Getting around Madrid
As with most European Capital cities, there are the usual 3 methods of transport - Metro (underground), bus and taxi. All 3 have their pros and cons, so let’s have a look at how Madrid fares in each one;
Metro
The Metro of Madrid is by far the easiest way to get around the City. It has an extensive, easy to follow system of numbered and coloured lines. Information together with interactive maps can be found here. First thing you should do is buy yourself a ‘Metrobus’, which is a 10 journey ticket with a validity of 2 months.. These Metrobuses can be bought from any Metro station and even street paper stalls. The price of each Metrobus is €6.15 (with a single costing you €1). The advantage of a Metrobus lies principally in the name - it can be used for the Metro as it can a bus (the red one’s). The only thing I personally have against the Metro is in the summer time - the lack of air conditioning on some of the older trains can turn a trip into a veritable sauna. However, it’s quick and cheap.
Buses
The bus network in Madrid is as extensive as the Metro, and although it may be a little slower, the advantages are that you can see more of the city and get to know your way around Madrid by sight rather than underground. I have always preferred the buses for that exact reason.
Insiders tip - if you don’t want to pay the price of a tour bus (about €14 Euros for the day), then check out the bus routes that take you round the city and pick a route. I recommend the Nº 27 for a North-South view of the city, which takes you all the way past the Real Madrid football stadium and back into town.
A great way to find out where buses go and how to get there is to use this link. Here’s another Insiders tip - if you have a Spanish mobile and are eagerly awaiting a bus, why not send a text message to 7998 with the word ESPERA and the Nº of the bus stop (which is printed at every bus stop). You will then get a text telling you when your bus is arriving. It’s worth the 5 cents in my mind!
NB - Buses DO NOT accept Euro notes.
Taxi
Taxis in Madrid are abundant and not too expensive compared to other European cities. Airport pickups/dropoffs carry a €4.50 surcharge, as they do at bus and train stations. Most are friendly and more of them are now accepting credit card payments.
When you need to order a taxi for whatever reason, it’s best to call either one of these numbers, 91 271 21 31, or alternatively 91 547 85 00. To find out prices, routes and more info on this, check out this link.
Cercanias
This is the name for the regional train network whcih goes further than the metro into the surrounding suburbs. Information on navigating these lines is available at the renfe page. Insider tip - little known by many residents is that you can use the monthly metro passes to use the Cercanias within Madrid. In fact, you can even reach some neighboring cities, such as Aravaca, using a basic “A” monthly metro pass.
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