Help with transportation in Madrid

Take the Aerocity van service from the front of the terminal directly to you hotel (Hostal Acuplco perhaps?) It will deliver you to your front door. As you leave the secured luggage area to the main area of the terminal, take the :Nothing to declare" door, and turn right. You will pass a Pharmcia on the right and then there is a large fast food type restaurant. Stop and get a glass of juice or coffee. In front of the restaurant toward the exit doors you will see various booths ... cars, taxi, etc. Look for the Aerocity Van Booth. It is one of the smaller ones. They will order a van for you. It may or may not stop to get other passengers at other terminals. Either way it is a good ride. There is a web site where you can purchase in advance and save an euro or two. You will need you flight information to make the purchase.

Alternatively you could take the train, but it will be an unfamiliar journey and you will be about one plus block from the hotel.

The restaurant on the Plaza Carmen, is excellent. Garbo's is the name.. Also,there is an adajacent hotel (in which you may be staying) that has a good breakfast bar. Walk down the hill, turn left and in a couple of blocks you are at Puerta del sol...the center of the tourist area.

Thank you so much for the detailed information.:) Yes, I will stay in Hostal Acapulco. Is it far from Atocha RENFE metro stop? I will take AVE train to Barcelona after the visit. Thank you.

Your hotel is between Sol and Gran Via metro stations, a block or two to either one. The metro ride to/from Atocha Renfe is several stops away but on direct line #1. If you take the Cercanias tain from airport Terminal 4, it takes you to Atocha .

We use aerocity w repeated success and find the drivers willing to go out of their way to be of help.

Thanks for your reply note! The hostal is one of the better ones in Madrid. Clean and accessible. The street entrance is somewhat hidden, but the aerocity van driver will know. You enter the building from the street and there is an elevator directly to the hostal. There is a sign on the exterior, up high on the building.

To get to Atocha with one carry on you can take the metro, subway, As noted by another, there are two stations nearby, about a block each way. Be sure to get off at the Atocha Train Staion stop and you will exit directly into the station. Walk, walk , walk, and you will at the train area. You may need to ask "Have I passed the ticket station". but do not get discouraged. Lots of shops and eating places as you go along. Enjoy your trip!!!