Madrid Metro line 8 extension to Airport T4 opens today (May 3, 2007)

Today, May 3 at 3pm, starts to operate the line 8 extension to Airport T4. So, the line will be Nuevos Ministerios/.../Aeropuerto T1-T2-T3/Barajas/Aeropuerto T4. The old Aeropuerto station changes its denomination to Aeropuerto T1-T2-T3.

And it carries a fare change: now there is an "Airport Supplement" (1 EUR) required for both airport stations users not using a Monthly/Yearly Pass. That "Airport Supplement" can be purchased at any Metro selling machine or at the selling machines located before the exit turnstiles at both airport stations if you have arrived there without it. There will also be "Single-tickets-with-the-supplement-included" (1+1=2 EUR) available at any Metro selling machine.

Edit: I forgot to mention that the Tourist Passes also work as the Monthly/Yearly Passes, so no supplement required when using one of these.

I'm glad YOU started this thread, Torrales, as you did it much better justice than I could have.

This morning I was watching TeleMadrid and they were talking about today's opening at 3pm. Then they were speaking about all the prices and supplements and different combinations of tickets my head started to spin.

Saludos, MadridMan

I'm very glad that they opened the new station just three days before I arrive. They must have known I'd be coming. 8-)

Hi Torrales: see???? I told you so, I arrive at T2 ... hehehehehehe Thanks for the info!

If there is anything improvable in Madrid Metro, it is the fare system (not the prices, that are really good). And it is getting worse with the new sub-nets (MetroEste, MetroNorte,...)

Oh dear, this airport supplement is confusing.

I arrived at T2 Friday 4th, not having read or heard anything about it, and was confronted by a gathering of shouting Spaniards blocking the exit barriers. So I joined the queue to try and get out and found out it was just a queue to complain and shout about the supplement. As Torrales states, you have to pay a Euro to leave the metro at the airport now, which doesn't strike me as a particularly green way to convince people to travel be Metro, but still.

Anyway, having found out I had to go to a machine, track side, to buy the supplement I did so and got out eventually. The machine sold me a ticket, very similar in appearance to a standard metro ticket.

On my return yesterday, I knew I would have to buy a supplement. This time the machine asked if I had a valid ticket, I had a 10 journey one so I said yes, then I had to insert that ticket into a slot on the machine, which took me a while to locate because there are about six slots on the machine for various forms of money, credit card etc etc, then it asked me how many supplements I wanted. I said one because that was all I needed, but here's my question...

If I use up the 10 journeys before any supplements I have bought, will the supplements still work ?

Just to add a footnote to the comment above, the Madrid Metro is the nicest most efficient metro I know. If I could change one thing, apart from the over complicated new fare system, I always think it's a shame all the new stations seem to look alike. Very functional, but without much charm.

Theoretically, yes, they will. But you are only supposed to 'load' an airport supplement onto a 10-trips ticket, for immediate use, that is, being at the airport and going to enter metro. Why would you need to load more supplements, if you can do it whenever you need it? The system asks you for a number because a 10-trips can be used by many travellers at the same time, so the machine's question, but if you are alone, there is no sense in advancing money to Metro de Madrid, S.A.

Hi Torrales, I'd never thought of that, partly because I'd never been sure of the legalities of passing the ticket back through the barrier for the next person to use, so you've cleared that one up too, thanks.

Incidentally, if you have a 10 ticket journey, and you buy the supplement, in effect the metro fare to the airport has just increased about 140%.

You're welcome, Jamongris.

Yes, it is perfectly valid that many persons use the same Metrobus (10-trips ticket), as long as all of them travel together. I mean, one has to have a valid travel ticket from the moment that enters by the turnstiles until exiting by the turnstiles at the destination point. If two (or even up to ten) people go all from station A to station B, they can use the same Metrobus. But if those people enter at station A, and their final destinations are different, then they have to use their own ticket each. If they use the same, one would have to keep it when their ways split, and the other would be travelling illegally from that point.

All above said, by the way, is also valid in Barcelona with their Metrobus equivalent (called T-10 there). And of course, is not regarding Tourist/Monthly/Yearly Passes

MadridMan: Your link in your transportation section to the Metro map goes to an old version. Time to update?

Chris

ChrisR, YES! It's time to update. That's a project in the works right now (I THINK!).

Saludos, MadridMan

They shouldn't complain about the cost of public transportation here. If you've ever been to Northern Europe you'll know it's a real bargin. It's 9 euros from Munich city center to the airport!

I haven't been through Charmtin in a bit and was shocked at how much it's changed! Wow

-
okI must be a moron but could someone explain (as to a child) from T4 go directly to a new metro station? no changing terminals? and where do I take it for the best connection:
I want to go to El Escorial.
Never tried this alone before, my spanish is pathetic and will be severely jet-lagged to boot.

There is a Metro station in Airport T4. There you have to take a Metro train to Nuevos Ministerios. Don't worry, there are no different lines there, only line 8, the one you need to use.

At Nuevos Ministerios, transfer to Cercanías (the Madrid Region commuter trains system) and there you have to take a train of line C-8a that will take you directly to El Escorial station (via Chamartin). There is a train every hour, and every 30 minutes more or less in peak hours (6a-8:40a, 1:40p-4p, 5:30p-8:30p)

thanks!!

