How to get to Madrid traveling with children

Traveling with children is a challenge for parents, you have to organize and plan well and learn well. If you plan to travel to Madrid, the first thing is to know what are the different options to get to the city. In this guide we recommend different options for children's comfort according to dista

In this guide we recommend different options for children's comfort according to distance and budget. Once you have arrived, you also have to know what means of transport there are in Madrid.

Travel to Madrid with children

As the capital of Spain, Madrid is a city well connected to the main European cities and the capitals of almost every country in the world, as well as other Spanish cities.

- Flights to Madrid

To travel from great distances the airplane is always the best option, even if the long distances are a bit heavy for children.

Madrid Barajas airport receives millions of visits per year, is located in the northeast area of the city and is accessible by car, taxi, bus or metro.

The companies that operate at the Barajas airport are very varied: all the flights of the T4 are operated by Iberia, which offers a wide range of destinations but at a slightly higher price than other companies that operate in the rest of the terminals: Ryanair , Easyjet, Vueling ... travel from cities around the world, and of course also from different parts of Spain such as Barcelona, Bilbao, Seville or Valencia.

The best recommendation is that you consult the prices and schedules in different companies to be able to choose the one that best suits your needs.

The journey from the airport to the city center can be done by metro from the T1 (there are shuttle buses that connect the terminals), you need to pay a special rate that is indicated in the points of sale of the tickets.

We can also use taxis, which are usually found at the exit of each terminal, but the price is quite high due to airport taxes. A cheaper option may be to rent a shared taxi. There are also car rental services at the airport.

- Car rental in Madrid

If we are going to travel with children from a Spanish city, or even from Portugal and France, it is possible that the car is the best choice.

Traveling by car gives us more flexibility in schedules, routes and breaks, we can stop when necessary or the children get tired, and visit other cities along the way. On the contrary are the long hours of travel and the increasingly high price of fuel.

Different highways and motorways (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 and A6) connect the main cities of Spain with Madrid.

- Trains to Madrid

Madrid has two train stations, Atocha and Chamartín, which connect it with all of Spain and several European cities. The development of high-speed trains (AVE) has made it a comfortable and easy way to travel, as it goes directly to the city center, although faster trains have a considerable increase in price compared to regional , so it is best to check the Renfe website.

Traveling in Madrid with children

In Madrid there is a very complete and efficient public transport system, both buses and metro, which are the most comfortable options to move with children or babies.

Tourist areas are usually well signposted and communicated, and in a few minutes we can visit a large number of monuments.

- Madrid Metro Stations

The Madrid Metro is the fastest way to move between different points of the city, the metro network is very wide and it takes you to all the tourist points of the city.

It has 12 metro lines and 3 light rail lines, which in total cover more than 280 kilometers.

The price of the meter varies according to the distance we are going to cover: € 1.5 for 5 stops (children under 4 do not have to pay) and 10 cents more for an extra stop, up to a maximum of € 2.

The bonus of ten trips, useful if you are going to make several trips, has a price of € 12.

The most convenient option if the trip is going to last several days are tourist subscriptions, which have different prices according to the number of days in which they are valid:

1 day - 8.00 €

2 days - 13.40 €

3 days - € 17.40

5 days - € 25.40

7 days - € 33.40

Children under 11 receive a 50% discount on the price of this tourist pass.

- Bus in Madrid

Madrid has an extensive network of buses that connect the entire city, as well as the metro, although due to the heavy traffic its use is not recommended unless the place is not accessible with the metro network .

Prices vary according to the distance traveled, the normal single ticket costs € 1.50 (can reach € 4.20) and the payment of ten trips € 12 (up to € 29.15).

There is a double-decker tourist bus that goes through the most important places in the city. A good choice for a day when children are tired and do not want to walk but still enjoy the monuments of Madrid.

- Taxi in Madrid

Taxis are an option to travel comfortably and quickly, but its price is quite high, so you have to consider the most economical possible alternatives.