Offers and conditions change with the date, so no price is quoted here. To compare, you can see car hire offers at Madrid airport.

Where to pick up the car at Barajas

Rental companies are split between desks in the terminals and off-terminal offices reached by shuttle. The list of companies and their location is on the Aena website for Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport; your booking confirmation gives the exact pick-up point. To reach the centre without a car, see from the airport to central Madrid.

Choosing your offer

  • Excess: the sum you remain liable for if the car is damaged or stolen. It can be high with the base rate.
  • Deposit: blocked on a credit card and released after you return the car. Debit cards are often refused.
  • Fuel: follow the contract's policy and photograph the fuel gauge at pick-up and drop-off.
  • Condition: photograph the car from every angle before leaving and have each scratch noted.

Documents you need

A driving licence issued in the European Union or European Economic Area is valid in Spain. For a licence issued outside the EU, an international driving permit (valid one year) is recommended alongside your national licence. Check the exact rule for your country on the DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico) website, as well as the minimum age and licence seniority in the rental company's conditions. Bring ID or a passport too.

Driving in Madrid: the ZBE and parking

Madrid Central, the former restricted-traffic zone in the centre, has become the ZBE Distrito Centro, one of the strictest zones in the city. Access depends on the vehicle's DGT environmental label (0, ECO, C, B or none), and the rules have changed several times in recent years. A fine can be sent to the rental agency and then charged to you.

  • Before leaving, check the vehicle's label on the DGT website using the plate number, and the current rules on the Madrid city council's ZBE map.
  • The simplest approach for a visitor: don't drive into the centre, leave the car in a car park on the outskirts or at your hotel, and take the metro (see getting around Madrid).
  • If you are staying in the heart of the city, ask your hotel whether it has parking and which route to use (see where to stay in Madrid).

For short trips without a car, also consider cycling in Madrid.

Tolls, speed and alcohol

Some motorways around Madrid, including radial roads such as the R-3, R-4 or R-5, are toll roads: check the route and rates with the operator before you leave. The autovías (A-42 towards Toledo, A-6) are free.

The limit is generally 120 km/h on motorways and autovías and 90 km/h on conventional roads, with lower limits in town; speed cameras are numerous. The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.5 g/l (0.25 mg/l in exhaled air), and 0.3 g/l for novice drivers: the safest choice is not to drive after drinking. Check current rules on the DGT website.

Returning the car

Allow time to refuel near the airport and to find the entrance to the return car park, signposted "Alquiler de coches" or "Rent a car". Have an employee check the car's condition, keep the fuel receipt and make sure the deposit is released.

What next?

Your car is mainly for leaving the city: our route Toledo and Segovia by car from Madrid covers roads and parking, and day trips from Madrid has more ideas. If you would rather not drive, organised excursions leave from the centre.

If you have an accident

On the spot: get to safety, switch on the hazard lights, check for injuries and call emergency services (112 (emergencies)). Fill in the European accident statement with the other driver; call the police if anyone is hurt, if you disagree, if the other driver leaves, or if your rental contract requires it. Photograph the vehicles, the plate, the road and the damage, note the other driver's details, and call the rental company before any repair.

Who pays what: damage to the car is covered by the rental company's protection (CDW), subject to its excess (deductible), or by an excess cover bought with the rental; injuries and medical costs fall under your travel insurance. Travel insurance does not pay for the rental car or for damage to third parties.

SafetyWing covers medical costs after an accident abroad; check the policy's conditions for driving (a licence valid in the country, a helmet on a scooter).

FAQ

Which licence do I need to hire a car in Madrid? A European licence is enough. Outside the EU, bring your national licence and, depending on your country, an international permit; check the DGT website and with the rental company.

What is the minimum age, and is there a surcharge? Each company sets its own minimum age and any young-driver surcharge: read the conditions before booking.

Is a deposit compulsory? Usually yes, blocked on a credit card in the driver's name; the amount is in the offer's conditions.

Which insurance should I take? Look at the excess included in the offer and decide whether to reduce it; ask what is excluded (tyres, windows, underside).

Can I enter the central ZBE with a rental car? It depends on the vehicle's DGT label and the current rules: check before driving and avoid the centre.

Are there tolls on leaving Barajas? Some motorways in the region are toll roads, others are not: check your route before leaving.

Can I return the car in another city? Often, with a one-way fee: check when booking.

The Madrid Authority editorial team