Madrid Airport to the Centre: When the €33 Taxi Wins
The honest answer first, the detail after. If there are two of you, you are not carrying much and your hotel is in central Madrid, take a taxi: €33 to any address inside the M-30 ring road, day or night. We carry passengers out of Barajas ourselves, but we are not going to argue with that figure.
A transfer wins in four cases, and they are below. The metro, the bus and the train are good when you travel light and don't mind a change.
Madrid-Barajas airport (MAD) is 26 km from the centre. We checked the fares and timetables on the Aena, Metro de Madrid and EMT sites in September 2026.
First find out your terminal
Barajas has four terminals: T1, T2, T4 and its satellite T4S. Iberia lands at T4, Air Europa at T1 and T2. The terminal decides what transport is open to you: the train leaves from T4 only, while the metro and bus 203 call at every terminal.
A free bus runs between T1, T2 and T4 around the clock: every 5 minutes by day, every 20 between 22:00 and 6:00. Between T4 and T4S there is a train, and the ride takes about 5 minutes.
Five ways in one table
| Option | Price | When it runs | How far it takes you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi | €33 within the M-30 | around the clock | your address |
| Transfer | from €78 per car | around the clock | your address |
| Metro, line 8 | ticket + €3 supplement | roughly 6:00 to 1:30 | Nuevos Ministerios, then a change |
| Bus 203 | €5 | around the clock | Atocha by day, Plaza de Cibeles at night |
| Cercanías train | €1.70-2.60 | 5:30 to 00:30, from T4 only | Atocha or Chamartín |
Taxis: €33 to any address inside the M-30
Madrid taxis have a fixed fare: €33 between the airport and any point inside the M-30 ring road, around the clock and with no supplements. Aena states plainly that not a single extra charge is added to that sum. The zone takes in Sol, Gran Vía, Atocha and almost every hotel in the centre. If your address lies outside the M-30, the meter takes over.
Madrid's official taxis are white with a red stripe. The ranks are outside each terminal, beyond the arrivals area. Aena advises boarding only at the rank and turning down anyone offering a ride inside the terminal.
When a transfer wins anyway
There are five of you or more. You won't fit in an ordinary taxi, while a Van carries up to seven people. The price is per car and splits between everyone.
You are travelling with children. A child seat is free in every class, and it is already in the car when you walk out of the terminal. In Spain a seat is mandatory for children 135 cm and under. Tick it when you book, then message the driver in the chat with your child's age.
You are heading outside the M-30 or straight out of town. This is where the fixed taxi fare ends and the meter starts. With a transfer the price is known in advance: to Toledo it is from €177, and the drive takes ~1 hr 3 min.
You have a train to catch. You can book a car straight to Atocha or Chamartín station, and you are dropped at the entrance.
In any of these cases your driver follows the flight number, and the first hour from the moment you land is free waiting. To the centre of Madrid a transfer costs from €78 per car, the same at night. The amount is held on your card when you book and charged after the trip, and you can cancel a booked transfer with no penalty. Toll roads are not included in the route price. You can book in the Let's GO app or on the route page.
The metro: cheap, but with a supplement and a change
Line 8 runs from the airport to Nuevos Ministerios, and it has two stations at the airport: Aeropuerto T1-T2-T3 and Aeropuerto T4. An airport supplement of €3 per person is added to the ordinary ticket. With a tourist travel pass no supplement is needed.
The metro will not take you straight to Puerta del Sol or Gran Vía: at Nuevos Ministerios you change to line 6 or line 10. Aena and Metro de Madrid quote slightly different opening hours for the airport stations, so work on roughly 6:00 to 1:30. After midnight trains run every 15 minutes.
Bus 203: the only one that runs all night
The Exprés Aeropuerto bus, line 203, runs around the clock and calls at T1, T2 and T4. A ticket costs €5 and you can pay by card with the driver. From 6:00 to 23:30 it terminates at Atocha station, with buses every 15-20 minutes. From midnight to 5:40 the bus only goes as far as Plaza de Cibeles and runs every 35 minutes.
On a clear road it is about 30 minutes from Atocha to T1 and about 40 to T4. The tourist travel pass is not valid on this bus.
The train: from T4 only
There is a Cercanías station at terminal T4 only, open from 5:30 to 00:30. Line C-1 trains run to Chamartín and on to Atocha. Some services reach Atocha directly, but on most you change at Chamartín and wait about 15 minutes. The journey takes 28-29 minutes either way. Direct services are marked "Tren directo" in the Renfe app.
If you are carrying on by long-distance train, the Cercanías is especially handy: with an AVE ticket it is free. Landed at T1 or T2? Then you first have to reach the station on the inter-terminal bus.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a taxi from Madrid airport to the centre cost? €33 to any address inside the M-30 ring road, around the clock and with no supplements, according to Aena. Outside the M-30 the meter takes over.
What is the metro supplement from Madrid airport? €3 per person on top of the ordinary ticket, at the Aeropuerto T1-T2-T3 and Aeropuerto T4 stations. With a tourist travel pass no supplement is needed.
Does a bus run from Madrid airport at night? Yes, bus 203 runs around the clock. From midnight to 5:40 it goes to Plaza de Cibeles every 35 minutes, and by day to Atocha station every 15-20 minutes. A ticket is €5.
Which Madrid terminal does the train to the city leave from? T4 only, and the station is open from 5:30 to 00:30. From T1 and T2 the free inter-terminal bus takes you there.
Does the train from Madrid airport reach Atocha without a change? Some C-1 services run directly, but on most you change at Chamartín. The journey takes 28-29 minutes either way. Direct trains are marked "Tren directo" in the Renfe timetable.
How long does it take from Madrid airport to Atocha station? By car on a clear road, ~26 min. Bus 203 from T4 takes about 40 minutes.