Public transport in Madrid

 Madrid has excellent public transport. It's very modern, cheap and covers most of the city centre. If you're looking how to get from Madrid airport to your hotel, we recommend taking a look at this post.

Madrid Metro

Madrid’s metro network is one of the largest and modern in the world and it's the best and fastest way of getting around the city. There are 12 lines, each one with a different colour and number. It's generally very safe but watch those wallets and handbags in packed trains and stations! The metro runs from 6.00 am to 1.30 am and a journey costs 1,50€ no matter where you're going within the Madrid metropolitan area- although there is a 1€ supplement for journeys to and from the airport. The frequency of trains is high, even at the rush hour it’s a fast and comfortable way to travel especially if you are crossing the city. On weekends (Thurs-Sat nights) after the metro closes, there are nightbus routes that more or less follow the same route as the metro and leave from Plaza Cibeles. Again the ticket cost is 1,50€.


The metro station in Sol

Metro tickets can be bought in the ticket machines at metro stations and they have information in English.As we mentioned in useful info, the best thing to do is buy a 10 trip bonometro from a ticket machine, which allows for 10 trips and can be used by everyone. Alternatively passes are available for 24, 48 and 72 hours giving unlimited travel on the metro and bus networks for the duration of its validity. For full information in English see the Metro de Madrid website.


Bus
The bus network efficient and far-reaching with regular services to every corner of the city and its suburbs. Most bus stops have detailed city maps posted (useful even if you're not planning to take a bus), which include the various bus routes. In terms of accessibility, most urban buses nowadays have a special ramp for elderly and disabled people; and (important!) they are air-conditioned in the summer.

Night buses (or buhos) start from Plaza de Cibeles at midnight, circulating on weekdays every 25 minutes until 3.20 am, and then every 70 minutes throughout the night. At weekends and Fridays they run all night every 20 minutes. Just like anywhere else in the world, buses are popular spots for pickpockets, more so when crowded. Information about tourist travel pass, ticket price, lines, destinations, schedules, etc. in English can be found on the Madrid CMT. A single bus journey costs 1,50€, but you can also use 10 trip bonometro passes and tourist passes on them.


Madrid bus

If you are planning to take a bus out of Madrid, perhaps a day trip or to your next destination, there are a number of bus stations. There are two long distance bus stations; Estación Sur (Metro: Mendez Alvaro, L6) where most national buses depart from; for example to Andalucia, Valencia, Galicia etc... and Avenida de America interchange (L4,6,7,9), where buses for the Basque Country, Barcelona and Santander leave from. Make sure you know where yours leaves from! The main bus operator in Spain is Alsa and you can buy tickets from their website. The frequent and cheap buses for Toledo and Segovia (both around 1 hour from Madrid and very popular day trips) leave from Plaza Eliptica (L6) and Principe Pio (L6, L10, R) interchanges respectively.

Taxis
Though slightly more expensive than they once were, Madrid's taxis are still reasonably priced and the drivers are usually honest and safe. All of Madrid's taxis are white with a red stripe. You can flag a cab anywhere and there are many official cab bays around the city. The meter starts at a set minimum price and there are different fees for day, night, weekdays, holidays and depending on the area of the city. The extras are added onto the meter by punching a few buttons, all of which are set by the local authority, another reason for the excellence in Madrid cabs.


Madrid taxis

Make sure the meter is running, otherwise you risk being overcharged. ONLY PAY WHAT IS ON THE METER. When taking taxis from the airport, train and bus stations, it is advisable to use the official taxi zones as roaming touts who offer lifts are often on the look out for an easy rip-off. NEVER USE AN UNOFFICIAL CAB- not that there are many. The cab drivers being their own boss makes sure of that! There are many different taxi companies: Teletaxi, Radiotaxi, Taxi Mercedes…etc... All of them give you the same service with the exception that you can order one over the phone. There are supplements for jorneys to and from the following:

