Arriving early by train and want to spend my last day in Madrid before taking the train to my hotel near the airport for the night ... need to leave my bags in a locker, preferably at Atocha ... been searching for more info but not finding much ... the Madrid tourist information site says there are left luggage lockers but service has been temporarily suspended (not sure if accurate since don't see when this was updated) ... there are other options near the station but prefer inside the station itself ... thanks in advance for any info.
Posted by
Cloud
273 posts
There is Store Your Bags company near Atocha :
Otherwise you may need to go all the way to your hotel and store them there.
Posted by
Hudson Valley
2267 posts
I know some people are dead set on staying near airports. But if you're homeward bound, the flights aren't that early, a taxi to MAD from the city is flat-fare at 30 euro, and only takes 15-20 minutes longer than staying near the airport.
I'd suggest you consider staying in the city and enjoying it.
Posted by
OP
DFW TX, USA
457 posts
I'd suggest you consider staying in the city
That's what I usually do, just checking my options.
Posted by
Hudson Valley
2267 posts
DQ- The westbound TAs are late enough that I usually just take the commuter train to T4. (Unless it's the JFK flight, which is a little too early for me to deal with the train. Or MIA is even earlier. PHL, CLT, DFW- train flights.)
Posted by
Austin
973 posts
so Scudder,
How long does it take to get processed thru the MAD for an 11:15 am TA flight to DC..... are the UAL check-in counters set up for individual flights as in some European airports, or one long line as in the US, please? thanks in advance.
considering Atocha vs. airport last night ( and agree it is boring to spend last night in the airport area, but coming to Madrid from Sevillle with a stop in Cordoba for three hours, already a busy travel day)
Posted by
Hudson Valley
2267 posts
Melissa-
I don’t have specific experience with United, and I’ve actually never been to the terminal they use at Madrid’s airport. (I’m in the American Airline/OneWorld loyalty system, and that’s a separate, very different terminal at MAD. My earlier reply was somewhat specific to the OP, as their profile indicates they’re flying AA, too.)
The way I look at is is this: if the travel time is, let’s say, 30 minute difference between staying near the airport vs in town, is the extra 30 minutes sleep worth giving up a night in the city? But if the general rule is to be there three hours early, for an 11:15 flight you’d want to get there at 8:15—so we’re not talking about brutally early times.
Also, heads up the Terminal 1-2-3, for United, will change the transportation options—the fast, easy, direct commuter trains don’t stop there. From almost anywhere in the center you’ll have to take a combination of subway trains for public transit.