Preparing your business trip to Madrid

Did you just land in Madrid, and are looking for a two-minute guide to the city?

You're in luck! This article gathers the top information you need for a fast trip there.

Transport

Getting to the center of the city from the airport

There a few ways out of Madrid's airport: you can choose between the bus, the metro and the train.

• Airport Express Bus: The Expres Aeropuerto is a bus service available 24/7 at an interval of 15 minutes by day, and 35 minutes by night. A ticket for this 40-minute ride to the center costs 5€, you can buy yours on board of the bus, which also contains plenty of luggage and seating space
• Metro: You can take the metro from terminals T2 and T4. It runs every day from 6AM to 1:30AM. To reach the center, take line 8 which will lead you to Nuevos Ministerios.

Tickets are 5 € (a fare specific to the airport)

• Train: On the cercanias, take line C1, which leads to the central Príncipe Pío station. The train station is located in Aeropuerto T4's first floor. You'll find 3 to 4 train every hour, running between  5.56AM and 22.25PM, for a price of 2€60

How to move around in the city ?

• Metro: Madrid has 12 metro lines covering 300 stops. Running from 6.05AM to 1.30AM, it is the quickest and easiest way to get around, metros passing every 2 minutes. A simple ticket costs 1,5 to 2€ for 5 stations or 2€ for 10 or more stations. The Metrobus card, valid for both metro and bus services, costs 12.20€ for 10 journeys, and can be found almost anywhere.
• Bus: Madrid has a dense 200-route bus network running from 6.30AM to 11.30PM during weekdays, and from approximately 7AM to 11PM on Friday and Saturday.

A single bus ticket, which you can purchase from the bus driver, costs 1,5€.

• Taxi: You can find taxis everywhere, and prices are cheap by European standards.
• Train: A single ticket costs 1.70€, and a 10-trip 'bonotren' pass costs 10€.
• Walking: Madrid’s compact city centre allows for makes walking a valid option. Be warned, however, that it's hillier than it appears.

Eating

Here's a list of a few of Madrid's many restaurants which we recommend you enjoy with your clients and colleagues:

• Ramon Freixa Madrid: This two-Michelin-stars' elegant restaurant is located at the Hotel Único and offers a choice between three set menus
• Metro Bistro: This restaurant offers cutting-edge cuisine in an intimate setting
• Botin: Created in 1725, this traditional Mediterranean restaurant it is said to be the oldest  in the world.

Where to stay

Here is a list of 7 of Madrid's hotels that have applied Covid-appropriate measures to ensure traveller security:

1. Senator Castellana***
2. Senator Gran Via 70 Spa****
3. Espahotel Gran Via***
4. Espahotel Plaza de España***
5. Espahotel Plaza Basilica***
6. Velazquez 45 by Pillow***
7. NH Collection Madrid Suecia*****

Leisure

Here are the top 3 places to visit while on a short visit to Madrid:

• Prado Museum

Owning the world's best collection of Spanish paintings, this museum opened its doors in 1819. It reunites some of the world's most famous masterpieces: for example Velázquez' Las Meninas, Goya's The Naked Maja, Raphael, Rubens' The Adoration of the Magi, and Bosch's The Garden of Delights, amongst other major Italian and Flemish artists.

Open from 10AM to 8PM from Monday to Saturday, and till 7PM on Sunday, its standard ticket price is 15 €, while the reduced price is 7.5 €. And if you're more of a late museum dweller, entrance is free for all from 6PM to 8PM.

To reach the Prado Museum, take metro lines 1 or 2, or bus lines 9, 10, 14, 19, 27, 34, 37, or 45.

• Royal Palace

Built in 1764, this palace has served as the royal residence starting with Carlos III. While the last royals to reside there were Alfonso XIII and Victoria Eugenie in the early 1900s, the palace is still used today for official ceremonies. As a tourist, you are allowed to visit 50 of its rooms, amongst which are an armory, a pharmacy and the palace’s lavish throne room, or “Salón del Trono”.

It is open every day from October to Mars from 10AM to 6PM, and from 10AM to 8PM during the rest of the year. The standard ticket price is 10€, while the reduced price is 5€.

To get there, take metro lines 2 or 5, or bus lines 3, 25, 39, or 148.

• Plaza Mayor

Placed in the heart of the city, the Plaza was used a bullfighting arena back in 1619, and witnessed the killing of many accused heretics during the Spanish Inquisition. Today, it is a vast tourist attraction.

To reach this hub, take metro lines 1, 2, or 3, or bus lines 17, 18, 23, 31, 35, or 65.

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