Transport in Madrid

1. Getting around the city

**Metro.** Madrid Metro, in service since 1919 and operated by Metro de Madrid S.A., has 13 conventional lines, numbered 1 to 12 plus the Ópera–Príncipe Pío branch line (Ramal), and 3 Metro Ligero light-rail lines. Line 6 is circular and rings the centre, which makes it useful for changing lines without going through Sol. Sol, Nuevos Ministerios, Avenida de América, Moncloa and Plaza de Castilla are interchanges where several lines meet. The metro covers the centre and reaches districts and municipalities across the metropolitan area, but not every corner: on the outskirts, buses and suburban trains complete the network.

**EMT buses.** The Empresa Municipal de Transportes de Madrid (EMT) runs the city's buses, which are red. Their lines cover the whole city, including areas the metro does not reach, and many stop beside metro and suburban train stations. Circular lines C1 and C2 run around the centre in opposite directions. At night, night buses known as búhos (owls), numbered with an N, run mostly from Plaza de Cibeles out to the districts. To board, flag the driver down; inside, press the bell to get off at the next stop.

**Cercanías.** Renfe's Cercanías suburban trains cross the city and link it with its municipalities. Line C-1 joins the airport (Terminal 4 only) with Chamartín, Nuevos Ministerios, Recoletos, Atocha and Príncipe Pío, so it also serves for crossing Madrid from north to south without changing trains. The other Cercanías lines leave Atocha and Chamartín for the rest of the Community of Madrid.

**BiciMAD.** BiciMAD is Madrid's public electric bike-sharing system, operated by EMT. It works through docking stations spread across the city: pick a bike up at one station and return it at another. It suits short trips in the centre and in the parks, and combines with the metro and Cercanías. Before using it, check the current rules in the app, as conditions of use change.

**Taxi and ride-hailing.** Madrid taxis are white with a red stripe and show a free sign when available. Ride-hailing cars booked by app also operate. A taxi is the most direct option with luggage or at night, when the metro has closed, but at rush hour the metro and Cercanías avoid street traffic jams.

**On foot.** Central Madrid walks well: Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, the Royal Palace and the Paseo del Prado are a short distance from each other. Centre pavements are wide and several squares and streets are pedestrian. For long distances, or for climbing to higher districts, the metro is worth it.

2. Getting to and from the city

**Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport.** The airport has two areas: terminals T1, T2 and T3, joined to each other and walkable between them, and Terminal 4 with its T4S satellite, a separate building. Free shuttle buses and metro line 8 run between the two areas, and line 8 has a station in each area. Metro line 8 reaches Nuevos Ministerios, in the centre. The Cercanías C-1 train stops only at T4: anyone landing at T1, T2 or T3 who wants the train must first go to T4. The Exprés Aeropuerto bus 203 links Plaza de Cibeles with the airport. Each terminal has its own taxi rank.

**Train stations: Atocha and Chamartín.** Madrid has two main long-distance stations. Atocha, in the south of the centre, beside Plaza del Emperador Carlos V, and Chamartín-Clara Campoamor, in the north. Both take medium-distance, long-distance and high-speed trains, and both have metro and Cercanías connections. Atocha mainly handles services towards the south and east of Spain, and Chamartín towards the north, but the assignment varies by train: always check on your ticket which station your train leaves from, because Atocha also has a separate Cercanías area with its own entrances. To go from one station to the other, the Cercanías C-1 links them directly.

**Intercity and long-distance coaches.** Estación Sur, at Méndez Álvaro, beside metro line 6, is the main long-distance coach terminal for other Spanish cities. The Avenida de América interchange, served by several metro lines, and Conde de Casal, beside line 6, gather intercity coaches to municipalities in the Community of Madrid. The main companies, such as ALSA, operate from these terminals.

**Road.** Madrid stands at the centre of the peninsula, and motorways leave it in every direction: north on the A-1, east on the A-2, south on the A-4 and west on the A-5, plus the M-30 and M-40 ring roads around the city. By car, the centre has restricted-traffic zones and regulated parking: check the current rules before driving into the centre.

3. Commuting in general terms

The usual Madrid commute combines metro and bus. Someone living in an outer district takes the metro or Cercanías to an interchange — Nuevos Ministerios, Avenida de América, Moncloa or Plaza de Castilla — and from there a bus, or walks, to their destination. In the centre, many people walk between Puerta del Sol, Gran Vía and the Paseo del Prado, and save the metro for longer distances.

At rush hour, the metro and Cercanías are the most reliable modes, because they run on their own tracks and do not sit in street traffic. Buses share the road with cars, although many use reserved lanes. At night, when the metro closes, the búhos from Cibeles keep the link with the districts.

For work or study, the Community of Madrid public transport card covers metro, city bus, Cercanías and Metro Ligero on the same card. Passes and tickets are managed by the Consorcio Regional de Transportes de Madrid (CRTM): their types and conditions change, so check on the CRTM website which one fits your stay before buying.

4. What a newcomer needs to know first

• **Choose the station by the destination, not by the name.** Atocha and Chamartín are two different stations: a long-distance train leaves from only one of them. The same applies at the airport: the metro reaches both terminal areas, but the Cercanías train only reaches T4.
• **Always validate your ticket before entering.** On the metro, bus and Cercanías, validate on access. Keep the ticket for the whole journey.
• **Check the official website for prices and timetables.** This page gives no prices or timetables because they change: Metro de Madrid (metromadrid.es), EMT Madrid, Renfe Cercanías and the CRTM publish the current ones.
• **At night, plan the way back.** The búhos leave from Cibeles; a taxi is the direct alternative when there is no service.
• **In the centre, walk; outside the centre, take the metro.** Distances in the centre deceive on the map: Sol, Plaza Mayor and the Royal Palace are close on foot, while outer districts need the metro or Cercanías.
• **This page is general information.** It does not sell tickets or verify services, timetables or prices: for the day of your trip, the operator is the source.