Going to Madrid this weekend and heard that you can get a 7 day Metro pass for lessthat 20€. Is this valid from the Airport to the city??

I believe it is 18.40 Euros -- and you can use it on the metro to any place in the network.

You can also get individual sets of ten tickets for 6.15 which calculates out to 30 tickets as the break-even point (18.45).

Steve

I would get the cheaper Metrobus option of 10 tickets. You can use it from the airport to town and, once in town, you'll find that you will spend more time walking than going on the Metro. Most tourist sights are relatively central.

(originally posted by SS on 02-07-2006 09:00 PM)

Hi...

Can a single ticket be used on a trip that uses metro and bus? Or do you need two separate tickets.

How about bus-to-bus transfers?

Thanks.
SS

Transfers between bus lines and between a bus line and Metro are not included in single tickets nor in 10-trip tickets. They are only 'free' if you have any unlimited trip pass, like the tourist cards, or the monthly passes.

The 10trips ticket will allow you to go both on bus and subway (airport included) but anytime you cross the door counts as 1trip. The system does not include the notion of being valid for a certain amount of time to allow transfers. It is intentional and is a good way to keep it simple.

What's the best way to find out a route from the airport to my apartment.

Thanks, Paul

What's the best way to find a route from the airport to my apartment. Is there somethig like a mapquest for the Metro?

Thanks, Paul

Yes, there is. The Madrid Transportation Info System .

First of all, click on the 'English' link at the top of the page. Then, use the 'Recommended path between two points of Madrid Municipality' link on the left. Select your starting point, your destination, and then a 'Calculate path' will appear bottomright.

Torrales, thanks for the fantastic link! amazing!

Just what I needed, I land on wed. morning can't wait. I actually get the place to myself for almost 3 weeks before my gf ariives from London.

Thanks again, Paul

Torrales:

The Madrid Transportation Info System website you provided is FANTASTIC. Thanks. Do you know if there is a similar website for Barcelona? Scott

Barcelona Bus & Metro website: http://www.tmb.net/ - I'll be using that a lot over the next several days while in BCN!

Saludos, MadridMan

That site for Madrid is great. Wish I had it last summer.

Actually, it exists since 4-5 years ago (and about one year with the current look). You should have asked then...

Its corresponding site for Barcelona (more or less) is the one that MadridMan posted. IMO, Madrid's is clearer for the user than Barcelona's. But once you get used to them, both are very useful.

I am unclear of something. Nativo wrote: "The system does not include the notion of being valid for a certain amount of time to allow transfers. ....but anytine you cross the door counts as 1 trip.' My Question: When you switch lines to get to your destination, this switching lines still is counted as 1 trip, correct? Since you are not leaving the metro system, I assume this is correct. On a map of the metro system I have, there is a symbol that means " Long Change between subway lines". Can someone explain this? Does it mean you have to leave the metro system to get the other train and therefore it will cost you another ticket? Thanks. Scott

Short response: entering the Metro system will count you one trip, no matter how many transfers between Metro lines you do. Transferring from Metro to a bus, or from one bus to another one, will count you two trips.

Long response (and probably most of the tourists who come to Madrid don't care): Metro is divided into three separated networks regarding fares:

- Line 9 from Puerta de Arganda to Arganda del Rey
- The whole line 12, plus Joaquin Vilumbrales and Puerta del Sur stations in line 10
- Any other station not included above.

The last one is officially called MetroMadrid, but is what everybody understands as Metro, and its fares work as mentioned in this thread.

The first network is operated by another company called TFM, it has their own tickets and MetroMadrid ones are not valid in this net.

Same happens to the first one, called Metrosur, that has its own ticketing system.

The only exception to this is the "Combined ticket", a ticket that can be purchased (1.50 EUR) in any station of any network, and allows the owner to transfer between networks.