• airport
• IFEMA fairground
• bus and train stations
• and on some public holidays
LUGGAGE: you pay if you put it inside the taxi, NOT if it goes in the boot.
TAXI BOOKINGS: they will charge you the journey from the closest taxi stop to the meeting point. These are charges on a card the cab driver has, but if he punches his buttons on the meter, it will show! Some taxi reservation numbers:
902 478 200 / 91 5478 200
91 405 12 13 / 91 40 55 500
902 50 11 30 / 91 371 21 31



By Bike
Not a good idea! Madrid is still not a bicycle friendly city…It is a pity but we have to say that Madrid is not a cycling-friendly city. Only a few adventurous cyclists dare circulate the traffic packed city centre and there are few bike lanes. However Madrid City Council is decidedly committed to the promotion of cycling as an urban transport, and 274 kilometres of bike lanes are projected to be constructed in coming years, which will link together all Madrid districts.
There are however a number of parks and open spaces such as Retiro, Parque del Oeste and the vast open wilderness of Casa del Campo on the edge of the city if you prefer to cycle somewhere a little quieter. If you really want to go off-road, you could try the Sierra de Guadarama mountain range which is less than an hour from Madrid. Here you can find true nature and tranquility as well as plenty of excellent mountain biking routes
If you want to sightsee by bike, the best idea is to go with one of the agencies in city that organise guided bike tours- see below. They will take you along safe and charming paths, away from the mad drivers. In the summer we recommend wearing good sun protection, but the routes are not too demanding. Some of the agencies also organise cycling tours in the mountains around Madrid and in other parts of Spain, a country with beautiful areas for cycling off the beaten track.

Bike tours
Mad bike (offer various tours around Madrid)
Bravo Bike (routes in Spain)
Urban Movil (bike and segway rental and tours- in Spanish)
BikeSpain (tours in Madrid and Spain)

Bike shops for renting or repair:
Bicimanía (c/ Palencia, 20 in Spanish)
Calmera (c/ Atocha, 98)



Train
There are two main train stations in Madrid, Atocha and Chamartin. Atocha is more or less in the centre of the city and is widely used by tourists, whilst Chamartin in the north is much further out and generally not used by tourists. Most trains will stop at both. From these stations you can take trains to any part of Spain as well as to a number of international destinations. The national rail operator is called Renfe and you can book tickets online. The rail network in Spain is very good and the trains are very modern and clean. Many cities are connected by the high speed AVE service which has slashed journey times remarkably. For example Madrid-Barcelona can now be done in less than three hours. The journey used to take around seven.


A high speed AVE train

There are also the local 'cercanías' trains which might be useful for getting from Nuevos Ministerios to Sol or Atocha when coming from the airport. These serve the city as well as as local towns. As yet the airport is not connected, but hopefully by the end of 2011 it will be. Cercanías stations in the centre include Sol, Atocha Renfe and Recoletos, although the network is expanding rapidly. All cercanías trains stop at Atocha Renfe and Chamartin main stations.

Join the conversation

Price of a single ticket goes up

As of Monday 8th August, single trip tickets on Madrid's metro and bus networks will rise from 1€ to 1,50€. This is because the local government can no longer afford to subsidise ticket costs and want to encourage people to become regular users of the public transport network and buy multiple journey tickets and monthly passes instead. For the moment all other tickets including the 10 trip ticket, the monthly 'abono' and the tourist passes will remain at the same price. This price rise is the first for the single ticket since 2003 and it is now the most expensive single on any urban transport network in Spain.

Airport to Madrid city centre

Perhaps the first thing you will be asking yourself before to Madrid is how to get from the airport to the centre of Madrid. There are a few options, and other than taking a taxi, are all very cheap!
 
Metro: Line 8 links the four airport terminals to Nuevos Ministerios metro. There airport has  two metro stations; one for terminals 1,2,3 and a separate one for terminal 4- note there is another metro station between the two. From there you can take L6 or 10 to continue your journey. For most people unfortunately this means they might have to change a couple of times, which might be a hassle with luggage- it's not very direct to the centre on the metro. The journey is 2,50€, which includes the airport supplement and takes around 40-45 minutes.

