AIR
In Madrid Airport (Barajas Airport) buses run to and from an underground terminal
at Plaza de Colon every 15 minutes. The journey is about 30 minutes. The metro
is probably the easiest way into town. The airport is near the end of line 8
(not yet completed). Change at line 4 at Mar de Cristal until the extensions
are completed. The ticket is only €0.95.
TOP
TRAIN
There are two stations that serve the domestic and international routes out of
Madrid. Many trains stop at both the stations. Alocha station is south of the
city centre and runs trains to/from the south and around Madrid. Go here for
the fast AVE trains to Andalucia.
Chamartin (metro Chamartin) north of the city has trains that terminate from
the north but some pass though to Atocha. There are also a few trains to Andalucia
that depart from here. International trains to France and Portugal only stop
here. For information go to the RENFE site
or go to the booking office, Calle del Alcala, tel. 91 328 9020, open weekdays
9.30am-8pm.
Principe Pío station handles suburban services and short trips in the
Madrid region.
METRO
There are 202 metro stations in Madrid so it is usually the best way to get around.
There is also a plan to integate the services between the Metro and the and Cercanías
suburban train network in the future. All stations fall within zone A of the
network bar the stations on line 9 between Rivas Urbanizaciones and Argancia
del Rey. Single metro tickets costs €0.95, while a ten-ride Metrebús
ticket is €5. Travel outside of Zone A is a higher fare. Monthly travel
cards on the metro cost €32.30 for zone A.
For more details go to the metro website.
There is also a map on the site.
The metro stops running at midnight and starts again at 6am.
SUBURBAN TRAINS
This suburban network called Cercanías is operated by RENFE. Trains on
this network operate well for day trips to nearby cities such as El Escorial,
Segovia and Toledo. They are also a good extension on the metro network and connect
the Atocha and Chamartin stations. Príncipe Pío, Atocha and Chamartín
stations are the main hubs for the Cercanías network. You can not use
metro tickets on Cercanías trains. A single trip within zones 1 and 2
costs €0.91 on weekdays and €0.96 on weekends. Monthly travel cards
are also valid on Cercanías trains. Go to the RENFE site
for more details and a map
BUS
Most buses, but not all, stop at the Estacio Sur de Autobuses, Calle de Méndez Álvaro
(metro Méndez Álvaro). Most of the buses stopping here go south
and some are international. This is also a good spot to buy tickets (even for
other stations) and get bus information for travel around Spain.
There are numerous bus stations and companies around Madrid. Another is the Continental-Auto
bus station on Calle de Alenza (metro Ríos Rosas) which handles buses
to areas north of Madrid including the Basque country and Navarra.
Most travellers use the metro and suburban train network for travel within Madrid
but the EMT service with over 150 lines is the best option at night when the
metro stops. City buses operate with metro tickets, including the ten-ride Metrebús
ticket. Bus route maps are available at touist offices.
There are 20 night bus routes, búsos, that leave Plaza de la Cibeles or
Puerta del Sol every half hour (on the half hour) between midnight and 3am and
every hour (on the hour) between 3am and 6am. The metro starts again at 6am.
HITCHING
It is not easy to hitch from Madrid. It would be best to get public transport
out to the route on which you are heading. In Madrid itself there is a local
ride-sharing agency called Nuevos Viajes, tel. 91 3083098. A fee is involved
to have them organise a lift but should be cheaper than public transport.
Alternatively try the web-based ride sharing service at http://www.europe.bugride.com
DRIVING
Traffic is restricted in the city centre, so it's best to park a little out of
town and walk around - parking in the more central areas is very expensive. Auto Europe Hertz Avis
MOTORCYCLE
This is a better option for moving around in Madrid as bikes are easier and cheaper
to park.
Other useful links include:
Motonline.com - http://rent.motonline.com/en/ rent@motonline.com
Motonline allows you to rent a bike throughout Europe and there are pickup and
drop off points around the country (for additional fees). Rentable bikes include
Ducati, Aprilia, Yamaha and BMW. TOP
BIKING AND WALKING
This may be a cheaper, safer and healthier way to get around. Ask at your hotel
or hostel for the nearest places to rent good bikes or do walking tours. Check
out our tour
pages for biking and walking holidays in Spain.
Euro-Bike and Walking Tours - http://www.eurobike.com – offers
similar tours by bike or foot starting with Florence and venturing out to nearby
small towns. Go to their website for more details or contact them at info@eurobike.com.
Their postal address is PO Box 990, DeKalb, IL 60115 – USA
TAXI
Taxi’s are available from the airport into the city centre and around the
city but are quite expensive and because of the excellent metro service and night
buses there should be little reason to use them.
TICKETS
Buy your tickets before boarding buses or trains at stations, tobacconists or
newstands. Single trip tickets can be used on both metros and buses but the suburban
train routes (Cercanías) use different tickets. One-way tickets for buses
and the metro cost €0.95 and the ten-trip tickets are €5. Travel outside
of Zone A is a higher fare. Monthly travel cards on the metro cost €32.30
for zone A. A single trip on Cercanías trains within zones 1 and 2 costs €0.91
on weekdays and €0.96 on weekends. Monthly travel cards are also valid on
Cercanías trains.
