How to get from Barajas Airport to the center of Madrid: all the options

La Madrid transport network It is one of the most modern in the world, really good and easy to use.

And we say this from our own experience, since by residing in Madrid and live traveling continuously, the airport It is like our second home and we are very used to using it to make this trip almost every week.

That is why we know well what are the alternatives to move between the airport and the city center, which is the first concern of someone who arrives in Madrid in order to go to the hotel where they are going to stay.

How to get from Madrid Barajas airport to the center

From our experience using the public transport For this same route, we are going to indicate all the options to get from the airport to the center of Madrid, with some tips and tricks that will make your transfer easier.

At the outset we will tell you that, luckily, in Madrid You have many alternatives, which is facilitated by having only one airport, that of Barajas, now with the name of Adolfo Suárez.

There are so many options that, in reality, when making the decision, you have to take into account aspects such as the time at which you are going to make the trip or the area of ​​the city to which you are going.

The combination of these two variables is very important because there are peak hours in which large traffic jams form, and although the Madrid-Barajas airport It is less than 20 kilometers from the center, choosing the wrong transportation can make you waste a lot of time.

Private transfers between Madrid airport and center

If you don't want to complicate things. The most convenient option is, without a doubt, to book a reservation online. private transfer between the airport and the center of Madrid, so that a driver will pick you up and take you directly to your hotel.

When you make the reservation and indicate the arrival time in Madrid of your flight, the driver will be waiting for you right at the exit of the terminal with a sign with your name.

You also have this option if what you want is to take the opposite route to the airport, picking you up at your hotel at the time you indicate.

It couldn't be more convenient because they are waiting for you right at the exit and you don't even have to look for where the metro, bus or taxi stops are, or the connections you have to make to get to your hotel.

El transfer You can also ask for it not only if you are going or coming from the Baraja airports, but you can also request it for trips from the main Train Stations (Chamartín y Atocha) to your hotel if you are moving around Spain in the High Speed ​​Train (AVE).

It also has another advantage, and that is that by hiring this service, you guarantee punctuality and avoid possible strikes or various incidents related to transportation that usually happen in all cities in the world, and that it is difficult for a tourist to find out about.

If your flight arrives or departs from Madrid at a time when there is no longer public transport, in our opinion it is the best option, even ahead of the taxi, Cabify or Uber, which also operate in the capital of Spain.

Prices for private transfers between the airport and the center of Madrid

And although it is not the cheapest option, it certainly seems like a very cheap price for transportation with a private driver, making it very ideal for a small group of family or friends.

Depending on the people traveling, the transfer prices between the airport and the center of Madrid vary between 30 euros of a vehicle with up to 3 seats (10 euros per person) and 8o euros of a minibus with up to 16 seats (5 euros per person).

If you need a intermediate vehicle with up to 6 seats, the price is 50 euros.

And it is also the best option if you are carrying a lot of luggage because, in practice, it can be cumbersome to move on the subway, train or bus with large suitcases.

How to go by Metro from Barajas to the center of Madrid

Within the different public transport options in Madrid, Metro We think it's the best.

It is fast, punctual, you avoid traffic jams, it is well connected to the entire transport network and from the airport there are trains continuously every 8 minutes.

Of course, it is the most complicated of all the options because the subway network has 294 kilometers Distributed in 301 stations.

To move well through the Metro There are two things to keep in mind so as not to get confused, because when buying the ticket it is necessary to enter the station you are going to and the line in question.

Where is the Metro station at Madrid airport?

As el Madrid-Barajas airport It is so big, it has two stations at the airport, one in the terminal T4, which is the last stop on the line, and another previous one for the terminals T1, T2 and T3, and among them, the station Barajas town.

Actually the Metro station It is at the height of T2, but it can be reached on foot from T1 and T3.

In addition there is a free bus which allows you to move between the different terminals if you need to.

Which Metro line goes to Madrid airport?

And on the other hand, you have to know that the Metro line that goes from the airport to Madrid It does not take you directly to the historic center of the city, but you will have to change lines to reach central stations such as Plaza of Spain o Puerta del Sol.

The Metro lines in Madrid They go by numbers and colors, and the one that arrives at the airport is the 8 line Pink color.

Depending on where you are going, you should look to make the transfers and connections you need to go to the station where your hotel is located.

Metro Stations where you can transfer to Madrid Airport

There are three stations where you can connect, Mar de Cristal (line 4), Colombia (line 9) and Nuevos Ministerios, where the airport line ends.

At these stations you can change to a different line that takes you to different areas of the city.

As we have mentioned, the airport line (8 line) ends at the station Nuevos Ministerios, In full Paseo de la Castellana, which is one of the main arteries of Madrid and connects with the dark blue line 10, which already takes you to the most central part of the capital.

From Nuevos Ministerios You would also have the option of 6 line which is gray and makes a circular route through the capital.

Metro prices from Madrid airport

The other complication of go by Metro es buy the ticket given the options there are, but we are going to help you understand it very easily.

El price of the bill It depends on the area where you start the tour and the station where you get off; in it Madrid Metro map The different areas are marked, in which the price increases as you move away from the central almond.

But to get your bearings, calculate that the price is around 2 euros for a single trip, although the ideal thing if you are going to be in Madrid is to buy the 10 trip voucher which costs 12 euros and makes each trip cost just over one euro.

