Madrid has one of the best public transportation systems in Europe. The program will provide you with a transportation card (tarjeta de transporte público) for the duration of the program that will give you access to unlimited rides on the subway (el metro), as well as on local buses (autobús urbano) and commuter trains (Cercanías) within zone A. For students under the age of 26, the transportation card is valid within the whole Comunidad de Madrid, not just in Zone A!
The metro runs from 6:30am to 1:30 am; however, the monthly public transit card will also allow you to ride the night buses (búhos) from Plaza de Cibeles once the subway has closed for the night.
If you arrive in Madrid before the program dates or stay after your transportation card has expired, below you’ll find information on the different ways to pay for public transportation in the city.
Ten-trip tickets (metrobús) which are valid on both the metro and local buses. The cost of the metrobús can vary depending on the distance between your destination and the city center. The metrobús can also be obtained from the touch-screen kiosks at any metro station or from authorized newspaper vendors.
If you travel to or from the airport by metro, you must also pay a supplement each way. The supplement can be purchased from the touch-screen kiosk; however, it comes included in the transportation pass so you shouldn’t need it if you’re paying for the pass.
If you choose to renew your monthly public transit pass after the program dates, you may do so through the touch-screen kiosks at any metro station.
A relatively inexpensive and popular way to travel through Madrid is by taxi. Nevertheless, it’s important to know your rights as a passenger. Popular tele-taxi services are:
- Radio Taxi: +34 914 47 32 32
- Tele-Taxi: +34 913 71 21 31 or 3711
- Radio Tele-Taxi: +34 915 47 82 00 or 8500
If you’ll be traveling with a smartphone, a reputable app for licensed taxis is FREE NOW.
You can obtain information on flight departures and arrivals by calling the Aeropuerto de Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas at +34 902 40 47 04 or +34 913 21 10 10. You can also visit AENA.
For mid- to long-haul trains, contact Renfe at +34 902 24 02 02, or visit the Renfe website. You can also check out options on Ouigo and Iryo, which are other train companies that operate in Spain.