Shuttles and Buses from and to Madrid Barajas Airport
Are you up for a bus transfer from MAD Airport to your destination in Madrid? Madrid Airport is well connected both to the inner city areas and to Madrid’s suburban regions and nearby towns and provinces. As a matter of fact, a direct and fast airport shuttle line departs 24/7 from the MAD terminals. On the other hand, two less quick but still efficient bus lines travel from Madrid Airport to the city center. On top of that, intercity buses travel daily to Madrid’s adjacent regions, whereas further destinations are being served by long-distance coaches.
Madrid Airport Express: Bus 203
The fastest way to travel from MAD Airport by bus is to take the Airport Express Bus Line 203. Madrid Airport Bus 203 connects the airport to the Atocha Train Complex, located southeast of the city center. Running 24/7, the bus leaves the airport every 15-20 minutes during the day and with 35-minute intervals during nighttime and reaches Atocha Station in about 35 minutes from MAD T1, 40 minutes from T2, and 45 minutes from T4, making 2 stops on its way (at O’Donnell Station and Cibeles).
Our Tip 1: The airport express buses are easy to identify, as they are yellow and have a big sign on their sides with the phrase “Airport Express Aeropuerto” written on it.
Our Tip 2: Buses have designated luggage areas. No extra fee is charged for luggage.
Our Tip 3: Buses are also equipped with bicycle racks.
The Urban Buses from Madrid Airport
Additionally to the Airport Express Bus 203, two more bus lines link the airport to the city of Madrid. Bus 200 leaves the airport and travels to Avenida de América, a central multimodal station in Madrid. The EMT Bus 200 is not as fast as the Bus 203, but it doesn’t make many intermediate stops either. Anyhow, its journey time is around 35 minutes.
On the other hand, Bus Line 101 runs from the airport to Canillejas, which is another major transportation center of the city. From there, passengers can also change to other urban buses and metro lines. The bus needs around 30 minutes to end its route at Canillejas Station.
Intercity Buses from Barajas Airport
Apart from the airport express and the urban buses, four intercity bus lines also serve Madrid Airport. To begin with, Bus 822 leaves MAD T1 and heads to Coslada and San Fernando de Henares, while Bus 824 to Alcala de Henares. Moreover, two buses depart from the airport’s T4. Bus Line 827 connects T4 to Alcobendas and the district Tres Cantos and Bus 828 to Alcobendas and Universidad Autónoma.
Buses Time Schedule from MAD Airport
Each bus line has its own operating hours. Hence, the Airport Express Bus 203 runs around the clock, every day of the week, with routes every 20 minutes during the daytime and every 35 minutes during the night. However, as Atocha Train Station is open between 6:00 am and 11:30 pm, during the night (11:30 pm – 06:00 am), the bus departs and ends at Plaza de la Cibeles in Madrid city center under the name N27 Exprés Aeropuerto. Please note that despite being available 24/7 all year long, changes to its route usually apply during the Christmas and New Year’s Eve holidays. Moreover, Bus Line 200 operates every 10-20 minutes, from 06:05 am to 11:45 pm daily -even on public holidays- and Bus 101 every 15-30 minutes, from 5:50 am to 11:30 pm.
On the other hand, Bus 822 runs from 06:30 am to 11:15 pm every 1-2 hours, and Line 824 from 6:40 am to 10:00 pm every 40 minutes. Furthermore, passengers can hop on the interurban Bus 827 from 06:00 am to 11:00 pm and the Bus 828 from 09:57 am to 07:42 pm, while the bus has a 2-hour frequency.
Where are the Bus Stops at Madrid Airport?
Each terminal building has a separate bus stop, yet all the buses don’t stop at all the terminals. Therefore, Bus 203 leaves T1, T2, and T4 from the relevant bus stands. The T1 bus stop lies on the 1 floor of the Departures zone, whereas another bus stand is located at the ground level of the Arrivals area. In the T2 building, two bus stops are also available, one at the ground level of Arrivals and one on floor 2 of Departures. Finally, at T4, the bus passes from the bus stop, situated at the airport ground level (Arrivals area).
