Madrid: Monthly "Bono" for Metro/Bus?

I'd always heard (by people in "the family") that one had to carry a Resident card in order to be able to buy the monthly "Bono" for metro/bus.

Has/Had this changed or could anyone off the street ALWAYS buy a monthly "bono" no matter their residency status?

I ask because when I first arrived I was told (by a family member) that I could not because I didn't yet have my residency card.

As far as I can see on the www.MetroMadrid.es website, there are no restrictions for this.

Saludos, MadridMan

I have just called 012 (the Madrid Community info phone) and asked "what does a foreigner need to get the Travel Card Monthly Pass?". Their response: (s)he only needs his/her passport and ID-size photos. I insisted, "Only passport, no residency card?" and they said "only passport".

So you can go to the tobacco shop closer to your home and fill up a form to get your Travel Card. you will have to chose what zones you want it to be valid for, according to this map (Madrid city is zone A, zone B1 is zone A+the surrounding villages, etc. For a complete list of the villages included in every zone, visit this Webpage and click on the "Zonas" link). That shop will receive it in a reasonable time (can't say how long for sure, they will tell you). All you have to do then is picking it up and buy the monthly coupon every month you need it.

Wow! You're REALLY something/someone special, Torrales! Thanks!

I appreciate the clarification. Should we assume the applicant should have an actual address? Maybe that's not necessary. I mean, if the person is staying at a "home stay" home or even in a hostal, for example, I wonder if they could get the pass. We assume the pass will be returned to the place where the person applied in order to get/collect it, correct? I'm surprised they wouldn't want to mail it to the applicant's home address.

A number of people around me already have the pass CARD with their photo and, as you mention above, they simply take that, show it, and request the new monthly bono/pass at the tobacco shops or at the metro stations in order to buy the new one. I would imagine it takes some time to process the initial request.

I'm curious if someone visiting Madrid for one month could get it in a timely manner in order to use it, to be worth it.

Saludos, MadridMan

No, you absolutely don't need a residency card. In fact, one of the ways that illegal immigrants who didn't "empadronar" prove that they have been in Spain when they apply for an amnesty is to present the history of their transportation "bono". Whether it is worth it or not would depend on how much you are going to use the metro/bus...

You're welcome, MadridMan.

I don't have it, because to make it worth, one has to do about 60 trips per month, and I don't reach that number, but I have seen many people filling the form in the tobacco shops and I am almost sure that an address is required. But I don't think they check if it is a hostal or a permanent address or else.

And the full process is:
1. Go to the shop
2. Fill up the form
3. Pay 1.20 euros
4. The clerk will tell you when you should come back to the same place to pick it up (I think it must be around two weeks)
5. Then, every month it is your choice to buy the monthly pass or not. You have no obligation to buy it a number of months, or even ever.

For someone visiting Madrid for shorter periods, there are Tourist Passes, that are more suitable. There are for 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7-days, and for zone A (only Madrid city) or zone T (the whole Madrid region, plus Toledo by bus, not train). They are issued immediately, but the constraint is that they are not available almost everywhere, like the 'regular' pass, but only in certain places (the most touristic). To get the full info about this pass, go to http://www.ctm-madrid.es/ click on English at the top of the page, and then on "Tourist Travel Pass" at the bottom of the page.

...it would appear that the real good deal is the one month pass for senior citizens. Does anyone know what the qualifying age is?

You have to be 65 to qualify for the 3a edad (senior) rate.

I might be wrong, but I swear last month I waited in line at the estanco behind two new applicants and they walked away with their new abono transporte.

Yes nevado you are right, You can get the abono when you are at the estanco, no need to come back later, all they do is stick your photo on the card, write your info and put the laminate on it.

So, in response to MadridMan, a person who is here for only a month could in effect get it but at around 40 euros they would have to be doing a lot of trips for it to be worth it, as Torrales mentioned. Also its only valid from March 1 to March 31st, (as an example) so if you are here from March 15 to April 15 its not really an option.

Just to agree with MM when I arrived I had no Spanish documentation but was ussued an abono with my passport (UK) used as ID.

I always found them fantastic valur and reckon that simply for the convenience if you were staying more than 1 week, they are a worthwhile investment.

By the by, I thought an abono was a season ticket and Bono was a dodgy Irish singer.

Hmmmm.. seems we have 2 differing opinions about whether or not you can get the monthly abono (for the first time) on your first visit to the Estanco/Tobacco Shop or if you have to wait.

Maybe it's different depending on the tobacco shop? Maybe some have the lamenating equipment and some don't?? Maybe that's why some people have to return to pick up the initial bono pass card?? ARGH!

