Madrid Airport, officially called Barajas, is the largest air gateway in Spain. Its construction was completed in 1928, but almost immediately after that it was recognized as one of the most important European aviation centers. The situation has not changed even now. As of today, it annually passes through itself about 45 million passengers and almost 315 thousand tons of cargo. However, until recently this figure was higher. It decreased due to the opening of direct high-speed rail links between the Spanish capital and major cities.
Location
This airport (Madrid) is the busiest airport in Spain right now. In terms of the number of passengers and cargo handling in Europe, it is in fourth place, and in the world - in eleventh position. The air harbor is located in a northeast direction from the center of the capital at a distance of about twelvekilometers. Flights depart from here to many European cities, South American countries, as well as to island states and states.
The best way to get there
Due to the favorable location of the airport, residents and guests of the city almost never have any difficulties in getting here. For example, from the airport to the center of Madrid can be reached using the eighth line of the local metro, in just fifteen minutes. The fare on it, taking into account the airport tax, is 2.5 euros. In addition, the network of bus routes is quite developed, running around the clock with an interval of fifteen minutes during the day and half an hour at night. Finding this type of transport is not very difficult - the buses are painted yellow and stop near each of the terminals. It is impossible not to focus here on the democratic tariff policy.
Local railways have no direct connection with Barajas. On the other hand, the largest stations (which are Atocha and Chamartin) can be easily reached in just a few minutes using bus transport or the same metro. One should take into account the fact that Barajas is very large, so it is very easy to get lost here. The best way to help tourists who first came to Madrid airport is a map of its terminals indicating the location of public transport and subway stops. In addition, it is indispensable for the reason that it is here that oftentransferring passengers traveling over long distances.
Taxi and transfers
This type of transport, like a local taxi, deserves separate words. It can be easily identified by the white color of the cars with a red stripe and the presence of the city coat of arms on the door. If the car is free, a green light is on on its roof, and if it is occupied, yellow is used. In order to stop the car, it is enough just to give the driver a hand gesture. You can do this almost anywhere, with the exception of airports, railway and bus stations, where stopping cars is strictly prohibited. There are special parking lots for this. On average, a taxi ride from the airport to the city center will cost 35 euros.
Be that as it may, a taxi in Madrid from the airport is considered far from being the best option for travel. The fact is that it will be more convenient to order a transfer. Its advantage is the ability to travel a whole group of people with their luggage directly to the hotel or other destination.
Terminals and communication between them
As of today, this airport (Madrid) consists of five major passenger terminals, such as T1, T2, T3, T4 and its satellite, located at a distance of about 2.5 kilometers - T4S. At the same time, it is impossible not to note the fact that the fourth of them was put into operation quite recently - in 2008. It covers an area of 760 thousand square meters and is considered one of the largest and most beautiful on our planet.
Despite its size, Madrid Airport, whose terminals have close transport links with each other, is considered quite comfortable for passengers. In particular, due to the free shuttle bus, you can travel between the first three of them. They are connected to the fourth terminal by a route that passes through a long-term car park. An automatic underground train runs between T4 and T4S. Travel by all means mentioned above is free, subject to availability of a ticket.
Infrastructure
Like Madrid itself, Barajas Airport boasts a very developed infrastructure. It is not surprising that it is often compared to a real small town. In particular, there are a total of more than a hundred boutiques, shops and shops, including Duty Free. Points where passengers have the opportunity to issue a tax refund on purchases made (“Tax Free” service) are located in the first and fourth terminals. In order to make it more comfortable for people to wait for their flight, there are about thirty restaurants and cafes. Internet hotspots via the Wi-Fi function are usually located in the vicinity of these establishments. As for children's leisure, game rooms can be found on the territory of the second and fourth terminals. Within the airport there are branches of some banks, as well as numerous ATMs and currency exchange offices. Luggage storage is located in the first and second terminal. If a person who has come here for the first time has any questions,services 22 information desks. Speaking of other facilities, it is worth noting large car parks, both open and closed, as well as several services specializing in car rental.
What visitors to Madrid Airport need to know
In the event that the flight is accepted by the T4 terminal (or its satellite T4S), passengers need to get to the ground floor in the main building. To do this, you can walk on foot or use the services of a free automatic electric train. Luggage will be issued on the zero or first floor. In the event that the plane has landed in one of the remaining three terminals, you need to go down to the basement level, where customs control is carried out. Be that as it may, the airport (Madrid) is served by more than a hundred employees, whose function is to provide all the necessary background information. As a rule, they can be found near the information points mentioned above. Recognizing these people is easy enough - they all wear green jackets.
Check-in for a flight
According to the official rules that apply at the Madrid airport, check-in for domestic flights starts 1.5 hours before the departure time, and for international flights - 2.5 hours. This process in both cases ends 40 minutes before departure. In all other respects, registration here is the same as in many other international air harbors.
What you need to know when flying
On ticketsPassengers leaving Barajas Airport are required to enter the number of the terminal from which their flight will depart. Many special monitors are installed in parking lots and in various rooms of its buildings. They display routes to guide passengers on the best way to get to their desired destination.
The fourth terminal is considered the most convenient. At the entrance to it there is a lot of boards, which displays all the information useful for passengers related to the names of airlines and the numbers of counters where check-in for a particular flight is made. After the announcement of this process, it is recommended to double-check all the data, since the rack number often changes here. After completing the check-in and baggage check-in procedure, you can go to the departure area, information about which is on the boarding pass. The passport control point is located directly at the entrance to the first floor.
