Barajas airport, Madrid

Since May 2007 there is a metro line (8, pink) to get to/from the airport to the centre of town. The ticket is 2 euros (double than normal tickets) and, changing lines you can reach any part of the city.

Ok, so as soon as you step in the hall of the entrance of Barajas, buy a METROBUS, a ticket for 10 metro rides and the buses. Go to the Metro, which is a bit… well not far, but you need to do some walking.
Take the metro to the station NUEVOS MINISTERIOS, and over there you change it to line 10, that can take you to Alonso Martínez, which is pretty much centrally located. Although the stations GRAN VÍA, Puerta del Sol, Callao… are the ones in the very centre. Normally it is lines 1 and 5.

The Metro, I think, is pretty easy to use and... quite practical.

In case you need to travel WAY TOO EARLY in the morning, like I did, well.. there is always the option taqxi/cab. The hostel "Las Murallas" scheduled one for me, for 5:15 am, and it didn't cost too much... 20 euros. Or more precisely 16 with additional 4 because it was a night tarif.

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When coming to Madrid by plane, Barajas is where you're most likely landing. This is the biggest airport in Madrid and Spain when it comes to traffic and a lot of airlines fly to and from here: Air Europa, Iberia, Spanair, Lufthansa, Vueling, etc.

When I visited Madrid, I landed on Terminal 1 (Lufthansa from Munich) and from there I walked to Terminal 2 and to the tourist board office to pick up my Madrid travel card (Abono Transporte Turístico). From Terminal 2 you'll find the metro line 8 towards the city. Just take it until the end of the journey at the stop called Nuevos Ministerios and from there take another metro line to your final destination. The journey from T2 to Nuevos Ministerios takes about 15 minutes.

As Madrid-Barajas is a big hub for intercontinental and European flights, try to come in with enough time for you to check in and go thru security check because the lines are LONG. Check if you can check in online or at check-in machines at the airport to save some time (Lufthansa has machines where you can check in).

Going to the airport from the city costs 2€ on a single ticket from any metro station and 2.75€ on a single combined metro ticket if taking the metro from any station in MetroSur, MetroNorte, MetroEste, TFM and Metro Ligero Oeste because you need to change lines. These prices include a 1€ supplement that is to be paid when you come to the airport. More info about it on Metro de Madrid (only in Spanish). This supplement is already included in their period cards and Abono Transporte Turístico (read my separate tip about it).

It is located 13 km north-east of central Madrid. From Terminal 1,2,3 it is very easy to come to the center of Madrid. Madrid metro is connected with airport and with only 10 minutes of rides and only 2 Euro you will be in the down town.
Madrid Barajas Airport is Spain's busiest airport, handling more than 40 million passengers a year. Madrid airport is a host of many low budget airway companies such as Ryanair, Easyjet, Wizzair..

www.madrid-mad.com

Travellers should be aware that as of Feb 5, 2006 there is a new terminal at the Barajas Airport. Its big, its beautiful, its 4 km from the other terminals and at this point it is running more or less smoothly, although it got of to a slow start.
The new Terminal 4 or "T4" and its satelite building "T4-S" were designed by the prestigious firms Estudio Lamela and Richard Rogers Partnership, the later being famous for the Pompidou Center in Paris. The new terminal has more than 30 restaurants, lots of shops, banks, beauty salons, VIP lounges and even a spa

Now for the facts you really need.
Airlines using the new terminal (T4) are ALL Iberia flights and One World Alliance carriers.

Public transport to Madrid: Metro stop "Aeropuerto" on Line 8 of the Metro stops nearest T2 but serves T1, T2 and T3.

To get to and from T4 there is a free airport-run bus that leaves T2 every 5 minutes. If you go to T4-S there is an underground tram connecting T4 and T4-S.
As of May 2007 there should be a metro stop on the line 8 that goes to T4...

There is also a bus that goes to Avenida de America from T4, that is a regular city bus but if you dont want to pay for bus then a metro on your way into the City.. take the Metro at T2.

Taxis from Terminals 1 2 and 3 cost about 20-23 Euros to get to the city center. The cost will be a bit higher from T4 as there is a toll road and its also 4km farther away from Madrid.

Madrid's airport, recently upgraded with new terminals. I have to admit, it's probably the most difficult airport to find your way around in my experience, certainly if you are trying to find a connecting flight. One one occassion returning late at night from Israel and trying to find a connecting flight to Malaga, I went three times around the same building, the signs sending me back to my starting point.

It does have quick and easy access to the city though, with it's Metro connection, the train getting you to the city center in less than 15 minutes.

I've listed another useful kink with transport connections below.

http://www.airwise.com/airports/europe/MAD/index.html

Barajas airport, a abusy one, we really need a bigger one ;-)

You can see how is it from the air.

Most of the flights to another continents arrive and land from Madrid or Barcelona airport, so they are some of the busiest.

Malaga is the 3rd busieer in international flights ;-) too many charters, but in madrid you will find all the conexions to all aprts of Spain

Check

www.iberia.es
www.spanair.es

if you speak spanish this will be helpfull too

www.rumbo.es

BARAJAS AIRPORT is served by a few major US carriers, and numerous European and other global airlines. You may or may not have anything to do with Spanair, but if one of its jets happens to be taxiing by when your Iberian flight is on its way to Barcelona, well then, you snap its photo.