www.metromadrid.es
(in English and Spanish) and is VERY complete and useful. The official website for
Madrid transportation information in general (Busses and Metro) is online at www.ctm-madrid.es
(in English and Spanish). The website has excellent an extensive information on
all aspects of public transportation throughout Madrid.
- Advantages and disadvantages of taking a Taxi from the airport to town:
- a) it is much faster than the Metro.
- b) you will be dropped off right in front of your hotel or hostel.
- c) you will probably not have to wait for a taxi as they are usually lined up by the hundreds at the terminal building waiting for passengers.
- d) the ride is more comfortable than the Metro especially if you have baggage.
- a) there is a danger of getting ripped off by the taxi driver
.
- b) it is more expensive than the Metro or an airport shuttle.
If you take a cab from the airport, watch out for:
- 1) possible overcharging.
- 2) a few shady drivers who may try to convince you to go to a specific hotel (always expensive ones). Some drivers have deals with hotels whereas they get huge commissions on the tourists they bring in.
** Special Feature - TAXI SMARTS - How not to get "taken for a ride"! CLICK HERE!
Use common sense and if you are thinking
about taking a taxi for this ride, please see my "Getting around by
taxi" section by clicking HERE.
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.
- Advantages and disadvantages of taking an airport shuttle from the airport to town:
- a) it is much faster than the Metro.
- b) you will be dropped off right in front of your hotel or hostel.
- c) very unlikely that you will get ripped off on the price of the trip
- d) the ride is more comfortable than the Metro.
- a) you may have to wait a little while for the shuttle (max. 15 minutes unless something really goes wrong).
- b) shared shuttles can be a bit slower than taxis because other passengers may be dropped off before you depending on the proximity of the respective drop-off points to the airport.
When you make your hotel or
hostel reservation, check with your hotel to see if they have their own
shuttle service or if they use or recommend a particular company. If you need to reserve your own shuttle, check out the
following, they are very reputable and honest.4) Taking the Bus:
although not recommended, there is a bus service that run between Barajas airport and the Plaza de Cólon
every 10-15 minutes from 5:45am to 9:30pm. The trip takes about 30-45 minutes
but can take up to an hour in heavy traffic. A one way ticket costs 2.50 Euros or
approx. $2.30 USD). It is safe to take the bus daylight hours but
is not a great idea at night nor in the wee hours of the morning. I personally almost got mugged years back on new
year's day at 5:30am when I decided totake the bus from the Plaza de Cólon
to pick up my mom and her boyfriend who were coming in on a flight early that
morning, it was one of the scariest moments of my life 
. The problem is that the
bus leaves from underneath the Plaza and last I knew it was very very poorly lit. I
will not go into advantages nor disadvantages here since there are much better
and safer ways to get to and from the airport.
Moving around Madrid once you arrive is a true joy.
1) Walking!:
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If you look at a map of the city of Madrid (click HERE or on the mini map at left for my interactive siteseeing map) you will easily realize that the city center (the touristic part) is easily walkable. I recommend this mode of transportation in the cooler months but if you are coming in the summer, the other forms of getting around that follow will be wiser choices since it gets HOT, HOT, HOT! |
2) Getting Around Via the Best Metro on
Earth
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the
of Madrid is amazing and I recommend it's use whenever possible. I
would even say that the ticket at left is worth it's weight in gold but
it hardly ways anything. You can click on the ticket or HERE
to enlarge the image and get a front and rear view. |
The above ticket (called a
MetroBus) is valid for both the Metro and Municipal Busses. It can be purchased at
either the ticket booths and vending
machines in
the Metro itself or at the tobacconists ("Tabacos"
stores)
throughout the city of Madrid. You can either buy a 10
trip ticket ("diez
viajes") which can be shared with however many people as you like or a single use
one ("sencillo"). A single one
way ticket costs 1.15 Euros (about $1.45 USD) but if
you are going to be in Madrid for at least a few days, I would suggest you buy a
10
trip ticket for 5.35 Euros which is approximately $6.00 USD. This will
save you nearly half the cost and you are likely to use the 10 trips.
Monthly "Abonos" (passes) are also available for long-term Metro and
Bus users.
As you use the ticket, the machines you pass it through at the turnstyles will mark the back of it with the time and date. Never throw away your ticket (even if you just used the last ride on it) because the ticket revisors can ask you for it and if you do not have a valid marked ticket you can recieve a fine of 20 times the value of a single ride or 19 Euros. This does not happen too often but you never know when it might. See my language tip below for asking for a ticket in the local tongue.
)
The success of the Madrid
Metro is owed to it's simplicity and extensiveness and on top of it all, it
is safe and clean. It is composed of 12 lines that cross at various points for
transfers and reach just about every point of the city. Click HERE
to open my interactive Metro map that you can use to orient yourself. With a
quick look, it is simple to learn the Metro system)
even before you come to
Madrid. The lines are color and number coded and very easy to follow, plus,
their is amazingly helpful info throughout the system on all platforms and in
all metro cars.
