Getting Around Madrid: Metro, Buses, Tickets and Prices in 2026

Madrid's public transport at a glance

The historic centre is largely walkable, but as soon as you head for the Bernabéu stadium, Madrid Río or a railway station, the metro becomes the basic tool. Buses take over at night and for street-level journeys, while the Cercanías quickly link the main stations with each other and with the suburbs.

Prices noted in October 2026. Bus and Cercanías hours vary by line.

The Madrid metro: lines and hours

The metro has 13 lines: lines 1 to 12, identified by a number and a colour, and the Ramal, a short shuttle between Ópera and Príncipe Pío. It is complemented on the outskirts by four light rail lines (Metro Ligero), of which only ML1, in the north-east, lies in zone A. The most useful stations for visitors are Sol (lines 1, 2 and 3, and Cercanías), Ópera for the Royal Palace, Banco de España and Atocha for the Prado museums, and Nuevos Ministerios, the interchange for the airport.

• Hours: every day from 6:00 am to 1:30 am. At peak times, trains follow each other a few minutes apart on the central lines; late in the evening, the wait gets longer.
• Works on line 6: the Circular line is being automated. From Sunday to Thursday, the line closes at 11:00 pm; two free EMT bus routes (SC1 and SC2) then follow its route until around 2:00 am. Some sections are also closed on certain weekends: check metromadrid.es before using it in the evening. These early closures are planned until at least the end of 2026.
• Changes: they are free inside the metro. Switching from the metro to a bus, however, uses up a new trip.

The network is safe, but pickpockets target crowded trains in the centre and tourist stations such as Sol: keep your bag closed and in front of you. Our article on scams to avoid in Madrid describes their methods.

Tickets and fares in 2026

All Madrid travel tickets, except the bus ticket paid on board, are loaded onto a rechargeable contactless card. Prices are set by the CRTM and remain unchanged in 2026, with one exception: the simplification of the single metro ticket on 1 October.

Prices noted in October 2026, from the official CRTM fare table.

The single ticket and contactless payment

Until 30 September 2026, a single metro ticket cost €1.50 to €2.00 depending on the number of stations travelled. Since 1 October 2026, it costs €1.50 for any trip in zone A, which corresponds roughly to the municipality of Madrid.

Since 1 June 2026, you can also buy this single ticket directly at the gate, by holding a contactless bank card, phone or smartwatch to the reader. The system accepts Visa, Mastercard, Maestro and American Express cards, as well as Apple Pay and Google Pay. It only sells the single ticket and is being rolled out gradually: not every gate in every station is equipped yet. On EMT buses, paying by bank card on board has been possible on all lines for several years.

The Multi card and the 10-trip ticket

For most visitors, the cheapest combination is the Multi card (€2.50), bought once from the station ticket machines, loaded with a 10-trip ticket (€7.30). Each journey then costs €0.73, on the metro as well as on EMT buses and the ML1 line. The card is not personal: several people travelling together can tap it one after the other at the gate. Top it up at the station ticket machines, in cash or by bank card.

The zone A 10-trip ticket does not cover trips onto the suburban metro lines (MetroSur, MetroNorte, MetroEste) or the Cercanías trains, which have their own fares.

The tourist pass: unlimited travel

The billete turístico, often called the abono turístico, gives unlimited travel on the metro, EMT buses (except the Exprés Aeropuerto), light rail and the Cercanías within its zone. It exempts you from the €3 airport supplement, and the card is included in the price. It counts in calendar days from the first validation (until 5:00 am for night services): bought late in the afternoon, a one-day pass is therefore poorly used.

Prices noted in October 2026. Half price for children under 11.

Which ticket to choose

• Typical stay of 2 to 5 days: Multi card and 10-trip ticket. A one-day pass in zone A only pays off beyond fifteen or so trips in a day, which visitors rarely reach.
• Arriving and leaving by metro via the airport: the 3-day pass, airport supplement and card included, costs the same as a Multi card with two 10-trip tickets and two airport supplements; it only becomes worthwhile if you exceed twenty or so trips.
• Day trips to El Escorial or Aranjuez: the zone T pass includes the whole Cercanías network of the region and can replace the day's train tickets.

To put these costs in the context of your whole stay, see our Madrid travel budget.

