Alternatives to Uber to get from Madrid Airport to the City Centre
Madrid metro sign
There are a range of ways of getting from Madrid airport to the city centre including metro, taxi app, official taxi, bus and private transfer.
Metro from Madrid Airport
One of the more affordable ways to get from Madrid airport to the city centre is to take the Madrid metro. There are two dedicated stops for the Madrid metro at the airport, one at terminal 4 and one for terminals 1, 2 and 3. Look for the pink line 8 on the Madrid metro map.
The airport metro line runs frequently from 6 am to 1.30 am, including on public holidays. The metro stop is a long walk from the arrivals terminal so keep that in mind when deciding which transport option to use.
Depending on where you’re staying in Madrid, you may need to make a transfer on the metro, as the last stop on the airport metro line is Nuevos Ministerios. From here you can get the blue line 10 in the direction of Puerta del Sol and reach more central areas such as Plaza de Espana.
A one-way ticket by metro from Madrid airport costs €5. Be aware that to use the metro in Madrid you need to first get a re-loadable Multi Card from one of the ticket machines or booths. These cost €2.50 so if you don’t have one from a previous trip, your first trip via metro from Madrid airport will cost €7.50.
Madrid Airport train to City Centre
Atocha train station, Madrid
As well as the metro, there are two local trains, called Cercanias, which run from Madrid airport to various stops including Atocha, near Parque El Retiro in central Madrid. The station for both is at terminal 4 of the airport, on floor -1.
The journey from Madrid airport to Atocha via train takes half an hour. Trains run approximately every 25 minutes between 5.55 am and midnight (check times on the Spanish RENFE trains website before you travel as they are subject to change). A one-way ticket to Atocha costs €2.60, so this is a very cheap option if you’re staying near to Atocha or one of the other train stops.
Express bus Madrid Airport
An alternative to the trains is to take the dedicated Madrid airport express bus into the city centre. The advantage of the bus is that it runs 24 hours a day.
There are stops at terminals 1, 2 and 4 at the airport. A one-way ticket for the bus costs €5 and journey time is approximately 30 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic. Look for a bus with 203 Exprés Aeropuerto written on it, or N27 Exprés Aeropuerto if travelling at night.
Madrid Airport taxi to City Centre
It’s very easy to find an official taxi at Madrid airport as there are marked taxi ranks and the official taxis are all white, with a red stripe. However, the queue has been long when I’ve arrived at Madrid airport so if you don’t want to wait this might not be the best option for you.
Cost of taxi from Madrid Airport to City Centre
The official white taxis at Madrid airport charge a fee of €33 if your destination is within the M30 motorway that circles the centre of Madrid.
If your journey is outside the M30 area and is less than 9.km, the minimum fare will be €22. So it’s expensive to get an airport taxi in Madrid.
If you’re on a budget, avoid taking one of the official taxis and consider using the Cabify taxi app (which has a cheaper minimum airport pick up fee of €12.50) or one of the other methods of transport for the Madrid airport journey.
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