Madrid Travel Forum

Does anyone know how long it takes to go to Madrid DT from the airport by public transportation?

You can find information about airport transport here (English link at the top of the page):

http://www.aena.es

Search for 'Madrid' under airports (on the left).

Then click 'practical information' for info about bus and Metro timetables. The airport is only 12km from the city centre, so it won't take long whichever mode of transport you use.

Ask for 'city centre' rather than 'downtown', which is a word not often used in Europe.

See also http://www.metromadrid.es/en/index.html: here you can introduce departure and destination metro stations, then get a personalized travel plan and total travel time.

Cheers!
Gil

The Metro into NUEVOS MINISTERIOS (the end of the airport link LINE 8 - THE PINK ONE !) cost €2 and takes about 30 minutes. If you open Google Maps and put in search box:

Nuevos Ministerios Madrid

You should get a map showing the station. Now if you know your final destination (hopefully!!) you can find walking directions or how long it may take by taxi form this place. Or if you click on the Metro symbol, it will highlight the routes of the Metros that link with Nuevos Ministerios.
Neat.
Lines 6 , 8 and 10 !
Google call it 'subway services from this station' and not Metro.

I quite like the word 'subway' because it indicates that the train is underground. But I guess that Metro is a bit more 'European'. Nuevos Ministerios is not really downtown but you are almost there.

If you are transiting to get to the Atocha Railway station. Then please look at my tip ! :-)
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/4ceb3/3ff84/9/

25 mins from airport to nuevos ministerios line 8,then to Sol take line 6 one stop to cuatro caminos then line 1 to Sol (puerta del sol) about 8 minutes.