I think they consider it industrial espionage to take photos inside the Metro and they can even confiscate your camera but I have taken the liberty of shooting a few interior pics of the Metro and adding descriptions to them. So, for your crash course on using the Metro click on the links below:
| MapMap |
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| inside a Metro car | a bussier day | line maps in each car | |||
| ticket vending machines | mini line map stickers | Metro ticket |
The Metro runs from 6:00am to 1:30am and trains on most lines pass every 2-5 minutes. Only on major public holidays you may have to wait up to 15-20 minutes for a train.
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Language Tip: Asking for Metro tickets in Spanish. |
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*always remember to say "please"= "por favor". |
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Use common sense when on the
Metro and watch out for:
The official website for the Metro of
Madrid is online at www.metromadrid.es
(in English and Spanish). A very useful website, they even have a tool for
calculating the best route from one point to another. The official website for
Madrid transportation information in general (Busses and Metro) is online at www.ctm-madrid.es
(in English and Spanish). The website has excellent an extensive information on
all aspects of public transportation in Madrid.
3) Busses: This section is divided up into 2 services, City Busses and Madrid Tour Busses.
a) City Busses; not too frequented by short-term visitors to Madrid, the bus system in Madrid is slower than the Metro but is efficient and clean. Most tourists do not use the busses due to the simple fact that the lines and system are harder to learn than the metro. The municipal busses in Madrid will generally look like the 2 below although the vast majority are red.
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Click the images to enlarge them and see it "live in the streets". | ) |
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The bus ticket is the same as the Metro ticket and can be used for rides on either. Keep in mind that you can not buy a 10 trip MetroBus ticket on the bus itself, only a single one way ride. Plus, the biggest bill the driver is likely to accept is a 5 Euro bill but he/she may not even have (or want to give you) change for that so it is best to carry exact change.
By far the worst thing about the busses
in Madrid are the drivers. Speedy and hard braking they may throw you for a loop
if you do not hold on tight. Only someone who has experienced a Madrid city bus
ride can understand what I am talking about.
The official website for Madrid
transportation information (Busses and Metro) is online at www.ctm-madrid.es
(in English and Spanish). The website has excellent an extensive information on
all aspects of public transportation in Madrid.
b) Madrid Tour Busses;
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There used to be quite a few city tour buss operators in
Madrid but as of June 1st, 2001 there is only one game in town,
"Madrid VISION". Click HERE
or on the image at left to enlarge it. The city gave them the exclusive
license to run the tours since they were the first to do so years back.
A multilingual staff and resonable prices make this company a very good
choice for seeing the city. They have 3 different comprehensive routes
("Historic", "Monumental" and "Modern"
Madrid). |
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Click image to enlarge the bus |
A one day pass goes for 12 Euros to get on and off the bus at the different sites as you wish. Children under 7 ride free. Also, riders from 7 to 16 yrs old and over 65 cost 6 Euros. There is a suplement of 1.50 Euros on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
You can pick up a Madrid VISION bus anywhere along their routes but the best place to get one is in the Puerta del Sol.
I personally recommend Madrid
VISION, especially in the hot summer months when walking the city can be
killer. The bus is also a good idea for families with young (or not so young)
children who may get tired of walking a lot, may save you that "moooooooooom,
my feeeeeeeeeeeeeeet huuuuuuuuuuuuuuurt!" at every street corner.
) The more expensive way to move around in Madrid
(and any city for
that matter), taxis are an option when you are out late at night in an area that
is not near to where you are staying. Click HERE
or on the image at left to see the taxi in all it's glory. |
Taxi fares usually change yearly, click HERE
or on the image at right to enlarge it and see the current fares in
effect for 2002.
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If you feel you have been taken for "a ride" (no pun intended) and overcharged after using a taxi, you have the right to ask the driver for a "recibo oficial" ("official reciept") which you can later bring to the police or town hall to see if indeed you were ripped off (see my language tip below on how to ask for an official recipt in Spanish).
I have heard of taxi drivers giving tourists this "recibo
oficial" but with a fake taxi licence number on it so you may want to take
note of his license number (usually on the dash board) or the number on the
outside ot his cab as well. Sometimes the drivers change the price (woops, read
the meter wrong!) after you ask for an official reciept in order to save face,
if this happens my advice to you is let it slide but get the reciept anyway. You
can tell him it is for your taxes ("impuestos") to avoid any possible
confrontations.
** Special Feature - TAXI SMARTS - How not to get "taken for a ride"! CLICK HERE!
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Language Tip: Dealing with dishonest taxi drivers. |
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*always remember to say "please"= "por favor". |
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5)
Renting a Car: Ok, for those of you who are actually crazy enough
to rent a car in Madrid (exempt are those who are driving around Spain), here is
a list of the local car rental outfits in Madrid.
Getting
out of town - as if you really need to 
You can store your stuff in the bagage
lockers in the terminals which are
open 24 hours a day. The service costs 2.55 Euros or approx.
