The Puerta de Alcalá gate in Madrid on a clear day with a flower bed and traffic in front
Photo: Jorge Franganillo / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Essentials

Madrid Travel Tips: Metro, Airport, Meal Times and Closing Days

Madrid travel tips for a first visit: the Metro and tourist pass, getting from the airport, meal times, tipping, museum closing days and when to go.

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Use the Metro and your feet, expect late meals, watch your bag in crowds, and go in spring or autumn if you can choose. That’s what most guides say, and everything else is detail. Roam Madrid read 7 guides for this page, in English, from travel blogs and a hotel group. Every fare, hour and closing day below comes from an official page, not from those guides. Every place named is on the map, and the events page shows what’s on during your dates.

The tips are ordered by how many guides name them. A tip named by two guides or fewer is left out.

The short list

TipGuides naming it (of 7)Section
Use the Metro and walk the centre7Getting around
Get a transport card or tourist pass5Getting around
Know your airport options4From the airport
Go in spring or autumn4When to go
Pack for summer heat4When to go
Tip little, and check how4Money
Expect late meals3Meal times
Watch your bag in crowds3Safety

Getting around

The Metro and walking are recommended by 7 of 7 guides read, a transport card or pass by 5.

The centre’s small enough to walk, and the Metro covers everything beyond it. Madrid’s tourism site says it runs from 6:00 to 1:30, with 12 lines, three Metro Ligero tram lines and over 300 stations. Single tickets cost 1.50 to 2 euros until the end of 2026, and pay-per-ride tickets are loaded onto a contactless Multi card, which costs 2.50 euros.

A grey Metro station entrance with a red diamond Metro sign on a wet night, with the Palacio de Cibeles lit behind
Photo: wwwuppertal / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

The tourist travel pass is the simplest option if you’ll ride a lot, and you won’t need to buy single tickets. esMadrid lists 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 day versions, and the Multi card is free with the 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 day passes.

DaysZone AZone T
110.30 euros15.40 euros
217.50 euros26.20 euros
323.10 euros35.00 euros
533.40 euros50.40 euros
743.20 euros62.80 euros

Zone T covers the whole Metro including the airport supplement, the region’s city and intercity buses, Cercanías trains in zones 0 to C2 and the Metro Ligero. It’s not valid on Avant or other high-speed trains. Zone A, the cheaper one, covers central Madrid. If you’ll only make a few trips, a 10-trip ticket may be cheaper, and esMadrid lists one at 7.30 euros for Metro zone A, EMT buses and ML1.

From the airport

Airport options are discussed by 4 of 7 guides read.

The guides don’t agree on the best way in. One says the Metro’s airport line is the easy choice, one lists the Metro, Cercanías and the airport bus, and two give a fixed taxi fare. All the official facts are from esMadrid, and you’ll want to check them on the day.

The wavy bamboo-lined roof of Madrid Barajas Terminal 4 over a long concourse
Photo: Maximilian Goldmann / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
  • Metro Line 8 takes about 12 minutes to Terminals 1 to 3 and 20 minutes to Terminal 4, from Nuevos Ministerios. A single ticket plus the airport supplement costs 4.50 to 5 euros, and the supplement alone is 3 euros. The zone T tourist pass includes it.
  • Airport Express (bus 203) runs every day of the year, from Atocha between 6:00 and 23:30, then from Cibeles from 23:30 to 6:00. It takes about 30 minutes to Terminal 1, with about 5 more to Terminals 2 and 4. A single ticket is 5.10 euros, paid on board by cash or contactless card.
  • Night bus N32 runs from the Avenida de América bus interchange, with the first bus at 0:15 and the last at 5:30.
  • Cercanías stops at Terminal 4, and no fare was confirmed for this guide.

When to go

Spring or autumn is recommended by 4 of 7 guides read, and summer heat is flagged by 4.

The guides put the best months at April to June and September to October, and say May, June, September and October in particular. Summer’s hot. Guides give 35 degrees or more, and one says July and August can reach 40. Madrid’s tourism site says the city’s inland position brings bigger temperature swings, with colder winters and hot summers. In August, one guide says many small restaurants and shops close for a few weeks, so check your main stops first. Most of this applies to the day trips too, so look at best day trips from Madrid before you plan a hot weekend.

Meal times

Late meals are noted by 3 of 7 guides read.

