Getting around in Madrid

Expats worried about getting around in Madrid should certainly shelf their concerns. The city is simply marvellous when it comes to moving about - it's flat, central and equipped with what many believe to be the world's best metro system.

Add Spain's famous high-speed train network to the mix, and you've got no excuse not to travel the proximal area and the country as a whole like it's your own personal playground. Furthermore, as the national capital, Madrid is the heart of the country and the international hub for all things Spain!

Modes of transit for getting around Madrid

Metro

If you choose accommodation in Madrid's centre, you can live and die by its metro - no car needed for sure. The metro is incredibly efficient, clean, safe, clearly marked and economical (€1.50 per trip in the city centre, or less if you buy multiple trips at once).

 While the metro lines stretch themselves from the city's innards to the outskirts, they're not necessarily recommended as a daily means for travel to or from the periphery of the city and beyond.  Reason being, the lines that reach far outside the city often zig and zag their way from the centre - meaning that getting from point A to point B can take a really long time.  Inside the city, however; nothing beats the metro.

Train

The city also has a highly effective train system that extends all the way to the country's extremities, but also to closer areas.  These local trains,called cercanias, can often get you just outside of the city limits much more quickly than the metro.  

When it comes to longer journeys, living in Madrid puts you at the epicentre of domestic travel. One particularly advantageous part of this is the AVE, Spain's high-speed train, which can get you to and from several of the country's largest cities in practically the blink of an eye.

The trip isn't cheap, but when you think of the time you save not having to check bags or go through ridiculous security lines, you realise just how sensible an alternative travelling door-to-door is to flying.

Taxi

With over 15,000 taxis in Madrid, getting around by taxi is a mode of transportation not to be discounted. Taxis are fairly reasonably priced, however; to avoid getting "taken for a ride", know where you are going and the best way to get there. While taxi drivers often drive with integrity, by law they are only obliged to take the cheapest route if you indicate which route that is.

Bus

The bus network within Madrid and beyond is an extensive one, and is a great alternative to getting around the city if the metro doesn't get you where you need to go (note that your metro and bus tickets work interchangeably in the city centre). Similar to the train system, buses depart from Madrid heading in all directions, both near and far. While buses might be the most economical method of travel to go outside of Madrid, they are probably the least preferred given that the other options are quite a bit more comfortable and efficient.

Getting around Madrid by car

If you happen to be one of those rare expats who insists on driving a car, there are some basic rules of the road that you should be aware of, especially if you are coming from one of the western nations with highly respected traffic laws.

The first and most important rule is that often people don't follow the rules (except for cross walks - they always obey cross walks!), but since you're an expat, you might want to give them a go for awhile.

Here's a rundown of the key things you should be aware of while driving in Madrid:

• No rights on reds. Period.
• Your stop light is NOT the light across the intersection, but rather the one right at the line where you stop. This may require some straining to see the light, or perhaps you may not even see it all; which will leave you no choice other than to wait until you see others go, or until people start honking at you.
• Once you turn right or left at a light, remember that there is often another light waiting for you before you even leave the intersection. Just because the light is green and says you can turn right, does not mean that the light to your immediate right isn't flashing yellow because pedestrians are passing. Bottom line, always, always watch and follow the nearest light, no matter what.
• Round abouts are everywhere here, so if you are from a place without many, go find the nearest one and practice!

You will save yourself a lot of frustration and heartache if you also keep in mind the following points:

• Signalling is often replaced by just cutting other drivers off.  Don't be offended, it's the way it works here.
• When parking, people generally bump their way into parking spaces and care less for the condition of their car or others than you might be used to. Expect scrapes, scratches and dents - they are inevitable.
• Never leave anything of value visible in your car, or else, in all likelihood, it will be broken into.