Transportation

If you are planning to fly to Madrid, you should know that the nearest airport is Barajas International Airport, at a distance of about 15 or 20 minutes from the city. You can reach Madrid by train or taxi, which is more expensive, around €25.

INSIDE MADRID

Madrid is definitely a walking city, you can visit the entire city center by foot, but if you want to choose other transportation means, then you can see below a list of the access options inside the city of Madrid.

Public Transportation

By Metro

As one of the biggest European cities, Madrid has also one of the largest underground networks, being in fact the sixth largest underground system in the entire world. There are twelve lines that cross the city and cover any destination you would think of. With reasonable prices, this is surely the cheapest way to travel around Madrid. The metro is functioning every day from 06.00 A.M. until 02.00 A.M.

The average price of a metro ticket is around €2, depending on the type of trip you choose. Another option would be a day pass which costs around €5.20.

By Bus

The bus network is a quite cheap and interesting way to visit the city center and its surroundings. This transportation means runs daily from 6.00 A.M. to 1.00 A.M., but you can take the bus at night also, therefore the bus service is available 24 hours.

Things to know when catching a bus:

• 1.Spanish people do not queue in an orderly manner. Therefore, whoever gets to the front, boards first, there is no other order or priority!
• 2.You should not eat or drink while traveling by bus, it is considered impolite.
• 3.You should buy a fan in order to keep cool while being on the bus or waiting for it. It is a normal thing and everybody does it.

By Car

Driving your own car or a rented one inside Madrid can be a real challenge because of the narrow streets and the crowded roads, with few parking places. Blocking other cars in the middle of the street is a common practice so if you park your car in the city or near the city center, then you can risk finding your car hit or scratched.

However, there might be some advantages of traveling by car, and that is, you can reach your destination faster than by bus, and of course in a more comfortable seat, your own!

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