The undulating terminal ceiling at MAD Airport

The undulating & eye-catching terminal ceiling at MAD Airport; credit Wiki/Diego Delso

Madrid Transportation

Airport

Terminal Four at Madrid Barajas International Airport (MAD) is a delightful introduction to the second largest airport in Europe and greeting 41 million passengers per year. Natural light streams through the undulating wing-like roof and glass walls. Dramatic glass and steel bridges span these canyons. The rippling bamboo-lined roof is supported by color-coded y-shaped steel beams. Connecting the terminals is an APM traveling the 1.3-mile distance between them. Gates are color-coded for easy reference with deep blue for the north and deep red for the farthest south. The new structures have the usual cafes, restaurants, retail outlets, a Turkish bath, and a spa with hydro massage.

MAD Airport is the hub for Iberia Airlines, which dominates air travel in Spain. About 70 air carriers transport more than 38 million annual passengers to/from 130 destinations. Once runways were lengthened to handle an Airbus A380, long-distance travel to/from international destinations jumped.

Check the luggage policy for your airline and confirm your flight 24 hours in advance. Make a copy of your passport, flight itinerary & hotel reservations and leave it with someone at home. Pack all medicines, undergarments, and socks in your carry-on luggage.

There is free WiFi throughout the airport and a Terminal LINK Automated People Mover runs between airport terminals and the Airport Parking Lot. In Spain, one drives on the same side of the road as in North America. Taxis and shuttle buses await you at the Arrivals Roadway. Central Madrid is only 8 miles away or 15 minutes by Madrid Metro Rail. MADRID-BARAJAS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT MAP

Tropical garden inside Madrid Atocha Train Station

Visitors always love the tropical garden inside Madrid Atocha Train Station; source Wiki

Train Station

Madrid Atocha Train Station is one of the busiest train stations in Europe and handles an average of 250,000 daily patrons. It is located in the district of Arganzuela. Train service was initiated here in 1851. After a major fire, it was rebuilt in 1892 in a wrought iron style by Alberto de Palacio Elissagne and Gustave Eiffel. The original façade faces the Plaza del Emperador Carlos V. The station is named after the nearby basilica dedicated to Our Lady of Atocha.

In 1992, the original building was converted into a 43,000 square feet mall with modest-to-upscale shops, cafés, coffeehouses, and a nightclub covered by a tropical garden. AVE high-speed trains and Renfe regional trains travel to/from Atocha Station for Barcelona, Cordoba, Malaga, Seville, and Valencia. A modern terminal was built on adjacent land to serve AVE trains and commuter lines. Commuter train platforms are located underground, at the entry to a rail tunnel extending northward under the Paseo de la Castellana. The station is served by two Metro Rail stations, Atocha and Atocha Renfe.

Madrid Chamartin Train Station, located in northern Madrid includes bars, restaurants, shops, and a bowling alley. This station provides commuter service to MAD Airport via Cercanias regional train to Nuevos Ministerios Station, then switch to Metro Line 8. Frequent Cercanias regional trains make a 10-12 minute trip to Madrid Atocha Station.

AVE high-speed and Renfe trains also use Trains use Chamartin Station to/from Barcelona, Bilbao, Pamplona, Oviedo, Salamanca, Santander, Santiago De Compostela, and Hendaye.

Train stopping at Madrid Metro Aluche Station

Train stopping at Madrid Metro Rail Aluche Station; source Wiki

Transit

Madrid Metro Rail System has the 8th or 9th most mileage in the world. With more ridership than Washington’s and Chicago’s metro systems combined, it is the workhorse of Madrid Transportation. Though some of its 301 stations opened in 1919, the vast mileage, 13 crisscrossing Metro lines, and daily operation from 6:00am-1:30am, make it easy to reach attractions without driving or taxis.

Most Metro stations are less than 30 years old and have an underwhelming, but functional, utilitarian design. There are exceptions. A few Metro subway stations are large enough to hold public events, like one that held 2,600 visitors in 2011. Another Metro subway station contains a large archaeological museum.

Purchase Metro ticket here. MADRID METRO SYSTEM MAP and this attractive Madrid Tourism Map. As you see from the Madrid Metro Map, lines are color-coded. Typical of Metro Rail systems worldwide, trains are named for the last stop on their line.

Tourists usually purchase daily, 3-day, weekly, or monthly unlimited ride Metro cards whose rates are also based on travel to any of 8 different zones. Even if you’re car-only in America, try the Metro to major attractions for one day to experience an interesting slice of life via Madrid Transportation. Plan on spending $5 to $30 to use the Metro. Youth Pass pricing is available until age 23.

Like most Metro Rail systems worldwide, put the ticket into the slot on the side of the turnstile. It pops out of the top of the turnstile. When the lights turn green, remove them for the turnstile to let you through. Madrid is safer than American metro areas of a similar 5-7 million population. A single person can go anywhere on the system. But at night, there are a few dicey stations for women, so ask your hotel concierge and plan ahead.

Three modern light rail lines, called Metro Ligero, connect with Metro Rail subway & elevated to provide additional options for commuters and visitors.

Prevent being targeted by pickpockets as vulnerable tourists. If traveling alone, avoid reading paper maps or tourist books on the Metro. Instead, study tour books and the Madrid Metro Rail map in your hotel room, a cafe, or a coffeehouse. Memorize the train name and stations before and after your intended stop. If you have questions about the Metro, ask the concierge or English-speaking wait staff. Then fold & stash away paper maps. After catching the Metro, a brief glance at the maps posted inside trains will not draw undue attention.

Another great way to view Madrid is to board Madrid Vision open-top, double-decker buses. Following either the Historical or Modern Madrid route, these big red hop-on hop-off buses make more than 20 stops and cover all of the city’s highlights, from historical sites and monuments to the modern Madrid of skyscrapers and cosmopolitan architecture.

After boarding the bus at any of its stops, tourists receive headphones that provide access to audio guides of the sites in English as well as seven other languages. A ticket for two consecutive days of sightseeing is less than $40.

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