Madrid Airport. Terminals and transportations. Tips and useful information · Madrid Holiday Rentals Blog
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Madrid Airport. Terminals and transportations. Tips and useful information
Connected to the metro and bus system getting into the city centre via public transport is a cheap and effective option.
Terminals
Barajas Airport has 4 Terminals.
Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are adjacent terminals (Metro station Barajas Airport) that are home to SkyTeam and Star Alliance airlines, as well as Air Europa. Terminal 4 is home to Iberia, its franchise Air Nostrum and all Oneworld partner airlines. Gate numbers are continuous in terminals 1, 2 and 3 (A1 to E89), but are separately numbered in terminal 4 (Metro station Airpot Terminal 4)
Terminals are allocated as to the destinations being flown:
Terminal 1 - International flights to NON SCHENGEN *countries not operated by Iberia or Oneworld carriers.
Terminal 2 - Flights to SCHENGEN * countries not operated by Iberia or Oneworld carriers
Terminal 3 - Domestic and regional flights not operated by Iberia or Oneworld carriers.
Terminal 4 - All Iberia and Oneworld flights.
Inside the Terminal
Inside each terminal are all the facilities that you would normally associate with a large airport such as banks, money changers, restaurants, duty free (for those eligible), prayer rooms, etc etc..
Whilst these facilities exist they come with typical airport prices!!
On arrival to Madrid airport it is possible to use one of the local cash machines to withdraw local currency instead of having to carry cash or travellers cheques. Any Visa or Mastercard works fine.
American express owners will have to check with their issuing bank before using their card at Madrid airport if you haven´t used the card abroad to take out cash before.
Getting to / from the airport. Madrid Airport transportation.
Madrid-Barajas Airport is situated twelve kilometres to the northeast of the city of Madrid, within its municipality, on the plain in the valley of the River Jarama.
With the ever expanding Madrid almost having completly encircled the airport the transport links to and from the city are excellent. Boarderd on all sides by motorways (highways for our US friends) and conected to the metro / subway / underground system by its own station your options are almost limitless.
1. Metro
A fast and modern train takes you to Nuevos Ministerios in under 14 minutes including a stop at the main business / exhibition centre. Located underneath Terminal 2 in Terminal 4 the station can be reached directly from Terminal 1, 2 - 3 just follow the signs "Metro". Using the metro incurs a 1€ supplement for the airport stations in each direction and is payable apart of the standard tickets.
2. Bus
Depending on which part of Madrid you need to get to the bus may be a faster option for those areas the Metro doesn´t cover. These go from all terminals and cover a variety of districts.
The bus stops at airport terminals T1, T2 and T4, where the end of the line is located.
This special bus line is easy to identify thanks to its distinctive yellow colour scheme. Each bus has room for 88 passengers and features modern luggage storage facilities.
The Airport Express bus service connecting the city centre and Barajas airport. The line runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year - great news for all those travellers who need to reach or get back from the airport between 1:30 and 6:00 in the morning.
The bus, named Airport Express, completes the journey in approximately 40 minutes. Buses run once every 15 minutes during the day, and every 35 minutes at night. Tickets cost 2 euros each, and are purchased on the bus itself.
Since this is an express service, there are only three stops on the route: O'Donnell at the junction with Doctor Esquerdo, Plaza de Cibeles (nerve centre of the EMT night buses, known as the búhos) and Atocha station (daytime timetable only, between 6 am and 11.30pm).
To read more about Airport Bus service system click here.
3. Taxi
These are lined up outside each arrivals hall and will gladly take you whereveryou need to get to within the city. There is a supplement of just over 4€ for taxis to and from the airport. This supplement will be added to the metered fare. There is no supplement for baggage although some may try to charge you this...DO NOT accept it and ask for an itimised receipt! More on taking taxis in Madrid as well as indicative fares can be found here.
The normal price between Airport and Puerta del Sol (0 kilometer of Madrid) it's around 30 EUR.
4. Transfer service
There are now a number of companies offering private airport transfers at competive prices in their own vehicles. These do not attract the 4€ supplement however you may find yourself losing time looking for your driver in the airport complex. Especially good for large groups of 3 or more people.
Barajas Airport has 4 Terminals.
Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are adjacent terminals (Metro station Barajas Airport) that are home to SkyTeam and Star Alliance airlines, as well as Air Europa. Terminal 4 is home to Iberia, its franchise Air Nostrum and all Oneworld partner airlines. Gate numbers are continuous in terminals 1, 2 and 3 (A1 to E89), but are separately numbered in terminal 4 (Metro station Airpot Terminal 4)
Terminals are allocated as to the destinations being flown:
Terminal 1 - International flights to NON SCHENGEN *countries not operated by Iberia or Oneworld carriers.
Terminal 2 - Flights to SCHENGEN * countries not operated by Iberia or Oneworld carriers
Terminal 3 - Domestic and regional flights not operated by Iberia or Oneworld carriers.
Terminal 4 - All Iberia and Oneworld flights.
Inside the Terminal
Inside each terminal are all the facilities that you would normally associate with a large airport such as banks, money changers, restaurants, duty free (for those eligible), prayer rooms, etc etc..
Whilst these facilities exist they come with typical airport prices!!
On arrival to Madrid airport it is possible to use one of the local cash machines to withdraw local currency instead of having to carry cash or travellers cheques. Any Visa or Mastercard works fine.
American express owners will have to check with their issuing bank before using their card at Madrid airport if you haven´t used the card abroad to take out cash before.
Getting to / from the airport. Madrid Airport transportation.
Madrid-Barajas Airport is situated twelve kilometres to the northeast of the city of Madrid, within its municipality, on the plain in the valley of the River Jarama.
With the ever expanding Madrid almost having completly encircled the airport the transport links to and from the city are excellent. Boarderd on all sides by motorways (highways for our US friends) and conected to the metro / subway / underground system by its own station your options are almost limitless.
1. Metro
A fast and modern train takes you to Nuevos Ministerios in under 14 minutes including a stop at the main business / exhibition centre. Located underneath Terminal 2 in Terminal 4 the station can be reached directly from Terminal 1, 2 - 3 just follow the signs "Metro". Using the metro incurs a 1€ supplement for the airport stations in each direction and is payable apart of the standard tickets.
2. Bus
Depending on which part of Madrid you need to get to the bus may be a faster option for those areas the Metro doesn´t cover. These go from all terminals and cover a variety of districts.
The bus stops at airport terminals T1, T2 and T4, where the end of the line is located.
This special bus line is easy to identify thanks to its distinctive yellow colour scheme. Each bus has room for 88 passengers and features modern luggage storage facilities.
The Airport Express bus service connecting the city centre and Barajas airport. The line runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year - great news for all those travellers who need to reach or get back from the airport between 1:30 and 6:00 in the morning.
The bus, named Airport Express, completes the journey in approximately 40 minutes. Buses run once every 15 minutes during the day, and every 35 minutes at night. Tickets cost 2 euros each, and are purchased on the bus itself.
Since this is an express service, there are only three stops on the route: O'Donnell at the junction with Doctor Esquerdo, Plaza de Cibeles (nerve centre of the EMT night buses, known as the búhos) and Atocha station (daytime timetable only, between 6 am and 11.30pm).
To read more about Airport Bus service system click here.
3. Taxi
These are lined up outside each arrivals hall and will gladly take you whereveryou need to get to within the city. There is a supplement of just over 4€ for taxis to and from the airport. This supplement will be added to the metered fare. There is no supplement for baggage although some may try to charge you this...DO NOT accept it and ask for an itimised receipt! More on taking taxis in Madrid as well as indicative fares can be found here.
The normal price between Airport and Puerta del Sol (0 kilometer of Madrid) it's around 30 EUR.
4. Transfer service
There are now a number of companies offering private airport transfers at competive prices in their own vehicles. These do not attract the 4€ supplement however you may find yourself losing time looking for your driver in the airport complex. Especially good for large groups of 3 or more people.
Airport Services
Madrid-Barajas Airport Tourist Office (Council and Regional Government of Madrid)
Terminal 1 (Arrivals hall), Terminal 2 (Arrivals hall) and Terminal 4 (Arrivals. Baggage reclaim 10 and 11)
28042 Madrid
Telephone: 913 058 656 / 902 100 007
Fax: 913 054 195
Madrid city information: 915 881 636 (phone), 914 802 041. (fax)
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