How to go from Madrid airport to the city center | [Guide]

Going from the Madrid airport transfer to the city centre is easy , fast, convenient and cheap. For me the best way is to use the subway or the commuter train , although there are other means of transport such as the bus that can be arranged more depending on what area of ​​Madrid you go to.

How to go from Madrid airport to the city centre

1. Metro

To use the metro in Madrid you have to buy a transport card that you will recharge as you travel. There are no longer the individual bills that you throw away as you use them. The card is worth 2.5 euros and you can buy it in the same vending machines at the airport. The machine will give you the possibility to buy the ticket from the airport to the centre of Madrid (the rates are based on your destination which you must select) at its normal price if you already have the card (you must enter it to recharge the trip) or buy the card plus the cost of the trip.

There are two stations that connect the airport with the city, one at terminals T1-T2-T3 and another at terminal T4 . The subway leaves you at the Nuevos Ministerios station, which is already in a central area of ​​Madrid. To get to the center of Madrid (Puerta del Sol or Gran Vía) you have to make two transfers. Once in Nuevos Ministerios you have to take line 10 towards Puerta del Sur, and change at the Tribunal stop to line 1 towards Valdecarros. From Nuevos Ministerios there are 5 subway stops to Sol (one less to Gran Vía).

2. Commuter train

The train is the best option to go from the center of Madrid to the airport , or vice versa, if your destination is terminal 4. The only downside to the metro is that it has fewer frequencies. A trip to Sol (transferring to Chamartín) can take about 30 minutes.

3. Bus

The bus is also a convenient and cheap option to get to the center of Madrid . There are several lines that connect the Adolfo Suárez Airport with several points in Madrid. There is also an Express line that connects with Chamartín and Atocha. The Express line connects the airport with Atocha (Cibeles at night) in just 40 minutes. The service operates 24 hours a day . The stops that it covers are Airport (T1, T2, T4), O'Donell, Cibeles, and Atocha. The single ticket costs 5 euros .

4. Taxi as comfortable as going from the Madrid airport to the center

The taxi is the most comfortable service to go from the Madrid Airport to City center but also one of the most expensive. There are official stops well signposted in the four terminals. The official taxis are white with red transverse bands and the coat of arms of the Madrid City Council. The journey usually lasts between 25 and 40 minutes depending on traffic.

To the routes with origin or destination between the airport and the interior of the M-30 (where the center of Madrid is located) a fixed rate of 30 euros is applied to them . To the journeys that are outside the interior of the M-30 the rate that marks the taximeter with a minimum of 20 euros is applied. Orientatively the descent of the flag is between 2.40 and 2.90 euros, and the prices per km traveled range from 1.05 to 1.25 euros.

5. Private transfers ideal for groups

Another very popular option is to hire a private transfer service. They wait for you in arrivals with a little sign with your name and a private driver takes you to the door of your accommodation, all for a price very similar to the taxi. If you travel in a group, it is cheaper than a taxi since there are vehicles with up to 7 seats, and even minibuses for 14 people.

6. Rental car

At the Madrid airport it is possible to rent a car from the main car rental companies. However, the airport is perfectly connected to the city center by public transport, so unless the city tour is part of a larger trip there is no reason to rent a car. However, for those interested in renting a car in terminals T1 and T4 are several of the most important car rental agencies such as Avis, Sixt, or Hertz.