This guide on how to get from Madrid Airport to downtown, will show you the most comfortable and cheap options to make this transfer to your hotel or to the city.
If you arrive in Madrid by plane you will land at Barajas Adolfo Suarez Airport, located 15 kilometers away and one of the busiest in Europe.
This airport has four terminals well connected to the center by public and private transport and for the change of terminal you can use a free bus that has a frequency of between 5 and 20 minutes, depending on the time of day.
Based on the experience of our numerous visits to the capital of Spain, in which we have written this guide to Madrid in 3 days, we explain the best ways to carry out the Transfer from Barajas Airport to the center of Madrid, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs. We start!
Meter
Line 8 (pink) of the subway allows you to make the journey from the 4 terminals of the Madrid Airport to the center (Nuevos Ministerios station) in less than half an hour.
From Nuevos Ministerios you can take the C3 and C4 commuter trains that will leave you at Puerta del Sol and at Atocha and Chamartín stations in less than 10 minutes. Another option is to take metro lines 6 and 10 and connect with other lines such as 1, which runs throughout the center.
The price of the subway ticket from the airport has a supplement of 3 euros, which must be added to the amount of the single ticket, which costs between 1.5 and 2 euros, depending on the number of stops.
In addition to this price you have to add another 2.5 euros that costs the rechargeable transport card that is used to pass the subway lathes. A good option to save a little is to buy a 10-trip ticket that can be used by several people.
The airport subway is active from 6 in the morning to half past one in the morning and has a frequency of between 6 and 30 minutes, depending on the time.
In our experience, this option if you carry luggage and you have to make several transfers, can be quite uncomfortable, especially if it coincides with rush hours.
Metro of Madrid
Transfer from Madrid airport to the center by train
The fastest option to go from Madrid Airport to the center is to take the C1 suburban train that costs 2.60 euros, plus half a euro on the card.
This train line will leave you to Chamartín in about 12 minutes and from there you can transfer to lines C3 and C4 that will take you to Puerta del Sol in about 20 minutes. Another alternative is to take metro line 1 from Chamartín, in case you have the hotel near one of its stops.
Line C1 also stops at Nuevos Ministerios, Atocha, Méndez Álvaro and Príncipe Pío stations.
The drawbacks of the train are that it leaves only from terminal T4, the schedule is from 6 am to 10:30 pm and the frequency of passage is half an hour.
Sun Gate
Bus from Barajas Airport to Madrid
The bus is another convenient and cheap alternative to go from Madrid Airport to downtown.
Line 200, which runs from 06h to 23: 30h and passes through all terminals, will take you to the Avenida América station in half an hour for 1.5 euros. From this station you can connect with metro lines 4, 6, 7 and 9.
Another faster option is to take Express Bus or line 203 that is active 24 hours a day and will leave you at the Atocha or Cibeles station, the latter if you take it between 22: 30h and 06h.
The price of the ticket is 5 euros and the journey time is 40 minutes.
Atocha station
Cab
The taxi makes the journey from Barajas Airport to the center of Madrid in about 30 minutes, depending on the traffic and the location of the hotel, for a fixed price of 30 euros.
You have to ignore all taxi offers inside the terminal and go directly to the official stops where white taxis with red stripes are located.
Another option is to take Uber or Cabify with which the price will depend on demand and the distance to the hotel.
Private transfer
The most comfortable way to go from Madrid Airport to the hotel is to take a private transfer, which can be profitable if you are several people.
If you book this service here a driver will be waiting for you at the exit of the terminal, raising a sign with your name, and will take you directly to the door of your hotel.
The price of 3-seater tourism is 36 euros, 6 euros 50 euros and the minibus 16 costs 80 euros.
A recommended hotel in the city with good communication with the airport is Room007 Select Sol, which stands out for its location 500 meters from the Puerta del Sol and 200 meters from the Plaza Mayor.
In addition to its excellent location, this hotel has spacious and comfortable rooms, friendly staff, a good breakfast and one of the best value for money in the city.
Once the issue of transfer from Madrid airport to downtown and accommodation, you can prepare your itineraries around the city with these personalized guides according to the days you have:
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The best offers of Flights to Madrid here
The best hotels at the best prices in Madrid here
Book the best tours and excursions in Madrid in Spanish here
Book your Airport⇆Madrid transfer here
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Rent your car in Madrid at the best price here
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
The best offers of Flights to Madrid here
The best hotels at the best prices in Madrid here
Book the best tours and excursions in Madrid in Spanish here
Book your Airport⇆Madrid transfer here
10 essential tips for traveling to Madrid
Rent your car in Madrid at the best price here
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