EMT buses and night búhos

EMT, the municipal transport company, runs more than 200 city bus lines. They are useful for journeys the metro serves poorly, such as the Paseo del Prado, the Paseo de la Castellana or the Retiro park, and let you see the city along the way. A single ticket costs €1.50: pay on board with a contactless bank card or phone, or tap your Multi card loaded with a 10-trip ticket or a tourist pass. Stops display real-time waiting times, also shown in the EMT app.

At night, the búhos ("owls") take over. Lines N1 to N27 all leave from Plaza de Cibeles and fan out to the neighbourhoods; the first departure from the centre is around midnight and service ends around 5:30 am. Fares are the same as during the day. To get home from Malasaña or Lavapiés at 3:00 am, the búho is often the cheapest solution, but it almost always means going through Cibeles.

Cercanías trains

The Cercanías, Renfe's commuter trains, cross the city through two north-south tunnels linking Atocha and Chamartín stations, with stops at Sol, Recoletos and Nuevos Ministerios. To go from Sol to Atocha or Chamartín, or from one main station to another, they are often faster than the metro. Lines C1 and C10 serve the airport (terminal T4), and line C3 serves El Escorial and Aranjuez.

The Cercanías have their own tickets, sold at station ticket machines: the price depends on the number of zones crossed, from €1.70 for one or two zones to €2.60 for four zones, and a ticket is valid for one trip within two hours of purchase. The metro 10-trip ticket is not accepted, unlike the tourist pass. With an AVE or long-distance ticket, the connecting Cercanías trip is free thanks to the "Combinado Cercanías" code printed on the ticket.

Day trips by train

Several World Heritage towns are less than two hours from Madrid by train. For Toledo, Segovia and Ávila, buy your Renfe tickets in advance, especially at weekends: trains fill up quickly and these journeys are not covered by Madrid travel tickets.

Journey times noted in October 2026, based on Renfe timetables. In Segovia, as in Aranjuez and El Escorial, allow another 15 to 20 minutes on foot or by bus between the station and the centre.

BiciMAD: electric bike sharing

BiciMAD, run by EMT, offers about 8,400 electric bikes spread across more than 680 stations, 24 hours a day. You sign up and unlock a bike with the BiciMAD app; the service is open to anyone aged 14 and over.

• Pay-as-you-go fare: €0.50 for the first half hour, €0.50 for the second, then €3 per additional half hour. The fare therefore discourages long rentals: for a leisurely ride, chain together trips of under 30 minutes.
• Monthly flat rate: €10 per month, with trips of under 30 minutes included, better value for a long stay.

The electric assistance makes up for the hilly centre, which climbs steeply between the Manzanares and Gran Vía. Continuous cycle lanes are still rare in the very centre; the most pleasant routes run along Madrid Río and through Retiro Park.

Taxis and ride-hailing

Madrid taxis are white with a diagonal red stripe. You can hail them in the street (green light on), wait at a rank, or book by phone or app. The 2026 fares, set by the city council:

• Tariff 1 (working days from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm): starting fare €2.55, then €1.40 per kilometre.
• Tariff 2 (nights from 9:00 pm to 7:00 am, weekends and public holidays): starting fare €3.20, then €1.60 per kilometre.
• Railway stations and the Ifema exhibition centre: minimum of €8 for a ride starting from these sites.
• Airport: flat fare of €33 between Barajas and the area inside the M-30, with no supplement.
• Nights of 24 and 31 December: €7 supplement between 9:00 pm and 7:00 am.

Ride-hailing services (Uber, Cabify, Bolt) are widely used in Madrid. Their price is shown before the ride but varies with demand: compare with a taxi, which is often cheaper for a short trip in the centre.

Getting around on foot

Between Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, the Royal Palace, Gran Vía and the Prado museums, distances are short, and walking is often quicker than the metro for a trip of two or three stations. The centre is partly pedestrianised, notably around Sol, Calle Preciados and Calle Arenal. Two caveats: the slopes, noticeable when climbing back up from the Royal Palace or La Latina, and the heat in July and August, which makes long walks hard going in the afternoon.

Getting to Barajas airport

The airport is linked to the centre by metro line 8 (€1.50 ticket plus €3 supplement), the Exprés Aeropuerto bus (€5, 24 hours a day), the Cercanías from terminal T4 and taxis at the €33 flat fare. All these options are detailed and compared in our guide Madrid-Barajas airport to the city centre.

Further reading

To choose a well-connected hotel, read our guide on where to stay in Madrid. To plan your journeys on a short visit, follow our itinerary what to do in Madrid in one day, and to stick to your budget, our selection free things to do in Madrid.