Transport in Madrid (metro, bus, cercanias)

Transport in Madrid (metro, bus, cercanias)

One of the main questions that trouble the tourists in Madrid is the means of transportation around a town. The public transport of Madrid is notables for its considered planning and ease of use. It includes first of all metros, buses and regional trains (cercanias). Madrid has one of the largest metros of the whole world. So far, it has 13 lines and 272 stations.

Every year the underground transport attends more than 600 million of passengers. Every metro line has its own color and name corresponding to the initial and terminal stop.

The metro of Madrid is opened daily from 6:00 to 1:30. The cost of one trip is 1, 5-3 euros (depending on the zone). If you want to buy a ticket for 10 trips, it will cost you from 11 to 18 euros.

You can buy the tickets either in the ticket offices, located at the largest stations of metro, or in the vending machines (if you want to buy a ticket for one trip, you only need to introduce a terminal station). Metro of Madrid is a safe and comfortable means of transportation around the city.

The city bus is another comfortable and efficient way of transportation. The most of bus lines of Madrid work from 06:00 to 00:00. The traffic interval is usually 10-15 minutes. One trip will cost you 1, 5 euros, and a ticket for 10 trips- 12.20 euros. At any bus station you’ll be able to find a time-table with the indication of bus numbers, their stations, intervals and traffic time. There is a special board where you can see how long you must wait for the arrival of that or another bus. The comfortable bus salons are equipped with the air conditioners, special seats for invalids and the buttons for the ordering of the station. The lovers of late walks will appreciate the night buses called “Buhos” (“Owls”), departing from Plaza de Cibeles. Their traffic time is 23:30-05:00, and the fare is the same as that of the day transport.

Another fast and comfortable means of transport around the city is the regional train. The local trains fit both for the trips inside the city and the excursions (for example, to the mountains of Guadarrama or the provinces Aranjuez and Escorial). The trains pass between the stations Chamartin and Atocha. The time traffic of this kind of transport is from 05:00-06:00 to 00:00. The traffic interval is from 15 to 30 minutes (depending on the line congestion). The tickets for regional trains can be bought at the railway stations of Chamartin and Atocha, and the fare depends on the amount of zones that you cross.

Another important question that interests every tourist is how to get from the airport Barajas to the center of the city? It can be made in several ways. Firstly, you can use metro. Ask the girls at the information counter for information, and they’ll gladly answer all of your questions and give you the subway map free of charge. The airport Barajas is situated at the metro station Aeropuerto T4. Going down to the subway entrance, you’ll see the automatic machines where you can buy yourself a ticket. They operate both in Spanish and in English,that will make your purchase easier. Take into account that the tickets providing leaving and landing at the airport, cost twice as much as the common ones. You should come down to the metro, then get on the train and go from Aeropuerto T4 to the station Nuevos Ministerios (from the final stop to the final stop). The line 8 Nuevos Ministerios- Aeropuerto is indicated pink on the subway map. Then change for the blue line called Hospital Infanta Sofia- Puerta del Sur. Waiting for a train, go the station Plaza de España. As for the time, the trip by metro from the airport to the center of the city takes you about 40 minutes and costs 5 euros.

Another way to get from the airport to the center of the capital is to use the bus Airport Express. It´s the most economical and comfortable option. The trip takes about 35 minutes. It is no problem to take this bus, as it goes every day 24/7, and the traffic interval is only 15 minutes. You can buy the ticket straight from the driver. It costs 5 euros.

You can also get to Barajas by electric train. Take the suburban train C1. The line connects Terminal 4 with the station Principe Pio. The electric train comes every half-hour. You can buy a ticket in the vending machine, disposing the menu in English. The price is 2, 40 euros.

Perhaps, the not the cheapest but the most comfortable and safe way to get to the center from the airport is to order a transfer. In that case, the driver will meet you at the airport with the name plate, lead you to the car, help with a baggage and bring you to the terminal station fast and without stops. If you use the service of the Russian-speaking guide, he’ll also tell you which places you should visit during your stay in Madrid. We wish you a good holiday in the center of Spain!