Madrid's metro is big (about 300 stations and 13 lines) but visitors rarely need more than five or six of them. Once you understand the ticket system, it is one of the easiest metros in Europe to use: clean, frequent, well signed and good value. Here is what first-time visitors need to know.
Tickets: it all starts with the Multi card
In Madrid, every ticket lives on a reusable contactless card called the Multi card. Paper tickets are no longer sold. You buy the card once for €2.50 at any metro ticket machine, and load a ticket on it:
- Single journey: €1.50 to €2.00 depending on how many stations you travel. Fine for one or two trips.
- 10-trip ticket: the best choice for most visitors. It works on the metro and the red EMT city buses, and it can be shared by people travelling together.
- Tourist Travel Pass: unlimited rides for 1 to 7 days, and no airport supplement. Worth it if you will ride a lot or arrive and leave by metro.
You can also tap a contactless bank card or phone at the gates, but that pays a full single fare every time. Our Multi card guide compares all the options in detail.
Getting in from the airport
Line 8 (pink) runs from both airport stations, Aeropuerto T1-T2-T3 and Aeropuerto T4, to Nuevos Ministerios in the city in about 20 to 30 minutes. From there, change to Line 6 or Line 10, or to the Cercanías suburban trains.
There is one catch: an extra €3 airport supplement applies whenever you enter or leave an airport station, unless you have a Tourist Travel Pass. The easiest way to handle it:
- At the airport station machine, buy a Multi card.
- If you only need one trip, choose the combined airport ticket (about €4.50 to €5.00).
- If you are staying a few days, load a 10-trip ticket and add the airport supplement separately, or buy a Tourist Travel Pass, which covers the supplement.
See the full Madrid airport by metro guide for journey times and tips.
The lines you will actually use
| Line | Colour | Useful for |
|---|---|---|
| Line 1 | Light blue | Sol, Gran Vía, Tribunal (Malasaña), Estación del Arte (Reina Sofía, Prado), Atocha station |
| Line 2 | Red | Sol, Sevilla, Banco de España (Prado, Cibeles), Retiro park, Ópera (Royal Palace) |
| Line 3 | Yellow | Sol, Callao, Plaza de España, Lavapiés, Moncloa |
| Line 5 | Green | Callao, Gran Vía, Chueca, Ópera, La Latina (El Rastro market) |
| Line 8 | Pink | The airport |
| Line 10 | Dark blue | Santiago Bernabéu stadium, Nuevos Ministerios, Plaza de España, Chamartín station |
Sol is the heart of the network and of the city, where Lines 1, 2 and 3 meet under Puerta del Sol. From there, almost every central sight is within one or two stops, or a short walk.
Metro stops for the top sights
- Prado Museum: Banco de España (Line 2) or Estación del Arte (Line 1)
- Reina Sofía Museum: Estación del Arte (Line 1)
- Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral: Ópera (Lines 2 and 5, and the Ramal shuttle)
- Retiro Park: Retiro (Line 2)
- Plaza Mayor: Sol (Lines 1, 2 and 3), a five-minute walk
- Santiago Bernabéu stadium: Santiago Bernabéu (Line 10)
- Atocha station (high-speed trains south): Atocha (Line 1)
- Chamartín station (trains north): Chamartín (Lines 1 and 10)
Tips from experience
- Metro hours: trains run from about 6:00 until about 1:30. After that, night buses called "búhos" take over.
- Stand on the right on escalators; people walk up on the left.
- Hold on to your card until you leave. Some stations check tickets at the exit, and you will need the card for your next trip anyway.
- Watch your bag on crowded trains, especially on Line 1 and around Sol, where pickpockets target tourists.
- Change at the right place. Nuevos Ministerios, Sol, Príncipe Pío and Plaza de España are the big interchanges. Some corridors are long, so allow a few extra minutes.
- Keep your Multi card at the end of your trip. It can be reloaded next time you visit.
Is the Tourist Travel Pass worth it?
Add up the rides you expect to take. With a 10-trip ticket, each ride costs a little over €1 at the standard price, and less when discounts apply. The 1-day Tourist Travel Pass costs €8.40 for Zone A, so it only pays off on a very busy day, or on a day when you travel to or from the airport (because it saves the €3 supplement). For most visitors staying three or four days, a 10-trip ticket plus a single airport supplement is the cheaper combination.
For lines, stations and fares, see our complete Madrid Metro guide, the ticket prices page and the Madrid tourist guide.
Always verify schedules and fares with the official operator before travelling.