Madrid · Getting around
Getting Around Madrid 2026: Airport, Metro, Taxis, Cercanías, and the High-Speed Trains
Madrid airport to the centre by taxi, metro, Cercanías or the Airport Express, metro tickets and what's closed for now, taxis and their fares, the low-emission zone, and the high-speed trains, from esMadrid, Metro de Madrid, EMT, Aena and the operators' own sites.
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In this guide · 9 sections
The short version
- Airport to the centre: a taxi is a fixed €33 to anywhere inside the M-30, 24 hours a day. Metro Line 8 is €4.50 to €5 with the airport supplement, and the Airport Express bus is €5, all night too.
- The metro runs from 6 AM to 1.30 AM. For now, Line 6 stops at 11 PM from Sunday to Thursday, and Line 10 isn't running between Nuevos Ministerios and Cuzco.
- The 10-trip Metrobús costs €7.30 and works on the metro and EMT's city buses. Tourist Travel Passes cover 1 to 7 days.
- Don't hire a car for the city. The old Madrid Central is now the Distrito Centro low-emission zone.
- Taxis are metered: €1.40/km on weekday daytimes, €1.60/km at other times. FREENOW, Cabify, Uber and Bolt all work.
- To Barcelona by train: Ouigo's timetable shows 3 hours 2 minutes to about 3½ hours, from €19; Renfe's trains leave from Madrid Puerta de Atocha – Almudena Grandes.
Madrid's airport is one of Europe's busiest: 68.2 million passengers used it in 2025, Aena says. Getting into town is simple, with a fixed-price taxi fare, the metro, a 24-hour express bus and, from T4, the Cercanías. In town, the metro is, in the words of esMadrid, the city's tourism site, one of the largest metropolitan networks in Europe.
This guide covers the airport, the metro and its tickets, buses and the Cercanías, taxis, when (and when not) to hire a car, and the high-speed trains and day trips. Fares and times are from esMadrid, Metro de Madrid, EMT, Aena and the train operators.
Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD)
Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas has four terminals. A free bus links T1, T2 and T4 around the clock: every 5 minutes from 6 AM to 10 PM, and every 20 minutes overnight.
Always confirm which terminal your flight uses before you head to the airport.
Airport to your hotel: the four options
1. Taxi: the fixed fare (recommended for most travellers) Journeys between the airport and anywhere inside the M-30 ring road, in either direction, cost a fixed €33, 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and that includes taxis booked electronically. The fixed fare is exempt from all surcharges. Madrid's official taxis are white, with a diagonal red band on the front door bearing the city's emblem, and every terminal has a clearly signed rank outside arrivals.
Beyond the M-30, a taxi from the airport has a €22 minimum, covering the first 9 km; after that, the meter runs.
2. Metro (Line 8) Line 8 serves all four terminals, from its Airport T1-T2-T3 and Airport T4 stations. To Nuevos Ministerios in central Madrid it takes about 12 minutes from T1-T2-T3 and 20 minutes from T4. A single ticket (€1.50 to €2) plus the €3 airport supplement comes to €4.50 to €5; the Tourist Travel Pass covers the supplement.
Useful if your hotel is near Line 8. For now, Line 10 isn't running between Nuevos Ministerios and Cuzco: there's a free EMT shuttle bus instead.
3. Cercanías (suburban rail, from T4 only) Line C-1 runs from Airport T4 through Chamartín and Atocha to Príncipe Pío. Aena lists Cercanías singles at €1.70 to €2.60, depending on the number of zones, and says the C-1 is free for passengers with AVE tickets who are connecting with a flight.
4. The Airport Express bus (line 203) EMT's Airport Express runs 24 hours a day, from Atocha station during the day (6 AM to 11.30 PM) and from Plaza de Cibeles at night (11.30 PM to 6 AM). It runs every 15 to 20 minutes by day and every 35 minutes overnight. EMT gives the fare as €5 (esMadrid says €5.10). The Tourist Travel Pass doesn't cover it, and neither does the 10-trip Metrobús.
At night, EMT's N32 night bus also runs between Avenida de América and T4, from about 12.10 AM to 5.30 AM.
Apps: FREENOW, Cabify, Uber and Bolt all operate in Madrid. Uber and Bolt are VTC (private hire), not taxis: at the airport, you meet the driver in the exclusive parking area at each terminal. FREENOW books taxis, so the €33 fixed fare applies to airport journeys booked through it.
Around the city: the metro
Madrid's metro has 12 lines and 303 stations, and esMadrid counts three Metro Ligero (light rail) lines and the Ópera–Príncipe Pío branch on top. It's open from 6 AM to 1.30 AM every day of the year, except at entrances with their own opening hours.