Our advice is that for visit madrid use the Metro because it is the best way to visit the most touristic areas of the capital of Spain

For move by Metro it is necessary to take one red transport card, which is taken out at the same station and costs 2,5 euros.

You put money in it as if it were a voucher and the price of the ticket is deducted when you pass it through the gates to access the tracks.

How much does the airport supplement cost on the Metro?

You can use the same card for several people, but the cardholder must always be present in case the conductor asks for it.

It is important that you keep in mind that the journeys to and from the airport have a supplement of 3 euros per trip.

Don't worry if go from the center of Madrid to the airport You have not paid it previously, since you have the option of pay the extra at the machines which are located before passing the exit turnstiles.

Commuter train to Madrid airport

Another option that we love for traveling between the airport and the city center is the commuter train, and is recommended for certain circumstances.

Together with Metro, is the best way to get around Madrid, and the train also reaches surrounding municipalities and towns that the suburban train does not reach.

Depending on where you are going to stay, it may be even a better option than the public transport par excellence in Madrid, the Metro, but yes, its frequency it's just every half hour.

El commuter train It mainly runs through large stations that serve as connection axes with other parts of the city.

The wagons of the commuter train They are really comfortable and spacious, adapted for disabled people or people who carry a lot of luggage, since there is no restriction on the number of suitcases you take with you.

In fact, even bicycles are allowed on the train.

Where is the Cercanías train station at Barajas airport?

It is important to keep in mind that there is only one train station at the airport, which is located in the terminal T4, so if your plane arrives at another of the three terminals, you must use the free bus that moves you between the different terminals.

From T4 the commuter train goes through Chamartín and then travel through the central axis of the city arriving at Recollects (about Colón y Cibeles) Y Atocha.

Then continue towards Prince Pio via Delicias y Pirámides.

A Chamartín You arrive in just 11 minutes and Atocha in about 25 minutes, the station from where most of the trains depart. High Speed ​​(AVE).

And if you are going to take one of these trains, your price already includes the ticket for the Cercanías journey, which will be free.

You just have to go to the machines to enter the number of Combined Cercanías that appears on the AVE ticket and print the ticket for the train at no cost.

For its part, the duration of the train journey from the airport to Príncipe Pío It is about 38 minutes, and from there you have easy access via Metro to important tourist places such as Royal Palace, Plaza de Oriente, Temple of Debod o Spain Square.

How much does the airport train ticket cost in Madrid?

Another advantage that the commuter train is the price, since it is the cheapest option of all, since the ticket from the airport to the center costs only 1,70 euros.

On the other hand, its biggest drawback is the frequency with which the train passes, only every half hour.

Taxis from the airport to Madrid

Taxis are another very comfortable and fast option, except during rush hours.

At any time, both day and night, you can take a taxi at any of the stops that are located right in the areas of Arrivals of each terminal.

Taxi price to Madrid airport

There is a flat rate taxi to go from the airport to the center, which is 30 euros.

That's right, this flat rate It is applicable only to the interior of the ring formed by the M-30, which in practice is the center of the city.

If you go to an area outside this ring, a supplement will begin to be charged from the moment you leave the center.

How to go with Uber or Cabify to the Madrid airport

To the taxi option you have to add the vehicle option VTC managed via mobile applications such as Uber o Cabify, which are somewhat cheaper than the taxi.

Of course, you have to reserve in advance through the app and then go to the meeting points at the airport, while the payment, whose price varies depending on your destination in the city, is made via mobile phone.

But yes, from experience we will tell you that the price of Cabify o Uber to go to the airport, it is always cheaper than a taxi, the closer your departure point to the airport is.

How to go by bus from the airport to Madrid

A last option is to go on the airport express bus, which is highly recommended if you go to the Atocha station from any of the terminals other than the T4, well then the ideal is to go by train.

How long does it take from Madrid airport to Atocha by bus?

From the other three terminals it will take about 30 minutes to get to Atocha from the airport in the Express Bus.

Likewise, it is the cheaper alternative option that the taxi and vehicles VTC if you need to move during the night, when the Metro and commuter train They are not providing service.

At night time, the bus takes you only to the Plaza de Cibeles, where you can now connect with the night city bus lines.

How much does the Airport Express Bus ticket cost?

La frequency is between 15 and 20 minutes, and at night, every 35 minutes, and the Express Bus ticket price it is 5 euros.

To be honest, we do not believe that in most cases it is worth going by bus compared to the option of the bus lines. Metro y Suburban Rail.

How to get from Madrid airport to Atocha AVE station

Finally, if you land on the Baraja's airport and you are going to move in eTA to some other city or geographical area of ​​Spain, what interests you is to know what the best option to go from the airport to the Madrid train stations.

And two are the most recommended options; If you are looking for maximum comfort, the private transfer; and among public transport, the ideal is commuter train if you start from T4, and the alternative of Express Bus or Metro if parts of the other terminals.

How to get from Madrid airport to Chamartín AVE station

Si vas a go to Chamartín to take the AVE which, for example, takes you to Valladolid or León, from T4 I remind you that you will arrive in just 11 minutes, and if you have to go to Atocha, from where most of the AVE trains, riding a commuter train You will arrive in 35 minutes.

In the case of Express Bus, I remind you that it will take about 30 minutes to get to Atocha from terminals T1, T2 and T3, and it will be a more comfortable transfer than in Metro, where you will need to make transfers.