We are soon entering this very special time of year when cities light up with the christmas lights, and going to see them is one of the attractions of the holidays.
In this regard, in the case of Madrid, one of the attractions of Christmas activity program is known as Christmas bus.
This is a service tourist bus which in recent years has become a classic for see the Christmas Lights in Madrid, and which for two years now, as a novelty, has been offered for up to three different companies, of which two have already confirmed their service for this year.
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And even more so, because of its great demand, it has been done for years It is essential to buy tickets online as far in advance as possible, which you can purchase on their respective websites.
El Christmas bus 2025 is a car two folds similar to those City Tour that take a panoramic tour through the streets of the city center.
It is a very attractive activity to enjoy Christmas with children, for which vehicles with a 70-seat capacity are used.
All the information in detail
The service of Christmas bus It begins to coincide with the inauguration of the Christmas lights, so it will start on sunday November 23th, with the possibility of enjoying it until Sunday, January 4.
As for Christmas Bus schedules in Madrid, coincide with those of the Christmas lights, specifically, every day of the week from 18 to 22.30:XNUMX p.m.
Please note that this tourist bus does not operate on December 24 and 31.
With a service frequency Last year, both the departure point and the route depended on which of the three buses you bought your tickets for, but, in general, they offered a very similar route.
For example, the so-called Christmas bus, in this year 2025, it makes a tour that starts at the tourist bus stop of the Alfonso XII street, and then head to the Paseo del Prado, the Alcala Street, Gran Vía, Plaza of Independence, Velázquez, Goya, Colón, Ortega y Gasset, Serrano, to end in the aforementioned Alfonso XII Street.
During the rue From these buses you can see much of the Christmas lights in Madrid.
El Estimated travel time is about 45 minutes, depending on the greater or lesser traffic.
The Christmas Bus ticket prices They range from 15 to 18 euros for the general public, and 12 to 14,50 for children, and you also have VIP tickets for 25 euros, with preferential seating.
Of course, prices depend on the date you want to take the trip, the company you book with, and whether you buy tickets for the lower or upper deck of the bus.
You also have the possibility of signing up for a Christmas tour of Madrid This hour-and-a-half tour will take you to the main locations of this year's Christmas lights and tell you about their history. The tours begin on December 1st and it is advisable to book well in advance due to high demand.
Note that You can now buy tickets for this year, which, given the long queues that formed every Christmas to use this bus, for a few years now They can only be purchased online.
Here's the link to the official websites of the two companies that, as we mentioned, confirmed they will be providing this service this year.
On these websites you also have complete information on the route that each of the buses takes, and detailed prices.
This forces you to predict date and time for your trip when purchasing tickets, but with the advantage of ensuring their availability.
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In this regard, I remind you again that every year they sell out very quickly, in just a few days.
The small prints of any document, ticket, contract, etc…. They are written to be read. PS: Another user who also got wet due to inclement weather.
On the back of the bills they have printed a small print saying that the amount will not be refunded. When I went to claim the refund due to rain, they gave me a claim form from the EMT, not the one from the community or ayto. Why do they not return the money? When the rain intensified, many people left and they went to collect money. This is very strong. €2 is €2. Claim the amount if it rains.
In response to previous comments, there is no way to get the ticket beforehand, you pay the bus driver. I also don't think it is accessible to the disabled, since you travel on the top floor and the stairs are very narrow.
Today, Christmas Day, I stood in line for an hour and three quarters. Normally, if you arrive at 22.20:XNUMX p.m., you are out of time, at least if there is a queue.
It seems unforgivable to me that you do not specify the hours well because it is not true that it is from 18-23 pm since today, Saturday the 19th, I went with a group of 15 people at 10:30 at night and they did not let us get on because according to them the The last bus leaves 40 minutes before closing time, imagine the look on our faces, especially the children.
There were three buses in a row and one of the drivers said that he didn't mind doing the route but those at the bottom of the EMT haven't let him, come on, this is my last year.
Good afternoon:
I would like to know if there is any way to avoid having to wait in lines, that is, get the tickets somewhere other than on the bus and know if it is accessible for people in wheelchairs.
Two days ago I left at 19:00 p.m. to get on the Christmas bus with my family. Upon arrival there was a line that went from Serrano 30 and went around Plaza Colón. After a good deal looking for the end of the line they tell us that from that point there is a 3 hour wait and that we probably won't have time to get on.
It seems to me that it is very poorly organized because there are only 10 buses available and with the traffic that usually exists in Madrid, they take a long time to complete the route. They should establish an advance purchase of the ticket to avoid these lines...especially with the cold weather at this time and the number of families who come with babies and small children.
Good morning! We are a parent association, and I would like to know how I can reserve for the navibus. Thank you
For tourists, a total scam! A deception.
Let's see, if you are from Madrid, you go through there and you don't have to wait in line, well, because the price is low.
I went from Valladolid, I stood in line in the middle of December from 8 in the afternoon until 10.20:XNUMX minutes, and all to go up the street, one turn, another turn, one more...and back along the same street.and along streets through which then walk past since they only show you three streets in the center. total, a scam. Walking it would have taken about an hour to cover everything making stops, and I lost more than an hour and a half waiting in line.
Thank you for your comment, Rachel. The truth is that it is a shame about the long lines to catch the bus 🙁
Isn't the Navibus supposed to show you Madrid's Christmas lighting? Well IT'S A LIE. Today, after waiting for almost 2 hours in line, when we had to board the Navibus (at 22:05 p.m.) it turned out that all the lights were off. Only Gran Vía was illuminated. To our surprise, Al calá, Puerta de Alcalá, Montera, Velazquez... Everything was off and no one has alerted us. It seemed like a FRAUD to me. They sell it as a walk through Madrid, but not to see the Christmas lighting. I feel VERY FRAUDED. I do not recommend it.
Has anyone wondered how many hours drivers spend behind the wheel of these buses?????
How are they going to be able to buy tickets in advance, if they let them know half an hour before to take the NAVIBUS???, yes, after spending a whole day driving….just keep wandering around Madrid!
The solution is not to put more vehicles, it is to have foresight, gentlemen of Madrid City Tour!!!