Taxi, ride-hailing, metro or búho: getting home at night in Madrid

You leave a bar in Malasaña at 2am: the metro is closed. In Madrid there are four options: the búho, a taxi, a ride-hailing car and walking. The right choice depends on the time, the neighbourhood, the group size and the budget. This guide compares them, with hours and fares seen in October 2026; check them before you go, as they change.

The choice at a glance

Option	When	Strength	Limit
Metro	Until about 1:30am	Fast, €1.50 a trip in zone A	Closed afterwards
Búho (night bus)	About midnight - 5:30am	Same fare as daytime	Departures from Cibeles, reduced frequency
Taxi	24/7	Door to door	Tariff 2 at night
Ride-hailing (Uber, Cabify, Bolt)	24/7	Price shown before the ride	Price varies with demand
On foot	Short distance in the centre	Free	Think about the neighbourhood and the hour

For tickets and passes in detail, see getting around Madrid.

The metro: until about 1:30am

The Madrid metro runs from about 6am to 1:30am. The last train varies by line and station: check the platform display. After closing there is no night metro.

The búhos: the cheapest

Calle de Alcalá at night, the way to the búho stops at Cibeles

EMT lines N1 to N27 all leave from Plaza de Cibeles and fan out to the neighbourhoods, from about midnight to 5:30am. The fare is the daytime bus fare. Advantage: very cheap. Drawbacks: you must get to Cibeles, wait, and not pick the wrong line. Check the night-line map on the EMT app.

The taxi

Madrid taxis are white with a diagonal red stripe. Green light = free. You can hail one in the street, take one at a rank, or order one by app.

Tariff 2 (21:00 to 07:00, weekends and public holidays): starting fare €3.20, then €1.60 per kilometre.
Nights of 24 and 31 December: €7 supplement between 21:00 and 07:00.
From the airport to the M-30: fixed fare of €33, see Madrid-Barajas airport.

Only get into an official taxi with the meter running. See scams to avoid in Madrid. A taxi is the best choice in a group, with luggage or after 3am.

Ride-hailing: Uber, Cabify, Bolt

Uber, Cabify and Bolt work in Madrid. The price is shown before the ride but rises when demand rises (clubs closing, Friday and Saturday nights). Compare with a taxi: on a short central trip a taxi is often as cheap or cheaper. Check the plate and the driver's name before getting in.

On foot

The centre is easy to cross on foot, and the streets of Malasaña, Chueca and Gran Vía stay lively late. For a long distance or a deserted area, take a taxi. The advice in safety at night in Madrid covers the habits to adopt.