 | Madrid Transports Reviews | Tips 1 - 10 of 24 |  |
On summer weekends mainly, there are huge traffic jams to go out (on friday afternoons) or into Madrid (on sunday evenings).
So if you plan to make some road trip on weekends while U stay here, take this into consideration and choose another day to do it. Jams could hold you about 1 hour extra to go out & in!!
Alternative: take the train! Leave a Comment
|
Visiting Madrid?
Read reviews about Madrid Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
Going by train is comfortable and cheap in Spain, but buying a ticket can be an adventure. There are various train types which require different tickets. Aprt from that most long distance trains (TALGO, AVE) require a seat reservation.
When I wanted to buy my TALGO ticket for Barcelona to Madrid, the train was already fully booked. On the next train was only one seat left, which was in fact enough for me.
So if you like to take a certain long distance train (TALGO, AVE), make sure to book your train ticket well in advance. Leave a Comment
|
This is a transportation warning. If you are in the area for more than just a few days, than most likely you'll want to make some side trip. Toledo is known as the closest one to Madrid. It is confortable and cheap to travel from Madrid to Toledo by train, but there is one thing you have to remember:
The trains to Toledo are almost always full! There's no possibility to stand on this 30 minutes ride, which means you have to make sure you purchased your tickets ahead.
It was just another, working, weekday when I decided to explore Toledo. I came to the Atocha station to get my tickets and was told that nothing is available and that there are a lot of people on wait list. I bought tickets for the next day.
Also make sure that you buy roundtrip tickets because coming back you'll have the same problem. And, if you buy the roundtrip ticket the price is cheaper. I paid about 14 Euro and it was a fast and pleasant trip. The train I took, both ways, was full and again there were many people who really hoped to get to Toledo and back. Leave a Comment
|
 | |  |
WARNING!!!!
Take care of your wallet and your passport when you are using the subway.
My passport was steal when I was going to the airport. The local people said here that there is a big "Mafia" specialized in this kind of thing.
TIP if your passport was stolen:
1. Go immediatly to the Police and open a denouncement. There is a Police department inside all Metro Station. You will receive a ID number that you will use on the Police department (next step).
2. Use this ID on the Police department and sign you report - it's not the same place, go to 'Comesaria del Aeropuerto' in Barajas;
3. Cancel and change your flight, because you lost;
3. Go to your embassy with the following documents:
3.1 - 02 normal pictures for documents (3x4)
3.2 - the Police report signed
3.3 - Some national identification - like a driver license, etc - that will proves that "you are you" and you was traveling in Spain;
I hope that it's can be useful for you, if you face this problem. My passport was stolen in the Metro station called "Nuevos Ministerios" and normally these are the things that you have to do, because none here can help you, neither police :-(
Do not bring your passport together with your wallet. Carry your passport alone in another place.
TAKE CARE YOURSELF. Leave a Comment
|
| | |
This tip pertains to all mobility-reduced visitors who think about using the metro to move around in Madrid. Theoretically, the metro is a great means of transport, especially because it gets you to the city centre quite quickly for very little money after you've arrived at Barajas Airport. Things are not so great for wheelchair users though. At first everything looked fine. I had a plan indicating that near my hotel there were a couple of Metro stations with elevators. I had no problem whatsoever boarding the Metro at Barajas Airport, changing lines at Nuevos Ministerios was easy too. What happened then, however, sucked. I got off the train at Plaza De Espana only to find the elevators out of service. The escalators did work but they were very steep and, having no knowledge of the languge, I was unable to instruct other people how to help me up the escalators. I decided to try the next station with lifts, called "Principe Pio". Even though this seems to be a major railway station and changing point, the lifts at this station were also out of service. Bollocks! At the next station, "Lago", the lifts finally worked. But this was already waaaaaay out of town in some kind of sports park. I had no idea where I was and there was no taxi in sight, either. Some helpful local fellow finally took notice of my miserable self and I managed to tell him I wanted to "Gran Via con taxi"... he just shook his head "no taxi aqui" (*that* I had already figured out myself...) and pushed me for about a mile until we reached a large street with taxis travelling on it. The journey from Barajas to the hotel took me 4 hours. -- Twice as long as the flight from Cologne.
To make a long story short -- if you have no one accompanying you that's capable of helping you manage the escalators and if your Spanish is as poor as mine, do not take a chance with the Metro ... take a taxi from the airport. It's about 20 EUR to downtown and it saves you quite some hassle! Leave a Comment
|
| | |
Visiting Madrid?
Read reviews about Madrid Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
The Metro is a crowed place all day long - especially when the working people are going to or from work.
Therefore it is also a Paradise for pocket-thieves - So be aware of your wallet, camera and so forth. Dont be reckless! Leave a Comment
|
Don't be suprised if you are the only one person who cross the street when the green light's on:) People in Madrid usually don't look what the colour of light is... Leave a Comment
|
I was robbed on the underground at Atocha Renfe station. It pays to stay where there are plenty of people if possible. Leave a Comment
|
Be very careful with the taxi-drivers from the airport!. They are unpolite and love to cheat the foreigners!. ask for a receipt always: ¿Me da un recibo, por favor?. Leave a Comment
|
...because on arriving from the city you must pay a 1€ supplement on your metro ticket. This supplement is already included on their period cards and Abono Transporte Turístico (read my separate tip about it). To make sure everyone pays, there's one or 2 guards in front of the machines.
|
More Sponsored Links for Madrid 175 Madrid Hotels
Our selection of great hotels in Madrid sorted by user rating. Hotels in Madrid
Convenient downtown location. Official site. Book online today. Hotel Madrid Spain
Reserve online your trendy hotel in Madrid. 18 hotels. Special offers! |
 |
 |
Search Hotels
Find the best room rates |
|
 |
|
on June 25, 2003
on September 3, 2006
on April 14, 2007
on July 17, 2005
on November 26, 2006
on July 4, 2003
on September 12, 2002
on August 26, 2002
on August 24, 2002
on October 31, 2007