As far as the urban buses are concerned, Bus 200 stops at all 4 MAD terminals. Thus, it passes through the two bus stops located at the Departure and Arrival areas of T1 and T2, from the T4 bus stand and the bus stop of T3, lying on the ground-level Arrivals zone. Bus 101, on the other hand, leaves from the two bus stands of T1 and T2 and the T3 bus stop.
Finally, the interurban Buses 822 and 824 stop at the Departure bus stop of T1, located on the terminal’s first floor, while Buses 827 and 828 at the T4’s bus stop, located at the Arrivals area (floor 0).
| Madrid Airport Terminal | Available Buses |
|---|---|
| Terminal 1 | Airport Express Bus 101 Bus 200 Bus 822 Bus 824 |
| Terminal 2 | Airport Express Bus 101 Bus 200 |
| Terminal 3 | Bus 101 Bus 200 |
| Terminal 4 | Airport Express Bus 200 Bus 827 Bus 828 |
Bus Tickets from Madrid Barajas Airport
Madrid buses are the most affordable option for your transfer from MAD Airport to your destination in the city center. The airport express bus is the costlier among them. With a 5€/5$ ticket, Bus 203 doesn’t charge extra for luggage storage. Tickets can be bought inside the bus in cash. What’s more, payments via contactless credit/debit credit or by using a mobile are also possible.
Tickets for Buses 101 and 200 cost 1.50€/1.50$ for a single ride. They are available onboard, only in cash. Please keep in mind that the bus driver may not have change. Thus, you should carry small bills or loose change with you. Finally, intercity buses charge 1.50€/1.50$ for zone A and 2€/2$ for zone A-B1. Tickets can also be purchased inside the bus in cash.
Alternatively, if you are planning on using Madrid public transportation system for your entire journey’s transfers and not only for your airport ride, you should opt for a 10-journey pass, which costs 12.20€/12.20$ and allows you to make 10 transfers inside the EMT network and between the stations of ML1. On the other hand, you can opt for a bus+bus EMT pass, which offers 10 rides with an extra within-60-minutes transfer in the EMT network and has 18.30€/18.30$. The 10-trip passes are available at many tobacco shops. Please note that they aren’t valid for the Airport Express Bus 203.
Our Tip 1: You can buy a Multi-Card, paying 2.5€/2.50$. The Multi-Card is actually a digital wallet that allows you to recharge single tickets and 10-journey passes. However, the bus+bus EMT pass isn’t rechargeable.
Our Tip 2: Tourist tickets are also an option. They can be bought from the airport Tourist desks.
Our Tip 3: For more info, you can visit the official EMT and Consorcio de Transportes de Madrid websites.
Long-distance Buses from Madrid Airport
From Madrid Airport, passengers can reach other Spanish cities via long-distance coaches. Avanzabus, a famous bus company, serves destinations such as Salamanca, Valencia, and Zamora. Buses leave from the T1 bus parking and the T4 Arrivals area on the ground level of the building. Alsa is a bus provider, operating at MAD Airport as well. Alsa runs on multiple routes, such as Barcelona, Zaragoza, Bilbao, San Sebastián, Burgos, etc. The bus stop for the Alsa buses is to be found at the T4’s ground floor, on the Arrivals level. Moreover, the fleet of the Socibus company travels from the T1 bus parking to Andalusia (Córdoba, Cádiz, Seville, etc.). Last but not least, the Flixbus shuttles leave the T4 bus terminal heading to Portugal and France.
FAQs
How do I get from Madrid Airport to the bus station?
The bus station Avenida de América is accessible from Madrid Airport via Bus Line 200. The bus operates daily, from 06:05 am to 11:45 pm, with available routes every 10-20 minutes, and reaches the bus station in approximately 35 minutes.
How much is the airport bus from Madrid to Atocha?
The Airport Express Bus 203 leaves from the T1, T2, and T4 of Madrid Airport and travels to the Atocha Train Station. A one-way ticket for the airport shuttle costs 5€/5$ and can be paid in cash, via bank card, or through a mobile device. Please note that Tourist Cards and multiple-journey passes aren’t valid for this bus line.