Using the subway in Madrid (Guide for beginners)
The Madrid metro is probably one of the best existing metro networks in the world. Undoubtedly we can boast of metro in our city, and it is obviously one of the best ways to move from one point to another by the good connection offered between lines. But if you are a first timer you may have wondered how to use the metro in Madrid.
First of all, to use the metro in Madrid, when accessing the metro we must know that in order to use it we have to to acquire a transport card.
This card can be purchased at the subway counters at the vending machines located in all subway stations.
The price of the card is around 5€ for the issuance and around 12€ more includes 10 trips.
It is important not to lose this card after use since it is rechargeable. That is to say, if we run out of trips we can recharge another 10 new trips without having to pay for the acquisition of a new card.
If we are traveling as a couple, family or friends we can use this card together, it is not necessary to have one card per person.
Well, we already have a card, to access the platforms, we just have to approach the card in the contactless that contain the access doors.
In Madrid the metro lines have names, but normally they are called by colors or numbers. are denominated by colors or numbers.
You can request your subway map at the ticket counters or view the map through internet apps and so on.
In the subway map you can see the names of the stations and the color in which they are located. There are stations that can have more than one color. These stations are used for transfers that connect one line to another.
Metro lines have 2 directions, i.e. from where the line starts to where it ends. For example the green line 5 will have the direction Casa de Campo or Alameda de Osuna.
To use the metro in Madrid correctly, here is an example. example: Let's imagine that we want to go from Atocha station (Renfe) to San Bernardo metro station (Roisa Centro).
First we look for our destination on the metro map: San Bernardo Station (Brown Line - 4).
Well, we take the metro line in Atocha (blue color - line 1) in the direction of Pinar de Chamartin, since in that direction we can find that our blue line connects with the brown line, our destination line.
At Bilbao station, we will get off and look for the access to the brown line towards Argüelles. It is not necessary to leave the station to make the transfer, please note that if you leave the station you will have to pay a new pass.
Once on the brown line we would get off at San Bernardo station and arrive at Roisa Centro.
Some tips to better understand and use the metro in Madrid are:
- In subway stations on escalators there are 2 rows. In the row on the right people stand while in the row on the left people go up or down the stairs. Do not stand in the row on the left and interrupt traffic if you are not going to move forward.
- There are apps where you can enter the metro stop you are at and the stop you want to get to. These apps will give you information on the fastest route or the one with the fewest transfers.
- The transportation card obtained in the subway is also valid for buses.
- Let people out of the car before you get on.
- To exit a station or enter a carriage it is necessary to press the button on the doors. They do not open automatically.
If you arrive to Madrid from the airport we leave you this detailed guide to get to any of our accommodations by metro. You can see it here, and you already know how to use the metro in Madrid!
