My 12 year old daughter and I are going to Madrid in late November. From reading on this board, it seems that taking Metro will be a hassle to our hotel ( Hotel Europa ). Does Aerocity offer discounts for children? Did I mis-read their website or is it 17euros for BOTH of us? Or is it 17 Euros for EACH of us? Is taking the Metro really a hassle from the airport? The price difference is significant, but I'd hate for my daughter's first trip to Europe to start off with a long, crowded, pick-pocket-happy subway trip, even if we only travel with one backpack and one rollaboard suitcase between the two of us. Thanks!

According to the AeroCITY website , it's 17 € for two passengers. And while it doesn't say so, that's 17 € total for your "group". If you have 1-3 persons in your group, the total is 17 €. If there are 4 persons in your group the total is 20 Euros (imagine if each person had to pay 20 Euros = 80 Euros!! ).

Keep in mind that Hotel Europa is on a PEDESTRIAN street so the driver won't be able to take you to the front of the building. Therefore, he'll probably either drop you somewhere in the Puerta del Sol or one block over.

Regarding the metro , I think most people will agree (as many have posted here) that if you have more than one bag (even a carry on) that it can be difficult taking the metro, making train changes in stations where there are no escalators but only stairs, and trying to maneuver through hoardes of people coming and going to and from the metro trains.

As you said, it may be well worth the 17 € to have a nice, smooth arrival. Also know that you may well share the AeroCITY shuttle van with other travelers - it is a shared service so depending on your destination you may be the first or the last to be dropped off. And FYI: The driver - more than likely - won't speak any English.

Hope you both have a great time in Madrid and Spain!

Saludos, MadridMan

Hi we’re just back after a few weeks in Spain with a week in Madrid. I highly recommend the Hotel Europa as we sought refuge there after a couple of disastrous experiences at the Hostal Macarena. Our smooth arrival was interrupted because the Macarena did not honor our reservation and shuttled us off to a cramped room across town at their sister hotel. Not real pleasant so we stomped the streets with jet lag and our twins. The aerocity service which we used a few times was top notch. Be warned though that the cost jumps to 34 Euros for 4 people. We were traveling with our two 3 year olds and in the metro and around the Puerta del Sol a lot and I saw no sign of the ubiquitous pick pockets. It may be that a disproportionate number of victims of crime find their way to this website. There is crime in Madrid and so one must be careful but I think that being overly paranoid can dampen the mood on a trip. It’s a great city.

Mersan, you paid 34 Euros for 4 persons on AeroCITY? Their website says 4 passengers are 20 Euros but 5 persons are 34 Euros. Maybe you meant to say 5 persons in your posting above?

Saludos, MadridMan

regarding Aerocity is it best to pre book or can you just pick one up on arrival at airport,also Hotel Plaza Mayor is this on a pedestrianised street or can we be dropped at the door.Grateful for any info.

You are very right madridman. There were 5 in our group at times as my mother-in-law joined us at a certain stage. I did go over the amounts with aerocity and how they charge for children and they said that they charge by the seat. My mistake. It is 20 euros for 4 and 34 euros for 5.

Chez123, it used to be that you had to make a kind of reservation to use AeroCITY but now you can also go to the AeroCITY counter in the airport and make arrangements through them. Hotel Plaza Mayor is on a regular, albeit one-way street, Calle de Atocha, 2. You can SEE in photos (and map) this address through the QDQ.com site HERE (it's not a very descriptive photo as it was taken when they were RE-doing the adjacent Plaza Santa Cruz - it's finished and perfect now). They should be able to drop you RIGHT at the front door a couple feet away.

And by the way, you can SEE the same for Hotel Europa 's address, Called del Carmen, 4 HERE .

Mersan, thanks for the clarification for AeroCITY's prices. 4 persons = 20 Euros but 5 persons = 34 Euros.

Saludos, MadridMan

NEW QUESTION??

I am the guy with nine people coming to Madrid airport in a couple of weeks. We were going to take the Metro into the city into that "secret" Hoatal Fernandez?

How much for nine people (6 A and 3 C) to take the Aerocity in instead of the Metro?

Thanks,

Black egg

Check their website. You can email them with your question. I so not believe that their van holds 9, but perhaps they have a larger van. They are good at responding to questions.

I stopped using Aerocity when they raised the price to 17 Euros. Not for any service issue, but because the price for a single passenger outstripped a cab.

A cab to/from the airport runs me 12-13 euros during rush hour plus the 4 euro fee to/from the airport. I always tip both drivers, so it works out almost even. The added advantages of a cab are they don't have multiple stops on either end, so you get there more directly. You may have to depart your Madrid hotel an hour or so earlier with Aerocity.

Also, I have always wondered why Aerocity will take a credit card number for the reservation but won't take it for the trip. Wouldn't it be great to have your airport trips prepaid?