Closed for now
Line 6 stops at 11 PM from Sunday to Thursday for modernisation works; it keeps its usual hours on Fridays and Saturdays. Line 10 isn't running between Nuevos Ministerios and Cuzco, because of works at Santiago Bernabéu station. Free EMT buses run in place of both, esMadrid says.
Tickets that matter:
| Ticket | What it is | 2026 cost |
|---|---|---|
| Single ticket | Zone A: €1.50 for up to 5 stations, then €0.10 a station | €1.50–€2.00 |
| 10-trip Metrobús | 10 journeys on the metro in zone A, including Metro Ligero line ML1, and on EMT buses | €7.30 |
| Tourist Travel Pass, zone A | Unlimited travel for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7 days | €10.30 / €17.50 / €23.10 / €27.80 / €33.40 / €43.20 |
| Airport single | A single ticket plus the €3 airport supplement | €4.50–€5.00 |
Prices are Metro de Madrid's and esMadrid's.
The 10-trip Metrobús is the right ticket for most trips: €0.73 a journey. It goes on a reusable Multi card, which costs €2.50 (it's a purchase, not a refundable deposit, and it comes free with a Tourist Travel Pass). You load the card with tickets, not money: singles, the 10-trip Metrobús, the airport supplement or a tourist pass.
The Tourist Travel Pass pays off against single tickets at about six journeys a day on the 1-day pass. Against the 10-trip Metrobús, the 1-day pass needs about 15 journeys a day, and the 5-day pass about 10 a day.
Buses, Cercanías, and the light rail
- EMT buses: a single ticket costs €1.50, bought on board; it can't go on the Multi card. The 10-trip Metrobús on a Multi card works on EMT buses, except the Airport Express.
- Night buses: the búhos, Madrid's night buses, all start or end in Plaza de Cibeles, esMadrid says.
- Cercanías (suburban rail): the C-1 to Airport T4 is above. For other lines, check Renfe's Cercanías timetables.
- Metro Ligero (light rail): three lines; the 10-trip Metrobús covers line ML1.
Taxis
Madrid taxis are white with a diagonal red band on the front door, bearing the city's emblem. They're metered, at €1.40/km from 7 AM to 9 PM Monday to Friday and €1.60/km at all other times, plus a starting fare of €2.55 (6 AM to 9 PM, Monday to Friday) or €3.20.
Nights and weekends aren't surcharges: they're the higher per-kilometre rate. The surcharges are €8 for journeys starting at Atocha or Chamartín stations, the Avenida de América and Méndez Álvaro coach stations, or the IFEMA fairgrounds, and €7 on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and Three Kings' night. The €33 airport fixed fare applies in both directions.
FREENOW books taxis; Cabify, Uber and Bolt are private hire (VTC).
Hire car: only if you're leaving the city
Don't hire a car for Madrid itself:
- The low-emission zone. The centre is the Distrito Centro special-protection low-emission zone (ZBEDEP), the former Madrid Central, and one of two in the city, with Plaza Elíptica. Its entry rules are on the city council's site, madrid.es: check your hire car's environmental label against them before you drive in.
- The metro, buses and taxis cover the city.
Hire a car only for:
- Toledo, Segovia, Ávila, El Escorial day trips, if you'd rather drive
- A road trip onward to Extremadura, La Rioja, Asturias, or south to Andalucía
- A flexible week visiting the Castilian villages
Driving licence: residents of an EU country may drive in Spain on their own licence, esMadrid says, and non-residents may drive with an International Driving Permit, valid for a year.
The high-speed trains
Renfe runs high-speed trains to Barcelona Sants from Madrid Puerta de Atocha – Almudena Grandes. Ouigo's timetable shows its Madrid–Barcelona trains taking 3 hours 2 minutes non-stop, and up to about 3½ hours with stops at Zaragoza and Tarragona, and it advertises fares from €19 between the two cities.
Renfe's Combinado Cercanías is a free Cercanías ticket that comes with an AVE or Larga Distancia (long-distance) ticket, Renfe says. Check the conditions when you book.
Book ahead on the operators' own sites, renfe.com and ouigo.com, which have the times and fares for every route.
Day-trips by train (no car needed)
- Toledo: trains leave from Madrid Puerta de Atocha – Almudena Grandes, Renfe says.
- Segovia: trains leave from Madrid Chamartín – Clara Campoamor, Renfe says.
- Ávila, El Escorial and Aranjuez: check Renfe's Cercanías and regional timetables.
