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getting around by bus 

Madrid has an extensive city bus network, run by the company Empresa Municipal de Transporte (EMT), which covers practically the whole city. Certain areas are not served by the Metro, although the buses do go there. In the main streets there are bus lanes, though we should bear in mind that in moments of heavy traffic the buses can also be affected by the traffic jams, which means they can be slower than the Metro.

Most lines operate everyday between 6 am and 11.30 pm, with buses leaving at intervals between 4 and 15 minutes, depending on the time of day. The buses are less frequent during weekends. There is also a bus line (200) connecting Barajas Airport (T1, T2 and T4) with Avenida de América, at the same price as a single bus ticket. Line 101 connects Canillejas to T1, T2 and T3.

There are also night buses, known as “búhos” (owls), which run along twenty seven different routes, although all of them leave from Plaza de la Cibeles. The cost is the same as for the day buses, though they are less frequent. From Sunday to Thursday and on public holidays, the night buses (“búhos”) leave their starting point every 35 minutes, from 11.55 pm to 4 am. Then there is another bus at 5:10 am. On Fridays, Saturdays and the night before public holidays, the “búhos” start out from Cibeles every 15 to 20 minutes, between 11:45 pm and 5:30 am.

The “búhometros” started to run in May 2006. These night buses mirror the itineraries of eleven underground lines on Fridays, Saturdays and the night before public holidays. The first bus leaves between 12:45 am and 1:35 am, depending on the line, and the last one is at 5:45 am, every 15 to 20 minutes. The price is the same as for daytime service.

To know when the next bus is due, the EMT has set up a service that can be accessed using a mobile phone. The user sends an SMS text message to the number 7998, with the words: ESPERA space NUMBER OF BUS STOP, and shortly afterwards the phone will receive a message with the information requested. The total cost of both SMS amounts to 0.15 € + VAT.

All the vehicles that make up the EMT fleet, 2,022 in total, are air conditioned and have automatic transmission. Madrid’s buses have special facilities for disabled access.

Buses can only be caught at established bus stops, where the route for each bus can also be consulted. Drivers will only stop when requested to do so by a passenger: those who are travelling in the bus and wish to get off should press the stop request button inside the vehicle; those waiting at the stop should make a clear hand signal in good time.

Rates

• Single ticket: 1.50 €

• Metrobús (10 journeys on Metro or buses): 12 €

• 10 1-hour bus tickets: 18 €

The Metrobús ticket can be purchased in Metro stations and at authorised newspaper kiosks and tobacco shops (‘estancos’). They are not sold on the buses themselves. The ticket should be validated for each journey made on boarding the bus, and should be made available to any EMT staff members that request the ticket during a journey.

Airport Express bus

Madrid  has a new transport service connecting the city centre and Barajas airport, which runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The bus, named Airport Express, completes the journey in approximately 40 minutes. Buses run once every 15 minutes during the day (6am to 11.30pm), and every 35 minutes at night (11.30pm to 6am). Read more

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