Bus: There is a 24 hour bus service connecting the airport to the city centre. The bus leaves every 20 minutes during the day, and after 11pm at 25-35 minute intervals. You can take the bus from outside the arrivals of each terminal (lowest floor), where it will take you directly to the centre, stopping at O'Donnell, Plaza de Cibeles and Atocha Renfe railway station. All of these stops connect with the metro and other bus lines. For example, if you are staying near Ópera, you could get off at Cibeles and take line 2 from Banco de España, which is just next to rthe bus stop. After midnight the bus terminates at and leaves from Plaza de Cibeles- Atocha is not served. The journey takes 40 minutes and costs 2€. The buses are easy to spot as they are painted bright yellow. For more details see the Exprés Aeropuerto page on the EMT website.

Cercanías trains: These trains are local trains and serve the city and surrounding towns and it might be easier to take one of these you are staying within a short walk of Sol or Atocha stations, or taking a train to another city. You could take the metro to Nuevos Ministerios and then catch a train heading to the centre. The journey is very fast- only 3 minutes to Sol. It might cost slightly more than the metro but it is worth it if you have lots of suitcases. Journey time- around 30 mins. The airport should be connected to the cercanías within a year or two which will speed things up.

Taxi: A taxi to the centre will cost around 30€ including supplements, although it will more at night, weekends or on public holidays. From the airport only take official taxis from the taxi stands. Journey time to the centre- around 25-30mins.

Line 2 of the metro partially closing at night

As of 4th April, line 2 of the Madrid metro will close from 24.00 until the end of service for around two months between Sol and Goya due to improvement works. It will run as normal on 20-23rd April due to the Easter holiday. There will be no replacement transport, as there are several bus lines which can be used as an alternative. We'll let you know when normal service resumes.

New look Ópera metro station opens

After 22 million euros of investment, the remodeled Ópera metro station was finaly unveiled yesterday after months of delays. The station, which is served by lines 2, 5 and the Ramal, will have a much bigger vestibule and wider passage ways, and will contain a small museum to house the remains of an ancient fountain and acqueduct which were uncovered during the building works. The Plaza Isabel II, where Ópera metro station is situated has also had a makeover, with new benches and trees planted. We're sure many madrileños will be glad these works are over!

Apps for visting Madrid

Who wants to lug around a massive map and guide book around the city, or spend ages finding an internet café to find out the bus times, when the info can be accessed from the palm of the hand? We've done some digging around to find some useful apps for visitors to Madrid to make their trip a bit easier. Note that the apps mentioned here are not endorsed by us, nor are we connected with the developers.

Metro Plans. There are a number of free unofficial ones as well as the official Metro de Madrid (Presslite) paid app. We use one called Metro Madrid (PhoneSoftware), which usually works well, although it does have annoying adverts. It's also not hard to figure out how to use even though it's in Spanish. The app allows you to calculate metro journeys, find out opening times and find out where the nearest metro station is. On the other hand, the official app does pretty much the same thing, but comes in several languages and allows you to use it offline. It costs 0.79€ to download.

The EMT Madrid (EMT Madrid) has a similar app which allows you to calculate your bus journey and find the nearest bus stop as well as providing other travel information. The cost is free, but requires a network. In Spanish.

Lonely Planet Madrid City Guide (Lonely Planet). Don't want to lug a heavy guidebook around? This app contains everything you need for a stay in Madrid including, offline maps, recommended places, practical info, city history and guides to the different districts. The app costs 4.99€ and can be used offline.

Navigaia Madrid (Navigaia) is another city guide, which comes in both free and full paying versions. The guide contains points of interest, photos and maps, whist the paying version includes more detailed maps, descriptions, hotels, shopping, restaurants, cafés and bars as well as video. Available in English and French.

