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Getting around Madrid

Public transport

Central Madrid is served by a network of bus routes, an extensive metro system and trains. The main hub is Puerta del Sol. The Consorcio de Transportes de Madrid (tel: 112, in Spain only; www.ctm-madrid.es) offers maps and information.

The metro (tel: +34 902 444 403; www.metromadrid.es) runs regularly until 0130. Each of the 12 metro lines is distinguished by a colour and number.

EMT (tel: +34 902 507 850; www.emtmadrid.es) runs Madrid's bus service. Night buses depart from Plaza de Cibeles between 2330 and 0600.

The local train network, operated by Cercanías (www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/cercanias/madrid), comprises 12 lines with a link between Charmartín and Atocha stations.

The Tarjeta Transporte Público (www.tarjetatransportepublico.es) is Madrid's transport smartcard. A tourist version for one, two, three, five or seven days is available in metro stations, at the tourist office on Plaza Mayor and online.

Taxis

Taxis can be hired at ranks or on the street, with surcharges for additional passengers, luggage and telephone pick-ups.

Private taxi companies include TeleTaxi (tel: +34 91 371 2131) and Radio Taxi Independiente (tel: +34 91 405 1213).

Driving

Driving in central Madrid is not recommended. It's much easier to get around on foot and using public transport. If you choose to drive, consult the rules of Servicio de Estacionamiento Regulado (SER) (Regulated Parking Service).

Car hire

Drivers aged 21 years and above need a passport, a valid insurance policy and valid driving licence held for at least one year. A Green Card is strongly recommended for all visitors and is compulsory for those from outside the EU.

Recommended car hire companies include Avis (tel: +34 902 110 291; www.avis.es), Europcar (tel: +34 902 105 055; www.europcar.es) and Hertz (tel: +34 902 023 932; www.hertz.es).

Bicycle hire

You can hire bikes through Madrid's bikeshare scheme, BiciMAD (tel: 010, in Spain only or +34 91 529 8210; www.bicimad.com), which has 165 stations stocked with more than 2,000 electric bikes across the city.

A digital image at https://illuminoto.com

City Highlight: Madrid

Madrid is vibrant, creative, and has a regal vibe with grand architecture befitting an ancient empire that once gripped the Iberian Peninsula

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Featured Hotels

Hotel AC Santo Mauro

This small luxury Madrid hotel, part of the Marriott Autograph Collection, is situated in a leafy corner of the historic Chamberí neighbourhood and is housed in a 19th-century palace that once served as an embassy. It has been reconstructed in a tasteful combination of neoclassical and avant-garde styles. The lounges, ornamented with stucco mouldings, mirrors and fluted pilasters, evoke the refinement of a bygone age and are the perfect setting for entertaining clients. Other facilities include business services, six conference rooms (occupying the former ballrooms), interpreting services, multilingual staff, an indoor swimming pool and a fitness centre.

Casual Madrid de Teatro

It’s not just the location that makes this a great value hotel, although being a stone’s throw from Plaza Santa Ana and Plaza del Angel doesn’t hurt. The building is a lovely 1920s throwback, and the rooms are bright and airy, with high ceilings. Many hotels are charging much more for way less. One of the best cheap hotels in Madrid.

Petit Palace Ducal Chueca

Located close to the Gran Via, this Madrid hotel can truly boast 'all mod cons'. Part of the state-of-the-art High Tech hotel chain, its 58 boutique rooms are full of electronic knobs and whistles, including a flat screen TV and a hydro-massage shower. That doesn't impinge on comfort levels, though, and the red and black décor gives it a classy feel.

Vincci Soma

The location is one of the main attractions of this 170-room boutique hotel in Madrid, opposite Goya Metro station in the upmarket Salamanca district, 1km (0.6 miles) from Retiro Park and the chic shops of Calle Serrano. There are a few forays into the realm of luxury service, with a pillow menu and a book delivery service. The restaurant serves creative Mediterranean dishes.

Hotel Trafalgar

Less than 10 minutes from the centre of town by metro (Iglesia or Bilbao), the Trafalgar is a modern hotel that is popular with both tourists and businesspeople. It lies in a residential neighbourhood, well provided with shops, restaurants and other amenities. The 48 en-suite rooms, while unexceptional, are air-conditioned and have direct-dial telephones and TV. There is also a laundry service and currency exchange. The English-speaking staff are friendly and helpful.

Hotel Paris

One of the popular cheap options in Madrid’s Puerta de Alcalá area, Hotel Paris' 120 rooms are surprisingly spacious, decorated in classic style – this was one of the first luxury hotels in Madrid at the start of the 20th century. It was only when the Ritz was established in 1910 that it was relegated to a more modest category. Its main attraction is its location, right on the Puerta del Sol, with the main cultural stops right on its doorstep.

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