Transportation to and from Madrid Barajas Airport

What is the distance from Madrid Barajas Airport to the centre of Madrid?

The extensive road network around the airport ensures that Madrid Barajas Airport is easily accessible by car from all directions. The distance between the airport and centre of Madrid (Plaza Puerta del Sol) is not long, by car it takes 25 minutes to cover the distance of 17 kilometres / 10.6 miles.

Metro to Puerta del Sol in Madrid

Madrid has an excellent metro system and subways run frequently. The airport has two metro stations, namely Aeropuerto T1-T2-T3 and Aeropuerto T4. Metro line 8 (pink) connects these stations with all parts of the Spanish capital, every day of the week from 06:00 to 02:00.

If you want to go to the centre of Madrid (Puerta del Sol square) you have to change twice, at Nuevos Ministerios and subsequently at Tribunal or Plaza de España. Approximately every 5 minutes a metro departs from the airport. The total trip to metro station Sol takes around 35 minutes.

Metro tickets
For a ticket, you will pay € 5.00 including € 3.00 airport surcharge, normally a single journey on the metro costs € 1.50 to € 2.00. The price is € 1.50 for up to five stations, then € 0.10 per additional station with a maximum of € 2.00. The airport surcharge is mandatory when travelling to or from Madrid Barajas Airport. If you plan to stay a bit longer in Madrid, you can also opt for a 10-trip ticket which costs € 12.20. This card is not personal, so you can use it with multiple people. Please consult timetable metro line 8 and website Metro de Madrid for more information.

Train to Chamartín, Puerta del Sol and Atocha in Madrid

From Terminal 4, it is also possible to travel by train (Renfe Cercanías) to the centre of Madrid, daily from 06:00 to 00:15. The suburban train line C-1 departs every 30 minutes in the direction of the city. In order to get to Puerta del Sol, you need to transfer at Chamartín or Nuevos Ministerios to line C-3 or line C-4. Chamartín is the second largest train station in Madrid, located in the north of the city.

Travel time from Madrid Barajas Airport to Puerta del Sol train station is around 30 minutes including one change. The terminus of line C-1 is Príncipe Pío, on the way you can get off at Madrid’s main railway station Atocha after 27 minutes. The price of a ticket is € 2.60 (4 zones). Please consult website Renfe Cercanías Madrid for more information.

TIP: The Madrid City Pass is highly recommended if you’re planning to visit the Prado museum and Real Madrid stadium during your stay in Madrid. A shared shuttle transfer from the airport to your accommodation (and back) is included in the price, as is a 24-hour Hop-On Hop-Off bus ticket.

Airport Express to Plaza de Cibeles and Atocha in Madrid

The bus Airport Express is a good alternative to public transport, especially for those arriving or departing from Terminal 1. From Madrid Airport T1 (Ryanair, easyJet) it is a 10-minute walk to metro station Aeropuerto T1-T2-T3. During the day, the bus departs every 15 to 20 minutes to Atocha station, from 23:30 to 06:00 Airport Express runs every 35 minutes. The stops of the bus service are Terminal 4, Terminal 2, Terminal 1, O’Donnell, Cibeles and Atocha (between 06:00 and 23:30).

To get to the centre of Madrid, you should get off at bus stop Cibeles, at Plaza de Cibeles. The journey to this stop takes 30 minutes, from Terminal 4 travel time is a bit longer. There is plenty of room for luggage in the bus, moreover you will have free internet thanks to WiFi. Please consult website and timetable Airport Express for more information.

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