Madrid Barajas Airport Stats (Traland.com). Want to check the status of your flight? This app contains realtime information for all flights departing and arriving at Madrid Barajas airport. It costs 1.59€ to download.

 Madrid Offline Street Map (Networking 2.0) No need for a network connection as you find your way around the city or plan your routes. It also contains transport maps and a short travel guide, 3.99€

Prado Museum Audioguide (AMFINOMI). This app allows you to discover the secrets behind fifty of the most famous pieces of art in the Prado Museum in the form of an audioguide. You can also learn more about the artists, see plans of the museum and zoom in on the paintings.  In total there is three hours worth of audio content. It costs 3.99€, although there is a limited light version for free. Works offline.

Wi-Fi Finder (JiWire). Instead of traipsing around Madrid trying to find a wi-fi spot, this app allows you to search for wi-fi and you can download the locations to access offline. If you switch on GPS, it will pinpoint the closest hotspot to you. Both free and paying locations are listed in search results. Free to download.  

Although Madrid is User Friendly does not have an app as yet, remember both our blog and website can be accessed on smartphones and tablets.

Transport to FITUR

If you are coming to FITUR, the organisers will be putting on special bus services to transport conference goers to the IFEMA site. There are a number of lines and you can see details of the bus service here. The IFEMA can also be reached by metro. The nearest metro station is Campo de las Naciones on line 8, just a stop or two from the airport.

Visiting the coast in a day trip from Madrid (yes it can be done!)

As you know Madrid being in the almost exact centre of Spain, is one of the places in the country furthest from the coast. However with the Madrid-Valencia high speed AVE train which came into operation at the end of 2010 it is possible to be in Valencia in around 90 minutes, meaning a day trip to the beach can now be done. The Valencia region has fantasic beaches such as Playa de Levante, Playa de Pinedo or Saler; all of which can be accessed easily from Valencia on public transport. However, travel on the AVE services is not cheap; expect to pay around 100€ for a return trip.

The beach at Valencia

For more details about the Madrid-Valencia AVE service and for tickets, visit www.renfe.com

Madrid airport express bus

Update June 8, 2013

Bright yellow airport express buses

The new airport express (express aeropuerto) bus connecting Madrid Barajas airport and the city centre 24 hours a day came into service last week. The bus leaves every 20 minutes during the day, and after 11pm at 25-35 minute intervals. You can take the bus from outside the arrivals (lowest floor) at T1, T2 and T4 at the airport, where it will take you directly to the centre, stopping at O'Donnell, Plaza de Cibeles and Atocha Renfe railway station. However returning to the airport you can only take it from Atocha Renfe bus interchange as it makes no stops. After midnight the bus terminates at and leaves from Plaza de Cibeles (the stop is outside the massive post office building where Paseo del Prado meets Cibeles). The journey takes 30 minutes and costs 5€. The buses are easy to spot as they are painted bright yellow. For more details and the bus timetable, see the Exprés Aeropuerto page on the EMT website.

At the airport there are other city buses (101) to take you to Avenida de America. The 200 bus will take you to Príncipe de Vergara 102 and you can go from there. A 10 ride metrobus ticket can be used on these. You can find these at tabaconists and the newspaper stands. These tickets are not for individual use and can be shared. If you don´t have a an "abono", the cost is 1,50€. There is a metro stop "Avenida de America" which will take you north as opposed to the center of Madrid. If you are flying into Terminal 1, the bus stop is right there! Very easy!



This is a great bus to take back to the airport, as well. Goes every 15 minutes!



Continuing with the metro

You can also connect with metro line 6 from the O' Donnell stop. The stop at Cibeles leaves you next to Banco de España metro for line 2, and from Atocha Renfe railway station, you can connect to line 1 of the metro- you need to enter the station, go down the escalators and follow signs to the metro.

The bonobus can be used on both metro and bus. You can buy these at the metro station, which is very useful!!!