A few things nobody tells you
- The €33 airport fare applies only inside the M-30. Beyond it, a taxi from the airport has a €22 minimum for the first 9 km, then the meter runs.
- Late at night, the Airport Express leaves from Plaza de Cibeles, where all of Madrid's night buses start or end, rather than Atocha. The N32 night bus also runs from Avenida de América to T4.
Madrid's transport is one of the city's quiet advantages. Use the metro, take a taxi from the airport, and take the train for the day trips.
Questions
How do I get from Madrid airport to the centre?
A taxi is a fixed €33 to anywhere inside the M-30, at any hour. The Airport Express bus runs 24 hours for €5, to Atocha by day and Cibeles overnight, and Metro Line 8 costs €4.50 to €5, including the €3 airport supplement.
Do I need a car in Madrid?
No. The centre is the Distrito Centro low-emission zone, the old Madrid Central, and the metro, buses and taxis cover the city. Hire a car only for trips out of Madrid.
Is the Madrid metro good?
esMadrid calls it one of the largest metropolitan networks in Europe: 12 lines and 303 stations, open from 6 AM to 1.30 AM. A 10-trip Metrobús is €7.30.
How much is a taxi from Madrid airport?
A fixed €33 from any Barajas terminal to anywhere inside the M-30 ring road, 24 hours a day, with no surcharges. Beyond the M-30, there's a €22 minimum for the first 9 km.
Can I day-trip from Madrid by train?
Yes. Trains to Toledo leave from Madrid Puerta de Atocha – Almudena Grandes, and trains to Segovia from Madrid Chamartín – Clara Campoamor, Renfe says. Check renfe.com for times and fares.
Plan the trip
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About this guide
Written by Jordan Gilbert, who edits Citorah. Last checked . Prices, hours and timetables change, so check anything you’re booking against the operator’s own site. Something out of date? Email hello@citorah.com.
Corrections
- : Re-checked against esMadrid’s, Metro de Madrid’s, EMT’s, Aena’s and Renfe’s sites, and rewritten. The Cercanías C-1 runs from T4 through Chamartín and Atocha to Príncipe Pío: it isn’t a T4–Chamartín shuttle. Metro Line 8 takes about 12 minutes from Nuevos Ministerios to T1–T3 and 20 to T4, not 30. The Airport Express, now line 203, runs every 15–20 minutes by day and every 35 overnight, not every 12–35. Metro de Madrid counts 303 stations, not 302. The Multi card costs €2.50, rather than being a deposit, and you load it with tickets, not credit. Against the 10-trip Metrobús, the 5-day Tourist Travel Pass needs about 10 journeys a day to pay off, not four, and the 1-day pass about 15. EMT single tickets are bought on board and can’t go on the Multi card. Taxis charge €1.40–€1.60 a kilometre, not €1.05–€1.30; nights and weekends are a higher rate, not a surcharge; and the surcharges are for trips from the main stations and IFEMA, and on three festive nights, not to the bullring or T4. Madrid Central is now the Distrito Centro low-emission zone. Metro Line 6 currently stops at 11 PM from Sunday to Thursday, and Line 10 isn’t running between Nuevos Ministerios and Cuzco. Removed what we couldn’t confirm: the airport’s distance and terminal split, the Cercanías fare from T4, Renfe’s journey times and fares, the conditions for free Cercanías travel beyond Renfe’s own description, the Cercanías lines to El Escorial and Aranjuez, the low-emission zone’s label rules and €200 fine, parking and hire-car prices, contactless payment at the gates, UK licences, and superlatives such as “one of the densest metros” and “the cheapest of any major capital”.
- : The airport Cercanías C-1 is now a T4–Chamartín shuttle. Free Cercanías travel with a train ticket applies to AVE and long-distance tickets (not Avlo, Avant or Ouigo), from four hours before departure to four after arrival. The 10-trip ticket is €7.30, not €12.20, and the Tourist Travel Pass comes in 1–5 and 7 days at current prices. El Escorial is on the C-8, and no Cercanías line reaches Segovia. The central low-emission zone isn't a congestion charge, and the fine is €200. The overnight airport Express Bus runs to Cibeles, not Atocha. Removed Atocha's tropical garden, which is closed for works. [The C-1 runs from T4 through Chamartín and Atocha to Príncipe Pío, so it isn't a T4–Chamartín shuttle. We couldn't confirm the conditions for free Cercanías travel beyond Renfe's own description, the Cercanías routes to El Escorial and Segovia, or the €200 fine, so they're no longer in the guide. See 10 October.]