The Pink Metro Line 8 from Madrid Barajas Airport
The Pink Line M8 connects Madrid Airport to the city center. Metro Line 8 leaves from the two subway stations of the airport, and heads to Nuevos Ministerios, in the heart of Madrid. Available from early in the morning till late at night, Line 8 provides fast and budget transfers, yet it lacks convenience, as passengers are required to change lines to reach Madrid’s historic center. What’s more, the trains’ baggage storage space is limited, and some stations aren’t even equipped with elevators.
The Line 8 Time Schedule from MAD Airport
Metro Line 8 runs daily, from 6:05 am to 01:33 am, when the last train leaves from each of the airport subway stations. The subway’s journey to the terminus station, Nuevos Ministerios, lasts about 15 minutes from MAD T2 Station and 5 more minutes (20 minutes in total) from the airport station located at T4. From Nuevos Ministerios, passengers can transfer to Metro Lines 6 or 10 if they wish to reach the heart of the city. Trains depart every 6-8 minutes during the daytime, depending on the day of the week, and every 15 minutes from 00:00 am to 01:33 am.
Madrid Airport Metro Stations
Madrid Airport may have only one train station, yet two subway stations serve the metro transfers from the airport to the city. The first metro station lies on floor 1 of T2 and serves all passengers arriving at T1, T2, or T3 of Barajas Airport. T1 is at a 10-minute walking distance from the station, whereas from T3, the station is only 7 minutes away on foot. On the other hand, the second airport station (Aeropuerto 4) is to be found at T4, on the underground level. The airport has clear signage leading to the station areas.
Our Tip: Please note that the Barajas Station, lying between Aeropuerto 4 and the Airport T1-T2-T3 Station, isn’t located inside the airport but serves the Barajas district.
Metro Tickets from Madrid Airport
If you want to use the airport metro, first you’ll have to buy a Multi-Card. Multi-Cards cost 2.50€/2.50$ and work as a digital wallet. Therefore, you can charge your card with the required tickets and reload it from time to time. In general terms, metro tickets from the airport have 4.50€/4.50$-5€/5$, and they are a sum of a single metro ticket that includes an up to 5 stops transfer (1.50€/1.50$) and an airport surcharge of 3€/3$ per passenger. If your final destination exceeds the 5-stop limit, you’ll have to pay an extra 0.10€/0.10$ for every extra stop. This supplement fee cannot be more than 2€/2$, though. The ticket is valid for the current day, in other words, until the end of the metro shift (and not until midnight). Tickets are available at the automatic vendors of the metro stations. Please remember that these tickets can be used for transfers inside Madrid Zone A and ML1 Station. Tickets that allow transfers throughout the subway network of the city cost 3€/3$, plus the airport fee (combo tickets: 3€/3$+3€3$).
Special Tickets and Passes for MAD Airport Metro
On the other hand, if you are planning on transferring mainly via public transportation modes, you should opt for a multi-ride ticket or a pass. Thus, with a 10-journey Metrobús ticket, passengers are allowed to make 10 journeys using the metro and buses within the Zone A of Madrid, paying 12.20€/12.20$. 10-ride tickets for the entire subway network cost 18.30€/18.30$. Anyhow, the extra 3€/3$ airport supplement fee must also be paid.
Alternatively, Tourist tickets are an option too. Tourist passes can be bought by the automatic ticket machines or the tourist info desks of the airport. Their price depends on the chosen duration (1, 2, 3, etc. consecutive days). The Multi-Card fee and the airport fare don’t apply when a Multi-Card and a Tourist Ticket are simultaneously purchased.
Our Tip: For more info, you can check out Madrid’s Metro official website.
FAQs
Does the Madrid metro go to the airport?
Madrid Airport is connected to Madrid via the subway. In fact, there are two subway stations located at the airport. The metro station serving T1, T2, and T3 is to be found at Terminal 2, on floor 2, while T4 has its own underground station, Aeropuerto 4, lying on level -1.
How much is the Metro from Madrid Airport to city center?
A one-way subway ticket from Madrid Airport to the city center costs around 4.50€/4.50$-5€/5$. This price includes a 1.50€/1.50$ ticket fare and an extra airport fee of 3€/3$.