Getting around Madrid by MetroThe Metro (underground/subway) in Madrid is one of the best you will use in Europe – much of the network has been updated over the past few years and practically all trains are new. It has 10 lines which cross the city and is guaranteed to get you to wherever you want to get to very quickly. The lines run from the first stop to the last on the line and all lines are colour-co-ordinated.

Here is a map of the Madrid Underground.

Alternatively, here is a Tourist Map of the underground which highlights tourist attractions and their corresponding attractions. It’s pretty neat actually.

Getting around by Bus

Like the Metro service the Bus service of Madrid (EMT) is exceptionally good. There are dedicated bus lanes around the city (and quite a few on the main thoroughfares like the Castellana) which ‘often’ mean that buses are able to getting around a lot quicker than cars. Buses are single deckers, though quite a few are bendy buses. For most of the centre of Madrid they are very frequent and offer a nice change to the Metro especially if you want to see historic buildings, fountains and parks.

Here is a Tourist Map of the Madrid bus routes.

This is an Interactive Route Map in English and Spanish to help you plan your journeys.

Fares
The cost of travel on the Metro and Bus are exactly the same and tickets can be used on either one of them. I usually use a combination of metro and bus tickets to get around. As of April 2014 fares cost 1.50 Euros to travel on the main, central lines and 2.00-3.00 Euros to travel on the outskirts of Madrid. The best value for tourists are generally the 10-trip tickets which cost 12.20.