Hola

I've got a question about the metro line from Barajas to the city. We're booked at the Best Western Atlantico.
I know the Callao stop is outside the hotel.

We've been to Spain a few times but I'm curious as to how difficult it might be dragging our bags around the metro lines or is it worth it to get a ride into town? I don't mind taking the metro I actually like taking them but never done it with a bunch of bags.

Thanks

Rodolfo

Hola!
This week I took the metro from Barajas to Plaza Castilla. There were escalators everywhere which helped with the luggage except when I got to Plaza Catilla. I had to carry my suitcase one flight of stairs.

By the way, I arrived at 9:30 a.m., had my luggage by 10:00, and was at the Plaza Castilla before 11:00.

Thank you jaimemiguel. I feel good about That!


We want to end up at Callao. Does this sound right?

Barajas to Colombia
Colombia to Nunez de Balboa
Nunez to Callao.

There is one exit to the street with escalators and an elevator at Callao (Jacometrezo). The rest have stairs. The 5 (green) line is one of the lines that still has lots and lots of stairs in the stations.

There is one exit to the street with escalators and an elevator at Callao (Jacometrezo). The rest have stairs. The 5 (green) line is one of the lines that still has lots and lots of stairs in the stations.

Gracias!!

That sounds like no big deal for us.

We can not wait to spend 14 days in Europa.

Hasta nos vemos.

That points out one major flaw in the transportation net here. They are not wheel chair or stroller friendly. You see very few parents with strollers on the metro as it's soooo much work carrying them up and down all the stairs.

You would better do:
Airport to Nuevos Ministerios (line 8, pink)
NM to Alonso Martinez (line 10, navy blue)
AM to Callao (line 5, light green)

This way, you:
* save 3 stations (from Colombia to AM, your route is 6 stations long, mine 3)
* avoid transfer in Nuñez de Balboa that is a looooooooooong one.

All the stations built since mid-90's are totally accessible for persons of reduced mobility, as long as many others refurbished in that period (the full line 3, for instance). That makes more than 50% of the total network accessible. It is far more accessible than New York's or London's or Paris' to put examples of comparable cities and networks sizes and ages.

And I see parents with strollers in the Metro daily. Maybe the problem is that there are few childs born...

Thank you Torrales!

Looks great.

I have to go from Carabanchal (linea 11, metro stop San Francisco) to T4 at Barajas. however, my flight leaves at 6am. I know the metro closes at 1:30am, so does anyone have any advice on how I should get myself to the airport on a sunday?
thanks!!

There are buses that go overnight from Avenida de America (in the small hours they leave from a stop on the main street above the station)

Once the metro closes (around 2am), there is no public transportation to the airport other than taxi until the buses and metro start to operate the morning after around 6am. The night buses mentioned by other co-forumer don't get to any of the airport terminals.

That's not quite the case... There is a night bus (N4) that runs all night from Cibeles to Barajas (pueblo) (and passes Avenida de América). They run every 30-5 minutes during the week and every 20 minutes or so on the weekend.

http://www.emtmadrid.es/data/rlines/LINEAN4A.PDF
http://www.emtmadrid.es/data/rlines/LINEAN4B.PDF

You can see the map of the route here:

http://www.emtmadrid.es/emt/verlinea/...

Edit: This bus goes to the town of Barajas--closest to the terminal T3. Depending on the hour that you get there, there are shuttles from the town to the airport and between the terminals... It's probably not worth it if you are lugging a lot of stuff, but if you are going to meet someone before the metro opens, it's doable.

This is not the case of the original poster. I know the N4 bus, I already referenced it two months ago in this thread

I insist: in practical terms for a traveller, there is no public transportation to the airport other than taxi between 1:30a and 6a. None of the night buses (called owls) go to or pass by any of the airport terminals.

I don't want to be misunderstood, the reason I want to emphasize this is not because I want to be right and the others don't, but to avoid a flight loss to someone who could rely in those unexistant night buses.

True it isn't door to door. But if you are close to the route and don't have a lot of stuff to lug, it can save you a lot of money. I posted the info more for people who live here than for those passing through. A lot of us have to go to the airport to meet people arriving on international flights at the crack of dawn.

If someone didn't have the 30 euros for a taxi, then they could take the buho to Barajas village and get a much cheaper cab to the airport. It's feasible (though I can't say that I would do it if I were visiting Madrid). If I have to go meet people early arriving in the morning at the airport, I don't take a taxi. It's possible to get there by walking from where the N4 lets you off, then there is a shuttle that runs 24 hours between the terminals (though I'm not sure if it goes to T4...).

I had the same question on behalf of a friend last July. His flight was at 6:30am and he ended up reserving and taking the Aerocity shuttle at 4:30am from Calle De La Cruz to T-3 for 23 euros.

I would have no problem taking the N-4 and finding my way around in Barajas town but a first timer in Spain is bound to miss the flight.

The way from N4's last stop to Airport T3 is about 10-15 minutes walking, but it includes crossing an open ground. That is something I would definitely not advice to anyone:

• at night,
• foreigner,
• and presumably carrying luggage.

Thanx for posting about the Metro ... I wondered about this as I'm using T4 for the first time next week. Hope it's not so far to walk as from the other terminals

Gracias y saludos!