From Madrid airport to the Old Town

We took the train, no problems. We do travel with carryon only tho, that would make a difference.

A few years ago, we took a taxi straight to our hotel. After a long, usually sleepless overnight flight, I'd rather have that door-to-door service. I believe it was about 30-35 EU. I was traveling with my mom, so we split the cost. We had only carry-on bags. Totally worth it. Check online on the Barajas website, I believe there's a set rate for airport to city center. Price depends on the airside you're traveling from. Taxis are white in Madrid.

Take a taxi. The flat rate is 30 Euro. The official taxis are white with a red stripe on the side. Don’t take a ride from anyone else, go right to the taxi rank.

Yes, the fixed rate from the airport to the center is €30, and no tipping is required beyond this.

That's the easiest way. There are other ways if you are looking to save money (bus, metro, train).

As an aside, I've never had a problem with cheating taxi drivers in Spain (Madrid and elsewhere). They've always used the meter (except for this airport to city transfer, where there is a special rate). There are a bunch of legitimate surcharges (such as for putting things in the trunk, picking up at the airport or train station, etc), but these are posted clearly on a placard in the taxi.

The train from the airport to Puerta del sol couldn't be easier. There is an RENFRE office at the airport that can help with the purchase of a ticket, if needed. There is a transfer, I believe at Chamartin, but ask. The train arrives to the metro station in the center of Puerta del sol. I believe it is 1.4euro/person. My hotel was at Puerta del sol (Hotel Europa) as well and we were just there.

Yes there is at least one transfer, maybe two. And the fare for the metro is 5 Euro per person, versus the taxi 30 Euros. Here is a website that spells out the options. http://www.gomadrid.com/transport/airport_options.html. Note Welcome Pickups has a service for 35 Euros where it’s a meet and great, English speaking driver. English is not as widely spoken in Spain as you might expect. So, if you take a taxi have a slip of paper with the name and address of your hotel. If you take the metro, study the map as you may not encounter someone to help you if you get lost (unless you are fluent in Spanish)

@Alan, the metro is 5 euro. The train is 1.4 euro. I was suggesting the train. It is one transfer and the trains use the metro stations. The transfer is also to another train, NOT the metro. In general, the train is an easier system to use within Madrid over the metro. I was told this by my hotel on Puerto del Sol and by others familiar with both the local train and the metro. I speak very little Spanish. I noted that RENFRE has English speaking staff at help desks at the large Madrid stations including the airport and Puerta del sol

The Train: Take the light rail (‘metro ligero’) from Terminal T4 to Chamartín, Nuevos Ministerios, Atocha or Príncipe Pío stations. To get to Terminal 4 if you're somewhere else, take the free terminal shuttle. The trip to Chamartín station takes approximately 11 minutes. Tickets to and from the airport cost 4.50 euros. The light rail runs from 6:00 to 01:33 with trains every 15 minutes early morning and late at night, and trains every 5-8 minutes during the day.

The train is the RENFRE cercanais train. I did not use a light rail/or light metro. It was one transfer. There is a free shuttle bus (blue and green) between the RENFRE station and the four terminals

I see that now: https://www.aeropuertomadrid-barajas.com/transportation/madrid-airport-bytrain.htm. It’s gone up a bit to 2.60 pp. Personally, we are wasted coming off a long flight (we are coming from the west coast) so we look for convenience over cost when it comes to airport transfers. And, there are three of us so the additional cost of a taxi or similar is marginal.

For 2 people, door-to-door service after a long-haul flight is definitely worth the money for a taxi. To get to Puerta del Sol from the airport, you have to change trains, and you might have to negotiate a flight of stairs with your luggage, and there's wait time for both trains, then figure out where your hotel is while you're in the middle of a very big, busy plaza.

I've also never had a problem with taxi drivers and rates have always seemed very reasonable.

We take the metro since have little luggage. It’s easy, inexpensive, and the Puerta del Sol station is about 50 yards from the hotel (hotel Europa). We got on at the airport, then switched at Colombia, then Principe de Vergara, and got off at Puerta del Sol.

I took the metro. As I recall, it's a pretty long ride with a change that includes a long walk. No problem if you aren't carrying a lot of luggage. The metro, like many European cities, is considered a haunt of thieves so caution is advised. I saw a lot of thieves and scamming near Puerta del Sol. Madrid stands out as the only city I've been actively followed by a thief (or at least enough to notice), also my least favorite city in Europe.

There is no actual Old Town in Madrid. The old center is really in Toledo, which is a great medieval city. Madrid was built about the same time as Baltimore. There are things to like in Madrid but an old center isn't one of them.

What time in April? There are some priceless events that happen in April. I spent Holy Thursday in Zaragosa and had one of the greatest traveling experiences of my life (Valladolid would be another great choice for Holy Week, Semana Santa). Later in the month the April Faire in Seville is an amazing experience too. If you can, I'd make a big effort to try to attend one or both.

I stayed at Hotel Europa, and took the train as described above. The train is cheaper than the metro and the hotel folks felt the train system is easier to navigate than the metro. I can see why after a long trip many would opt for a taxi. But, for me, with four kids in college and a long list of destinations on my bucket list, I am more of a budget traveler. One thing I would wonder is how long a taxi ride can take during certain parts of the day. The trains and metros have the advantage of not having traffic to deal with. In some cities, I seem to be able to get places far faster on public transportation than I would with a cab.

I didn't spend much time in Madrid, I did day trips, and I would agree that compared to much of Spain, there isn't as much history, and its not really that "old". But, just to provide clarification, guidebook maps often have an area of Madrid around the Puerta del sol labeled "Old Town".

In terms of taxi cab drivers, we didn't use a taxi in Madrid, but we did in Toledo a few times and observed them elsewhere. And the drivers I saw seemed very careful to both be and demonstrate honesty. Before the trips in Toledo, we asked how much to. . . and they gave us really good estimates. I usually round to the nearest euro, but they didn't seem to expect a tip.

Thanks for being a big help!!! :) Now I have all the information to decide.
I wish you all a happy holiday season!

I recommend taking only official taxis. Official licensed taxis are white with a red diagonal strip and their official numbers are indicated on the front doors. In case of any problem with the taxi driver, do not forget the official number. This way you can file a report.

We took few taxis in Madrid and everything was fine. They were polite, clean and efficient.

Have a wonderful time in Spain :)