The airport has 4 terminals. The first three are within walking distance of each other, and a free shuttle bus runs to the fourth, which includes 2 buildings.
Whatever you ride, keep your tickets for the rest of your trip.
Buses from Barjas Madrid Airport
City buses are the cheapest way to get from Madrid Airport to the city center. Bus No. 200 leaves from all 4 terminals, bus No. 101 from Terminals 1—3.
The drive from the airport to the city takes about 40 minutes if there are no traffic jams.
You can buy a ticket at one of the ticket machines or at the driver’s entrance. Luggage is included in the ticket price.
Route 101 takes you from the airport to the Madrid Metro. Its terminus is Canillejas station, located on the fifth (green) line. The bus runs from 6:00 to 23:25. On public holidays, the service starts at 7:30. The waiting time for the bus ranges from 13 to 30 minutes.
Route 200 goes to Avenida de América station, which is at the intersection of Madrid Metro lines 4, 6, 7 and 9. The bus runs from 5:00 to 23:30 every 10 to 20 minutes.
Express bus (shuttle)
Special express route No. 203 departs from terminals 1, 2 and 4 of Barajas Airport. The yellow buses run around the clock. From 6:00 to 23:30 they run every 15—20 minutes, and every 35 minutes the rest of the time.
The yellow bus takes passengers from Madrid Airport to the city center. The final stop is Atocha train station, one of Madrid’s most important transportation hubs. At night, the bus runs from/to the Cibeles stop.
You can only buy a ticket from the driver. Coins and bills up to 20 € and Visa and MasterCard contactless cards are accepted.
When traveling from the city to the airport, the stop at Atocha Station is at the round pavilion (this is the subway exit) and looks like a large open pavilion with several stopping points.
Metro from the airport to Madrid
In Madrid, metro line 8 is available between the airport and the city center. There are two stations at the airport:
- The Aeropuerto T1 T2 T3 station is located on the first floor of Terminal 2
- Aeropuerto T4 station is in terminal T4.
There is a Barajas station in between, but it is located in the city.
Tickets are sold in vending machines at Madrid stations. The machines accept cash and bank cards. When buying a ticket from/to the airport there is an additional €3 per person, so the price of a single ticket is €4.5—6 depending on the zone you are traveling from/to. Check the Metro website for the latest information: Line 8 timetable.
Suburban train (electric train) to/from the airport
Electric trains run from 5:56 to 22:25. The train leaves from Terminal 4 and goes to Atocha train station. From the other terminals to Terminal 4 you can take a free shuttle that runs every 5 minutes.
Cab from Madrid Airport
You can take a cab at Barajas Airport near any of the terminals. However, if you go to special parking lots, the trip will be cheaper. Cab stands are located near the arrival areas of the following terminals:
- Terminal 1 (opposite gate 2);
- Terminal 2 (opposite waiting room 5);
- terminal 4.
Make sure the cab driver turns on the meter, otherwise the cost of the trip can be an unpleasant surprise.
Cabs from the airport can be booked in advance: intui.travel, Kiwitaxi and Taxi2Airport. The cost of the trip is fixed and will not change at the will of the driver.
