El Pais, a fairly reliable paper, says the airport (because of the new T4) is getting a very good review (3.69 points out of 5).

My question is: leaving the city via Metro, how easy is it now? Easier than before? Does it take more time?

Part of the art. says:

"La T4 saca más nota

Según la Encuesta sobre Calidad de Servicios, que se realiza trimestralmente en el aeropuerto madrileño, el índice de calidad percibida por los viajeros fue en septiembre de 2006 de 3,67 puntos (sobre un total de 5), mientras que en 2005 cuando las antiguas terminales 1, 2 y 3 estaban saturadas se consiguió un 3,48 y en 2004 un 3,51.

Este aumento de satisfacción entre los viajeros se alcanzó debido a los buenos resultados de la T-4, que obtuvo un índice de valoración muy alta.

El "nuevo Barajas" tiene capacidad para operar hasta 120 vuelos a la hora. Hace un año se efectuaban 78 operaciones y este cifra aumentó hasta 90 el pasado noviembre, lo que supone un incremento de 200 vuelos diarios, agregaron las fuentes.

Con la ampliación de Barajas, han continuado, e incluso aumentado, las protestas de los vecinos afectados por el ruido del aeropuerto. AENA asegura que se cumple con lo establecido en la Declaración de Impacto Ambiental y estos últimos 12 meses se ha ampliado el horario de prohibición de aviones ruidosos, se ha implantado un nuevo procedimiento de navegación que permite a los aviones seguir trayectorias más precisas y continúan las sanciones a los aviones que no cumplen con las rutas establecidas."

JA,

There is no metro, yet, that takes you to T-4. Line 8 takes you to the airport and then you would have to walk to T-4 or take a bus that leaves from T-1.

There is bus 204 that leaves from Avenida de América that takes you straight there.

If anyone knows anything different, please post it here.

Thanks,

Shawn

Right now, Metro line 8 has a station called Aeropuerto that is located in the T2 & T3 building, and it is within walking distance to the annexed T1. You can walk to T4 as SRedw suggests, but I wouldn't try, because T1-2-3 and T4 are separated by about 2 miles on a straight line (longer on the road):



There are free airport transfer buses that stop at T1, then T2, and then T4, and back.

If you prefer to go from Madrid downtown to T4 by bus, then you should use the #204 mentioned by SRedw or #201, whose route is Barajas metro station-T4 (don't confuse Barajas metro station with Aeropuerto metro station, they are different)

As of May-June'07 a Metro line 8 extension will reach T4. By then, the "Aeropuerto" station will be renamed to "Aeropuerto T1-2-3" and the end of line 8 will be a new station called "Aeropuerto T4". The other public transportation will be kept as is.

Great personal input, SRedw! Thank you so much.

And I knew our local transportation expert Torrales would jump in too - what would we do without him? Wow. Thanks, Torrales.

Just today I was watching esMadrid on TV and one of their features was the new T4 terminal at Barajas. I took note of a website address they posted after the feature, one which I'd never seen before. It's http://www.aena.es/T4/inicio.html - and they have an English version available.

I'm certainly looking forward to the new "Aeropuerto T4" metro station opening this year. That'll make life a lot easier and faster for everyone leaving from/arriving at the new T4 terminal.

And by the way, HAPPY (1 YEAR) BIRTHDAY, T4!!!. It was opened exactly one year ago today, February 5, 2006.

Saludos, MadridMan

It's getting better but not quite there. What it has done is relieve pressure on T1 especially so that flying from there is a more pleasant experience.

Until the metro is opened though it is hard work to travel from if you have suitcases etc, and they still need to get the delivery of suitcases from T4s to the collection area sorted out. Last time I collected a case from there was better, with only a 15 minute wait, but then if you take into account the walking along miles of moving walkways, getting the automatic train and going up and down lifts/escaltors, it will still take about 30 to 45 minutes from touchdown.

P.S. Anyone (Torrales ) know when Barajas opened ? I know Madrid has Spains oldest airfield and I know it's not Barajas, but I'd be interested to know how old Barajas is.

Madrid-Barajas opened on April 22nd, 1931. I didn't know this datum by heart, of course, but I took it from the Official Website of Madrid-Barajas, from its History Page (in English).



[Edit to add some more info]:
When the Webpage above says "Carabanchel", it means Madrid-Cuatro Vientos, whose history is here . It also mentions Getafe. Unfortunately, this is not a civil airport, but military, and there is not a history page in English like the others. I can only provide its page in the Spanish Wikipedia .

Gracias, Torrales et al... Good and helpful info.-

I found out that COntinental leaves from T1, which seems to be within walking distance from the metro stop. And you have the busses...

Naywaqy, you know what they say: leaving is always hard...

JA

Thanks Torrales, thought you´d know. You sound like the sort of person to have on your team in a pub quiz

I was interested because there seems to be a growing number of protests, especially around the Tres Cantos area, about flight paths and aircraft noise, which the article JA posted makes a passing reference too.

Thanks, Jamongris. I have actually contested in a couple TV quiz shows, so I suppose you are right...

And about transportation to T4, I have got news. I said:
It is still unofficial, but probably bus #201 will be cancelled at the time the metro extension opens, because it only replicates just the same route: Barajas metro station-T4.