Lunch is mid-afternoon, and dinner doesn’t start until around 9:00 or later. One guide says many kitchens close between about 4:00 and 8:00, so plan a snack. Madrid’s tourism site says tourist areas such as Puerta del Sol and Gran Vía are open every day, including Sundays and holidays, with shops open from about 9:00 or 10:00 to 20:00 or 22:00.

Money and tipping

A modest tip is recommended by 4 of 7 guides read.

The guides don’t agree. Three say tipping is optional and small, and a fourth says about 10% is usual in restaurants. Madrid’s tourism site says tipping is optional and isn’t customary, and that service is included in the price, so you don’t have to add anything. It also says some restaurants add a 2 to 3 euro charge for bread or a small tapa, and they must warn you, so you can decline it. Hotels and restaurants may show “IVA no incluido”, which means VAT of 10% on top. Most shops and public transport take cards, so you don’t need much cash. Tap water is safe to drink, according to esMadrid.

Safety

Pickpockets are flagged by 3 of 7 guides read.

The guides that cover safety say violent crime is low and the risk is pickpockets in crowds. They name Puerta del Sol, Gran Vía, Plaza Mayor, busy Metro cars, Atocha and El Rastro on Sundays. Keep your bag in front of you, your phone in a front pocket and nothing on café tables.

The clock tower of the Real Casa de Correos on the Puerta del Sol against a blue sky
Photo: Pablo Sanchez Martin / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Opening days and free hours

Here are the official facts, as listed on each venue’s page. They change, so you’ll want to check.

  • Reina Sofía is closed on Tuesdays, and on 1 and 6 January, 1 May, 15 May, 9 November and 24, 25 and 31 December, with 15 May and 9 November possibly varying. Free from 19:00 to 21:00 Monday and Wednesday to Saturday and 12:30 to 14:30 on Sunday.
  • Prado is open daily and closed on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. Free from 18:00 to 20:00 Monday to Saturday and 17:00 to 19:00 on Sunday and holidays.
  • Royal Palace is closed on 1 and 6 January, 1 May and 25 December, and from 15:00 on 24 and 31 December.
  • Temple of Debod and El Escorial are both closed on Mondays.
  • El Rastro runs on Sundays and holidays, 9:00 to 15:00.

Madrid’s tourism site lists 15 May and 9 November as city holidays. The Prado or Reina Sofía guide has the museum details and things to do in Madrid has the sights.

Less common tips

Ride apps and taxis come up in 4 guides, with different advice in each. Booking big sights ahead and carrying cash for small bars are named by 2 guides each, so they’re left out.

Palm trees and tropical plants inside the glass hall of Atocha station
Photo: Álvaro Ibáñez / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best way to get around Madrid?

Walk the centre and use the Metro for longer rides. All 7 guides read say so. The Metro runs from 6:00 to 1:30, according to esMadrid.

How much is the Madrid tourist travel pass?

Zone A costs 10.30 euros for 1 day and 43.20 for 7. Zone T costs 15.40 for 1 day and 62.80 for 7, and also covers buses and Cercanías, according to esMadrid.

How do you get from Madrid airport to the city centre?

By Metro Line 8, which takes about 12 minutes to Terminals 1 to 3 and 20 minutes to Terminal 4, or by Airport Express bus 203, which costs 5.10 euros. The zone T tourist pass includes the Metro airport supplement.

What’s the best time of year to visit Madrid?

Spring and autumn. Four guides say so, and the same four warn that summer’s often 35 degrees or more.

Do you need to tip in Madrid?

No. Madrid’s tourism site says tipping’s optional. The guides’ advice runs from rounding up to about 10%.

What time do people eat in Madrid?

Lunch is mid-afternoon and dinner starts around 9:00 or later, according to the guides.

Is Madrid safe for tourists?

Guides say violent crime is low and pickpockets in crowds are the main risk, so you’ll want your bag in front of you in busy areas.

For the rest of your trip, see where to stay in Madrid and the Toledo day trip.

Sources: 7 guides in English, and 10 official pages

Guides in English

Official pages

Places in this guide

Photos show the actual places, licensed under Creative Commons and credited to their photographers.

Monastery of El Escorial, El Escorial Monastery of El Escorial El Escorial Photo: Daquella manera Army Museum in the Alcázar of Toledo, Toledo Army Museum in the Alcázar of Toledo Toledo Photo: ajay_suresh
Explore the Madrid travel map Every place on the site, with stations, costs, and walk times

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