Madrid Travel Forum

Is there any direct train or Shuttle service from Atocha Station to Madrid International airport. If not, what is the best way to get to Airport from Atocha.

I will be coming from Cordoba and arrive Madrid around 9 AM. Would I have time to spend some time at the station before catch my 12 noon flight to Copenhagen?

Hi Techants,
You just need to take a RENFE-train in Atocha from track 1 or track 2. After two stops you arrive at "Nuevos Ministerios"-Station. Once there you get out of Renfe and go to the SUBWAY station and catch the line 8 (pink) direct to "Barajas", the international airport in Madrid. All in all it should not take more than 30 to 45 minutes.
I hope it helps!
Good trip!
Helena
PS. You can also print the subway-lines in Madrid here:

www.metromadrid.es/acc_resources/pdfs/Plano_Metro_2007.pdf

(Google: Plano metro de Madrid)

That was quick.

How about any bus/shuttle service - any advice on that?

Here is what I just found off MADRID's official airport site (bit confusing) ..it says 2 changes...let me paste here

Atocha RENFE-AVE

14 stops with two changes: - Atocha-Renfe to Tribunal Station: line 1. - Change at Tribunal to line 10 in the direction of Nuevos Ministerios. - Change at Nuevos Ministerios to line 8 in the direction of the airport.

using the metro involves 2 changes

do as helena said (renfe train + metro) as it's easier and probably quicker

There is no direct shuttle as far I know, but in any case a bus will take more time than the options above (crossing all Madrid city centre is not easy overland, at any time)

Not sure what you mean as "spending some time at the station". It's a very nice station, part of it converted to a greenhouse, so it may be worth a quick look around. But I'd head to Barajas soon, just in case. Barajas is not a bad airport to wait for a while

Yes, the problem with the metro is that you need two changes, either you go from Atocha to the airport or from the centre (Sol, Gran Vía).

train + metro = faster BUT

you need to pay for two tickets, one for the commuter train, 1,15, and the ticket for metro. In the metro ticket you must choose one with tax for airport station, and will cost 2euros. Airport stations T1-3 and T4 have an extra charge of one euro. If you get a normal ticket you will need to pay the extra euro in the machines at the exit of the metro in the airport, adding some more time to your travel.

And to make things clearer.... there are now two tunnels connecting Atocha and Nuevos Ministerios. In platform 1 any train is valid, lines C7, C10 and C2. Can't remember the platform for lines C3 and C4.

http://www.renfe.es/cercanias/madrid/mapa_zonas.html

Anyway, I wouldn't "spend some time at the station".
Spanish authorities take seriously the safety measures and you can spend a lot of time waiting to be checked (even in train stations...).
So, arriving in Atocha, get the train or metro and follow your way.

Let me get this straight.

Madrid has a nice rain forest in its main train station. But a visitor may stopped and delayed for sake of so called SECURITY MEASURES.

Where this world is coming into - pathetic.

The very reason for me to go to Spain is to have good time and enjoy all those cool stuff the country has to offer. Now if I need to be extra careful so I don't spend "too much time" at any place......damn......this is not going to be vacation ..this is going to be a weekend of stress...

You can have a look at the station, but apart from the grrenhouse, there is not anything more important to see/do. Go to the airport which will take you around 40-45 minutes; once there, cross the safety control, have a coffee/drink, read a book/newspaper and wait till your flight.

My first name is Mohammad. I am Australian. Do you think I will have hard time at Spanish train and airport...

let's see, I think the answer abut security measures meant you *may* be delayed due to long lines in boarding controls (there are at the AVE and other trains, not in local trains apart of random controls that may happen ANYWHERE in this world of today). You can imagine that, after the 11-M attacks (btw, in Atocha you can see the memorial) this issue is especially sensible in Spain, and especially in Madrid

But no one will tell you anything because you're wandering "too much" around the station!!! (or anywhere else in Spain for that matter) There is always people wandering around, waiting for their trains or just sitting there for a while because it's fresh inside the station than in the street.

We were advising you not to loose much time around because:
- a) there is not much to see
and
- b) you don't know if there may be any delay or problem on your way to the airport.
It will be pretty silly to loose your plane (in the worse scenario) because you lost time wandering around a boring train station, that's all.

You will not be the only Mohammad in Madrid. Neither the only Australian. And probably no one will care a dime about any of both facts

and just for clarification, you can see the "nice rain forest" inside the station in 10 minutes, is not that big.

Take indications from Helena at face value, I have worked as a students transfer and I have done that jorney a hundred times, maybe. it's quick and easy

Belsaita comments about the greenhouse and the station are right, Atocha is a practical and austere station, you mustn't expect ot to be monumental, it just serves its purpose: a main conmuters knot in the town. The greenhouse only makes waiting time a bit more pleasant

Madrid is not a small town, noone will care about your name or your nationality, and Barajas Airport is not the place to go without a time cushion