Madrid is one of my favorite cities. After spending several years living in it and having such good experiences, I love it! And it is an effect that it produces in almost all travelers who visit the city. It is full of museums, monuments, a good chick... Have you never traveled to Madrid yet?
If you are thinking of traveling to Madrid and you are a bit lost, don't worry. In the blog you will find a complete guide to Madrid, so that you have all the necessary information to make your trip perfect.
In this post I will tell you how to go from the Barajas airport to the center of Madrid. Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suarez Airport is the airport with the highest passenger traffic in Spain and one of the most important on the continent. It has 4 terminals, T1, T2, T3 and T4, well connected to each other and to the city center.
HOW TO GO FROM BARAJAS AIRPORT TO THE CENTER OF MADRID
Barajas airport is located 15 kilometers from the city center and you will find several options to get around. Below I tell you the options with public and private transport.
1. By public transport, the cheapest way to go from Barajas airport to the center of Madrid
Taking any type of public transport from Madrid airport is a comfortable and economical option. You must take into account if the schedules combine with your arrival time and if you are heavily loaded with luggage or not.
1.1. By bus
Bus 200: This bus runs through all the airport terminals and ends at the Avenida América bus station.
Line 101: This option ends the route in the Canillejas neighborhood (only for T1, T2 and T3).
Line 203: It is the most popular and most expensive option. Personally, it is the option that I recommend if you decide to go by bus. It leaves from all the airport terminals and ends the route in Atocha, making an intermediate stop in Cibeles. This option is the Airport Express Bus.
Bus prices and schedules:
You should keep in mind that since I write the article until you read it, they may have changed. (Although I am updating the information regularly).
The cost of a single ticket on the urban lines is 1.50 euros, the cost of the express bus is around 5 euros each way.
The normal schedule for all lines is from 5:00 or 6:00 in the morning to 11:30 p.m., but the express bus runs 24 hours a day with different frequencies.
The duration of the journey depends a lot on traffic, but it is usually approximately 30 minutes for all lines.
1.2. By subway
If you rule out the bus option, you also have the metro option. It is the least comfortable option for me if you carry luggage (suitcase). Valid option if you travel with a single suitcase or backpack.
All Madrid airport terminals are connected to metro line 8. This ends at the Nuevos Ministerios station in Madrid. And from there you can transfer and go to your destination.
Subway prices and schedules
The cost for a single ticket with the airport supplement costs between 4.5 and 5 euros (depends on your final destination). You can also purchase vouchers by number of trips or by days. It is the best option if you want to explore and visit the city by Metro during your stay in the capital (something I recommend if you don't want to spend money in taxis).
The metro is in operation from 6:00 am to 1:30 am.
The journey time to Nuevos Ministerios is approximately 25 minutes.
1.3. On the commuter train
Another fast option is the commuter train. The station is located in Terminal 4. Lines C1 and C10 make several stops on their journey through the center of Madrid such as Chamartín, Nuevos Ministerios, Atocha, Méndez Álvaro or Príncipe Pío.
If you arrive at another terminal and want to take the train, to move between terminals you can take the free bus that connects the terminals. You should take into account the time frame to go from one place to another, especially if you travel to Madrid for a few days. Every minute counts!
Nearby train prices and schedules
The cost for a single ticket is 2.60 euros
This train line is in operation from 5:45 a.m. to 11:10 p.m.
The journey time to Príncipe Pío is 38 minutes, 25 minutes to Atocha and only 11 minutes to Chamartín.
2. Private transfer from Barajas airport to the center of Madrid
It is one of the most comfortable options for those who usually carry luggage or prefer a personal pick-up at the airport door and be dropped off at the hotel door. It is the best way to save time.
You reserve it with your flight number and they are waiting for you at arrivals or at the agreed place. In addition, from the airport door they take you directly to the door of your accommodation. Without the need to change transport, walk, or without having to carry suitcases from one place to another.
If you are a family or several friends, they usually come out very well priced per person.
3. By taxi, a good alternative
If you arrive at the airport and you don't have the journey in mind, a good option is the taxi, but it is also the most expensive. EYE! There is a lot ready... like everywhere. But tourists are usually given the typical detour and sometimes the fixed cost of the race is not respected.
It is comfortable (just like private transport) since from the airport door they take you to the hotel door.
The price of the race to the center of Madrid has a fixed cost of 30 euros. A rate that applies to any destination that is inside the M30 ring road. The price is usually very similar to private transfers and as I mentioned, it would not hurt if when you take the taxi at the terminal you ask the rate before starting the journey.
At Madrid airport you can also use the services of a VTC. Cabify and Uber work perfectly. The prices in this case depend on the destination and the type of vehicle hired. There are apps that you can download on your mobile to be able to calculate the rate and book it, paying safely.
4. Rent a car
If you are only going to visit the center of Madrid, it does not make much sense to rent a car. Getting around Madrid is much easier and faster by metro. I advise you to get the multi trip voucher. It comes out very important to you.
If you decide to rent a car, you should not only take into account its cost, but also the cost of fuel and parking. Parking lots are very expensive! There are hotels that have private parking, but all with a fee.
If you have several days and you want to see places on the outskirts of the capital or get to know some of the nearby cities, you can rent a car to visit more distant places.
HOW TO MOVE AROUND MADRID
The center of Madrid is huge with an infinity of places to discover. Here you have more than 45 things to see and do in Madrid.
It is not a city that you can discover walking. Although you can visit and wander around a lot, to visit the different neighborhoods and places of interest at times you will have to take some kind of transportation.
To access the metro (even if it is only for one trip) you must purchase the so-called Multi Card. It costs 2.5 euros, an amount that is included in the price if you purchase a tourist voucher. I especially recommend taking the metro to explore Madrid. It is the fastest and most comfortable way. By buying the voucher for several trips you save money.
You can buy the 10-trip voucher for 12.20 euros to move in zone A of the metro, on the light rail and on the entire urban bus network. As for tourist tickets, you have them from 8.40 euros for unlimited trips for 24 hours to 35.40 euros for unlimited trips for a week. In the event that you are going to make very few journeys, you should buy a simple ticket that can cost you between 1.50 and 3 euros.
You also have the option of getting around with the Madrid tourist bus. These buses make two different routes: one through the main points of interest in the historic center and another through places further away such as the Santiago Bernabeu, Las Ventas or Plaza Castilla.
You can use it for one or two days, and go up and down as many times as you want.
Honestly, I have never used this tourist bus, but it is an interesting alternative if your visit to Madrid is for a short time. This way you make sure that following the bus line you visit the most essential places.
PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope this guide has been useful to you. This article will be updated over time. But you should know that there may be some rate or schedule that has changed at present.
Enjoy the city of Madrid a lot, it has many interesting places to visit. You can see all the articles related to Madrid from this link.
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A hug and see you soon!
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