Madrid Airport to City Centre - Metro, Train, Bus and Taxi

Madrid does airport transport unusually well: every option has a fixed, published price, and one of them never stops running. Which to take depends on your terminal and your hour.

Metro Line 8: the default

Line 8 runs from two airport stations, Aeropuerto T1-T2-T3 and Aeropuerto T4, to Nuevos Ministerios, where Lines 6 and 10 and the Cercanías network fan out across the city. Trains take about 12 minutes from the T1-T2-T3 station and 20 from T4, running roughly 6:00 to 1:30.

The fare is €1.50 to €2 plus a €3 airport supplement, so €4.50 to €5 total; tap a contactless bank card at the gate and the supplement is added automatically. Line 8 also stops at Feria de Madrid for IFEMA, which is why Novotel Madrid Feria and Airport skips a shuttle entirely.

Cercanías C-1: cheapest from T4

The commuter train leaves from Terminal 4 only, about every 30 minutes from 6:00 to midnight. €2.60 buys the ride to Chamartín (around 15 minutes) or Atocha (around 25), and it’s free with a same-day long-distance Renfe ticket. Landing at T1-T3 with time to spare? The free transit bus to T4 takes about 10 minutes.

Exprés Aeropuerto: the 24-hour bus

The yellow express bus (line 203) is the only public option that runs all night: 24/7, every 15 to 35 minutes, €5 paid on board by card or cash. It stops at T1, T2 and T4, then O’Donnell, Cibeles and Atocha; overnight it ends at Plaza de Cibeles instead of Atocha. Around 40 minutes end to end.

Taxi: €33, no surprises

Official white taxis charge a flat €33 from the airport to anywhere inside the M-30 ring road, which covers Sol, Gran Vía, Salamanca, Retiro and most tourist addresses. That figure includes luggage, night hours and holidays; a driver quoting more inside the M-30 is wrong. Count on 20 to 40 minutes depending on traffic. For addresses beyond the M-30, the meter runs with a €20 minimum.

Staying by the airport instead

Sleeping near MAD before a morning flight and heading into town for the evening also works: the hotels in this guide all connect to Line 8 within a short walk, shuttle or taxi hop. Meliá Barajas and ibis Madrid Aeropuerto Barajas are walkable to Barajas station; NH Madrid Barajas Airport practically touches El Capricho on Line 5.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest way from Madrid airport to the city centre?

The Cercanías C-1 train from Terminal 4 at €2.60, if you land at or can reach T4. Otherwise Metro Line 8 costs €4.50 to €5 including the €3 airport supplement. Holders of a same-day long-distance Renfe ticket ride the Cercanías free.

How much is a taxi from Madrid airport?

€33 flat to any address inside the M-30 ring road, all supplements included: luggage, night, holidays. Outside the M-30 the meter applies with a €20 minimum from the airport. The ride to the centre takes 20 to 40 minutes.

How do I get to the city at night when the metro is closed?

The Exprés Aeropuerto bus runs 24 hours a day for €5 from T1, T2 and T4. By day it ends at Atocha station; at night it terminates at Plaza de Cibeles. The metro itself closes from about 1:30 to 6:00.

Information last verified: August 20, 2026