Madrid Airport Transfers
Private Transfers
To avoid any hassle with taxis or on the metro (see below) it's a good idea to
pre-book Madrid airport transfers by private chauffeured car
or minibus.
On arrival your driver will meet you in the arrivals lounge
and transfer you in a modern air conditioned vehicle to your destination.
This service is available for transfers to the city centre as well as transfers
further afield such as to Toledo.
Metro
Line 8 of the Metro links the airport with the centre of Madrid at Nuevos
Ministerios in just 12 minutes. The stop is on the first floor of terminal 2 and
the service operates between 6.05am and 2.00am with departures every 5 minutes.
On arrival at Nuevos Ministerios there is a connection with over 50 other
stations via lines 6 (circle), 8 (Nuevos Ministerio-Barajas) and 10
(Fuencarral-Puerta del Sur).
Once in the city the extensive metro network can be safely used for travel beyond the
central area. To get the right direction look for the name of the last stop on
the line you are using, eg. to go north on line 10 look for dark blue signs for
Fuencarral. To go south on line 10 look for dark blue signs for Aluche. The 10
journey ticket costs about € 5.80 and is also valid on all city bus routes.
Airport Bus
The long standing special airport bus service from the airport to Plaza Colón no
longer operates and has been replaced by regular bus services as follows:
No. 101 line from Canillejas-Airport (T1, T2, T3).
No. 200 line from Avda. de América-Canillejas-Airport (T1, T2, T3).
No. 204 line from Avda. de América-Canillejas-Airport (T4).
Intercity line no. 822 Coslada-Airport-Canillejas-Airport (T1, T2, T3).
There is a special bus service from Barajas Metro (Underground) station to T4.
From Avda. de América or Canillejas you would need to join up with the metro
to continue your journey. The excellent metro service has taken over from the
old bus route as the best way into the city (just watch your valuables!).
Taxis to/from the airport
There are taxi ranks in front of the arrivals lounges of all three terminals
at Madrid airport.
A taxi to/from the airport to/from central Madrid
should cost around 20 Euros though taxi drivers are notorious for overcharging
recent arrivals (see below). Check that the meter is set at zero when you get in
and that it begins the journey at the official minimum fare. There are also
additional supplements at night, on Sundays and for each item of luggage placed
in the car boot as well as as journeys to bus and train stations and to the
IFEMA trade fair. If in doubt about the charge be sure to request a
receipt.
Train
The Spanish Railway Network (www.renfe.es)
does not go to Madrid-Barajas airport directly. However, you can connect to the
airport by using the the underground in Atocha or Chamartin railway stations.
Useful Feedback
Thanks for your website. Having just returned from a weekend in Madrid, and
heeding the warning about taxi drivers (below), my wife and two kids took the
Metro from the airport to our destination. It was clean quick and cheap with the
equivalent cost of about 40p per person to the centre of the city. We would also
recommend the Madrid Vision bus tour with three routes that take in all of the
city and its sights. Best place to pick it up is the Puerta del Sol.
Glyn Davies (February 2005) |
Unfortunately we received the following warning about the metro
I would like to offer a word of caution for anyone using the metro from the
airport to the city. I read your letters about taxis so chose the metro, Big
Mistake. Myself and my wife were the victims of a gang of pickpockets and had
wallet & purse stolen. You are a dead giveaway just coming from the airport with
your suitcases and easy prey as you have to jostle for position on the trains
with standing room only. I have never felt so vulnerable. My advice is take the
taxi, we did to leave, it cost 14.70Euros with a 4.20Euro supplement to the
airport (which is clearly marked inside the Taxi), I gave him 20 Euros, a
fraction of the cost of our metro Journey.
Paul Woolley (June 2005) |
Warning about Taxi Drivers in Madrid
Dear Sir/Madam
I am writing a brief note to make a formal complaint about the official taxi
drivers who serve Madrid Airport. I have just returned from a weekend break with
6 friends to Madrid, and we had a wonderful time in your lovely city. However,
our impression of your taxi drivers was severely damaged when we arrived at
Madrid Airport late on Saturday night, were told we had to have 3 taxis (between
7 of us with very little luggage).
The drivers clearly had no idea of where our accommodation was despite being
given an address, and then charged 50 euros for each taxi for a journey which we
were told by our accommodation should have been 15 euros or 20 at the most.
(This was the amount charged by a taxi on our return to the airport). None of
the drivers had their meters on, and as first time visitors who did not speak
Spanish we were completely in their hands.
We really feel that as a city which is bidding for the Olympics in 2012 it is
unacceptable that official taxi services behave in this way, and that it is not
good practice that there was no facility to make a complaint at the airport to
resolve the matter.
I would be most grateful if you could give me and my friends some assurances
that this matter will be dealt with so that others do not have an experience
which spoiled an otherwise excellent city break.
Regards
Ruth from Cheltenham, UK. |
Unfortunately another
Just a comment on your excellent webpage; had I consulted it before, I would
have been aware of the current practice of taxi drivers to overcharge new
arrivals; I paid 47.50 EUR from Barajas to my hotel on Calle Castellana. I have
only the receipt number which is E 955873, no licence plate so I suppose there
is no way to get hold of the dishonest driver. I was very upset and talked to 2
other ladies who made the same experience, so it is really common practice. Is
there really nothing you can do about this practice? It leaves a stain on an
otherwise very pleasant trip
Best greetings
Doris from Luxembourg |
And another with examples of their scams
I think I could write a book about the taxi drivers at Madrid Airport. Taxi
drivers always get very excited when they see me, over 2 meters tall, so it is
very clear that I am a stranger.
But a stranger who speaks Spanish (has lived in Madrid in the past for more
than 2 years) and has more than understood the methods of these taxi drivers.
Today 20/12/2005 another example ... I entered the taxi and somehow the
meter was hidden ... with a fare of 5.75 Euro already on ... asking why, the
taxi driver answered that he didn't know how that could have happened!?
Furthermore he smoked (nervous after being caught), one of the other habits I
really dislike. At the end of the ride he tried again, this time to add an extra
charge of 6 Euros (luggage).
For all other readers: 'No de licencia de taxi 00578'
So be careful ... any ride into town shouldn't be more than 20 Euros (the extra
4.20 Euros included)
Kind regards
Marc |
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