Saludos, MadridMan

keeper, you are right!!! abono!!!! but, it wasn't capitalized...so, what does it mean now???

I think you've hit the nail, MadridMan:

Well, sorry to let you down, its a great theory but the thing is there is no laminating equipment involved. The abono actually comes with this clear sticker attached, they just peel it off and stick it over the photo, so everyone has that.. HMM! now we have to figure out why someone would have to come back later!

Oh gawd. And I've already told that other person "the way it is". ARGH... My only saving grace was that I said that "A friend called and got this information for me..." Whew!

Thanks for the clarification, janel!

Saludos, MadridMan

So,I suppose this "Bono" pass can also be referred to as the "U2" pass,correct? The dodgy irishman seems to be one very cool guy though.

Speaking of the irish,today is St Patrick's day.I'm not irish but like everyone else I love the color green hehehe...

Happy St Patrick's everyone!

Buying the montly passes wasn't the problem, it was figuring out how to buy the renewal ticket. turns out for passes that are good for Renfe and Metro you have to buy them from a metro machine not Renfe.

Also it takes all of 5 mins to buy one from a taback shop, simply take in a photo and they do the rest. The only id required is passport or something to show that you say who you are

I asked my tobacconist how it works (immediate issue of the "bono" or a few days delay) and I have got the answer:
- If the "bono" is a regular one, then it is issued immediately.
- But if it is a "young" (under-21) or "elder" (over-65), as it implies a discount, a proof of identity and age is required (a photocopy of the passport or DNI or NIE) and sent to the Transport Authorities to be validated along with the registration form. Thus, the delay.

Hello Torrales

Thanks for all your help. You are quite a contributor to this board!

I usually buy the 10 tickets pass but this time we will be going to Toledo and El Escorial. Should we buy the on day T pass for these trips? Will it be advantageous?

Thanks again!

Hi, epaulino4. I am very glad to help.

The so called "Abono Turistico" or "Tourist Travel Pass" is a very good option. Its validity can be for 1, 2, 3, 5, or 7 days. And there are two different ones depending on the area it covers: zone A(=within Madrid city), and zone T(=within Madrid province, plus Toledo and Guadalajara).

The 2007 fares for the 1-day passes are 3.80 EUR (zone A) and 7.60 (zone T), and for the 2-days, 6.80 and 13.60. Let's do a few calculations:
You intend to go to El Escorial and Toledo, so you can do it in consecutive days to get the advantage of some discount buying the 2-days pass rather than two 1-days. So, you are spending 13.60 EUR. Let's add the equivalent single tickets to go to both places:

1 Metro ticket to go from your hotel to Atocha, 1 EUR + 1 Cercanias ticket to El Escorial, 2.75 EUR = 3.75 EUR (x2 to return=7.50 EUR)

1 Metro ticket to Mendez Alvaro, 1 EUR + 1 bus ticket to Toledo, 4.40 EUR = 5.40 EUR (x2 to return=10.80EUR).

7.50+10.80 = 18.30 EUR. You save 18.30-13.60 = 4.70 EUR by buying the 2-days Tourist Pass. And you can use it to do any other Metro or bus or Cercanias trips inside Madrid you could need during those two days.

All the official information about these passes can be found at the Madrid Transportation Information System . Due to the way that website is built, I cannot post the direct link to the English Tourist Travel Pass webpage, but it is pretty easy to reach it. Once in the homepage (see link above), click on "English" at the top of the page. Then, you will see the English version of the homepage and you will have to click on the "Tourist Travel Pass" at the center bottom.

Apart of the information there, just three things I think that need to be pointed out:
1. The zone T Pass allows the user to travel within Madrid city, Madrid province, even Toledo and Guadalajara, but in the two latter cases the regional and high-speed RENFE trains cannot be used, just Cercanias or bus in Gudalajara's case and only bus in Toledo's.
2. The Madrid Vision buses are not included in the list of buses allowed, as they are a special service.
3. Thank Lord, our prayers were listened and, since a couple weeks ago, the Tourist Passes can be purchased at any automatic vending machine in the Madrid Metro network. So there is no longer need to go to a ticket booth, or to specific stations.

Thanks Torrales!

You went above and beyond doing the analisys and all the work.

One last question is the Tourist Pass available for purchase at airport? T4? Is the Metro ride from the airport included in this pass?

Yes, the Tourist Pass is now available at any vending machine in the Metro network, Aiport stations included. And the ugly Airport Supplement is included in every Pass (Tourist, Monthly, or Yearly) what makes the Tourist Passes even more appealing. Once you purchase one of these Passes, you can forget about supplements.