$2.25 USD for the first day and from 2 - 15 days it will run you 4.45 Euros or approx. $3.90
USD per day for a big locker and 3.19 Euros or approx. $2.75 USD per day for a small one. The
bagage
consignment only accepts Cash.
| Air France |
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| Air Lingus |
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| Air Europa |
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| Air India |
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| Air Portugal |
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| Alitalia |
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| American Airlines |
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| British Airways |
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| Iberia |
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| Japan Airlines |
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| KLM |
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| Lufthansa |
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| Sabena |
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| SAS |
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| Swissair |
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| TWA |
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2) Busses: the cheapest way to travel around Spain. A bit less comfortable than the train but often the faster and better choice when taking a route that has no direct rail line.
Most busses going to other cities/towns in Spain and international destinations leave from one of 2 stations:
Méndez
Alvaro, line ){kind=small}
Conde
de Casal, line
Depending on where you want to go, there are various bus companies:
| Destination | Bus Company (click the name for website) | Contact info |
| Alicante / Albacete | Enatcar/Alsa - (English and Spanish | tel.: (+34) 91 468 4200 |
| Almería | Almeraya | tel.: (+34) 91 527 1294 |
| Avila | Larrea | tel.: (+34) 91 530 4800 |
| Badajoz / Cáceres | Auto Res - (English and Spanish | tel.: (+34) 91 551 7200 |
| Barcelona | Enatcar/Alsa - (English and Spanish | tel.: (+34) 91 468 4200 |
| Bilbao | Getsa - Web in Spanish | tel.: (+34) 91 745 6300 |
| Burgos | Continental Auto - Web in Spanish | tel.: (+34) 91 745 6300 |
| Cádiz / Córdoba / Sevilla | SecorBus - Web in Spanish | tel.: (+34) 902 22 92 92 |
| Cuenca / Castellón | Auto Res - (English and Spanish | tel.: (+34) 91 551 7200 |
| Ciudad Real | Autommnibus | tel.: (+34) 91 527 1294 |
| Guadalajara | Continental Auto - Web in Spanish | tel.: (+34) 91 745 6300 |
| Granada | Continental Auto - Web in Spanish | tel.: (+34) 91 745 6300 |
| Jaén | La Sepulvedana - Web in Spanish | tel.: (+34) 91 530 4800 |
| La Coruña / Lugo | Intercar | |
| León / Palencia / Valladolid | Fernández-Res | tel.: (+34) 91 551 7200 |
| Málaga / Marbella | Daibus- Web in Spanish | tel.: (+34) 91 468 5141 |
| Orense / Pontevedra | Auto Res - (English and Spanish | tel.: (+34) 91 551 7200 |
| Oviedo | Enatcar/Alsa - (English and Spanish | tel.: (+34) 91 468 4200 |
| Pamplona | Conda, Continental Auto - Web in Spanish | tel.: (+34) 91 745 6300 |
| Salamanca / Zamora | Auto Res - (English and Spanish | tel.: (+34) 91 551 7200 |
| San Sebastián / Vitoria | Continental Auto - Web in Spanish | tel.: (+34) 91 745 6300 |
| Santander | Continental Auto - Web in Spanish | tel.: (+34) 91 745 6300 |
| Segovia | La Sepulvedana - Web in Spanish | tel.: (+34) 91 530 4800 |
| Soria | Conda, Continental Auto - Webs in Spanish, | tel.: (+34) 91 745 6300 |
| Tarragona / Zaragoza | Viajeros Aragón | |
| Teruel | Autocares Samar - Web in Spanish | tel.: (+34) 91 468 4839 |
| Toledo | Galiano Continental | |
| Valencia | Autocares Samar - Web in Spanish | tel.: (+34) 91 468 4839 |
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trains at any of the 5 rail stations in Madrid but for long distance and
international departures, only Atocha and Chamartía are used.Sevilla
or Banco de España, line
){kind=small}
(note:
these Metro stations will be closed for renovation until Sept. 2001).Atocha
Renfe, line
){kind=small}
b) Chamartín Train Station
(Estación Chamartín)
Agustín de Foxá
Tel: (+34) 91 323 2121
Chamartín, line
){kind=small}
c) Príncipe Pío - Estación Norte -
Cercanías only.
Paseo de la Florida, corner of the Cuesta de San Vicente.
Príncipe
Pío, line
){kind=small}
d) Recoletos -
Cercanías only.
Paseo
de Recoletos
Colón, line
){kind=small}
e) Nuevos Ministerios -
Cercanías only.
Castellana corner Raimundo Fernández Villaverde.
Nuevos Ministerios, line
or line
.
If you are thinking of
taking a day trip out of Madrid to Alcala de Henares, Aranjuez, Avila, Chinchon,
El Escorial, Segovia, Toledo or to the "Sierra de Madrid" (mountains),
check out the Cercanías trains as they tend to be the cheapest, most
comfortable and fastes way to go.
For information on
prices, train schedules, destinations, etc you can call: (+34) 902 24 02
02 (in Spanish only). Or check out the Renfe Cercanías Madrid info website in
English at http://www.renfe.es/ingles/empresa/cercanias/cercanias_madrid_horarios.html
(highly recommended).
4) Renting a Car: Click HERE to go to my Car Rental section.
For more info & discussion on
transportation in madrid (and all of spain) you may want to take a look at my
"getting there y moving around" forum on my spain
message board
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