Madrid's Metro, EMT buses, Cercanías commuter rail and BiciMAD e-bikes between them cover almost anywhere you're likely to go, but the airport supplement and how you pay for each mode are worth getting right before you travel.
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The Metro, EMT buses and Cercanías are ticketed separately, though a reloadable Tarjeta Multi can carry products for Metro and EMT bus together. Since 1 June 2026, Metro de Madrid accepts direct contactless bank-card and mobile-wallet payment at the turnstiles, and Cercanías gates separately accept the same contactless payment. Add €3.00 if you're entering or leaving one of the two airport Metro stations on Line 8. Confirm current pass prices and exact ticket compatibility directly with CRTM and Renfe before buying.
13 colour-coded lines and around 300 stations make this the easiest way to cross the city centre.
Pro Tip: Check the live app for your specific line before relying on a fixed closing time.
A dense daytime network plus night Búho buses that depart from Plaza de Cibeles after the Metro closes.
Pro Tip: Night Búho buses are a practical alternative to a taxi once the Metro has closed.
Regional rail run by Renfe, linking central Madrid to the airport, suburbs and day-trip towns such as Aranjuez.
Pro Tip: Check Renfe's own fares page for your route rather than assuming a Metro ticket covers Cercanías.
Madrid's electric bike-share system, useful for Retiro Park and flatter riverside routes.
Pro Tip: Ride through Retiro Park early in the day to avoid the busiest paths.
A reloadable card for Metro and EMT bus tickets and passes.
Separate rail tickets or a rechargeable Cercanías card, bought directly through Renfe.
A timed unlimited-travel pass by zone, sold for 1–7 days.
Madrid's Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas airport has two Metro stations (T1-T2-T3 and T4) on Line 8. A single Zone A/ML1 fare plus a €3.00 airport supplement applies whenever you enter or exit at either airport station; this can be paid with a loaded Tarjeta Multi or, since June 2026, directly with a contactless bank card or mobile wallet at the gate. See Aena's official Metro-to-airport page for current fare and hours detail.
Cercanías commuter rail also serves Terminal 4 directly and connects onward to Atocha and Chamartín. This is a Renfe service, ticketed separately from the Metro/EMT Tarjeta Multi system; Renfe's own fare page confirms you can pay directly at the gates with a contactless bank card or mobile payment, in addition to a rechargeable Cercanías card. Check current timetables and fares at Renfe's Cercanías Madrid fares page and CRTM's airport ticket page before travelling.
An Exprés Aeropuerto bus also runs 24 hours between the airport and the city centre; confirm current stops and price with CRTM rather than relying on older guides.
Madrid runs three separate ticketing arrangements that are easy to mix up. Metro de Madrid and EMT buses sit inside the CRTM fare system, where a reloadable Tarjeta Multi (or the registered, photo-ID Tarjeta de Transporte Público) carries single rides, 10-trip Metrobús bundles or a tourist pass. Cercanías is run by Renfe and is ticketed separately: it uses its own tickets, a rechargeable Cercanías card, or contactless bank-card/mobile payment direct at the gate. Unless an official crtm.es or renfe.com page explicitly confirms a specific combined ticket, treat Cercanías as needing its own Renfe ticket rather than assuming a Tarjeta Multi product covers it — check Renfe's Cercanías Madrid fares page directly.
As of 1 June 2026, Metro de Madrid separately accepts direct contactless (EMV) bank-card or mobile-wallet payment at turnstiles for single journeys — see Metro de Madrid's official announcement. Cercanías gates confirm the same type of contactless bank-card/mobile payment on Renfe's own fares page. These are each a standalone pay-as-you-go payment method at that operator's gates; they do not carry Tarjeta Multi bundles or passes, and a card tapped on Metro is not automatically valid on a Cercanías gate or vice versa. A further 'smart' fare-calculation phase for card payment is planned by Metro/CRTM for 2027.
EMT bus ticketing runs on the Tarjeta Multi system, so check CRTM's tickets and fares page for current EMT conditions before assuming your bank card will work on the bus. If you're staying several days and travelling a lot on Metro and EMT, compare the Abono Turístico against single or 10-trip tickets on CRTM's tourist-ticket page, since fares are reviewed annually.
Puerta del Sol, Atocha (with its indoor tropical garden) and Príncipe Pío are well-connected Metro stations for exploring the historic centre, Retiro Park and the riverside.
For a day trip, Cercanías lines run out to Aranjuez's royal palace and gardens — check current timetables in the Renfe app rather than assuming a fixed schedule.
BiciMAD suits flatter routes such as Retiro Park, since all its bikes are electric-assist; check current pricing directly with BiciMAD.
Official journey planner with live arrival times.
Multi-modal planner combining Metro, bus, bike and walking.
Reliable backup with live transit updates.
Dock and bike availability, plus account management.
The iconic tiled entrance at Puerta del Sol, the heart of Madrid.
A lush indoor garden inside a working train station.
A beautifully restored 19th-century railway station.
Fares, service availability and ticket conditions can change. Check the operator for your travel date and exact journey.