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Madrid
Madrid is a starting point for the Camino. Connections by Renfe – Train, Bus – ALSA, PLM from the Ave. America Interconnection are available for Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos, Leon, Ponferrada, Santiago de Compostella. Madrid is also an ideal place to rest a few days after a long trip before the start of the journey. Here are some pointers for transportation, hostels, hotels, museums.
Airport Transportation
Airport Express Bus 203 at the exit of the airport offers a direct trip to the Cibeles bus stop at the center of Madrid close to Banco España and the Prado as well as the Atocha bus stop which is a major Renfe train hub. The cost of this bus trip is 5 euros. The bus stops at least every 20 minutes at airport Terminal 4 / T-4. More information available at : Note: these web page links may change
www.esmadrid.com/bus-express-aeropuerto-madrid
www.emtmadrid.es/aeropuerto.aspx
The other alternative is a taxi which usually charges 40 euros.
Renfe Train
Renfe train may be your most comfortable choice if a trip lasts more than 4 hours by bus. Sometimes trains are not available or extremely expensive so the bus remains an option. The longest bus trip is from Santiago de Compostella to Madrid which can take 9 hours, so the Renfe train is the best option.
Renfe trains and buses are closed compartments. When the Camino is completed wash all your clothes and jackets. It can be uncomfortable when a peregrino travels with dirty & smelly clothes. These are long trips.
Let’s examine the train travel logistics :
Renfe has 2 distinct hubs in Madrid. There is the Atocha train station near the center of Madrid and the Chamartin train station further to the north. Each hub serves a different travel destination.
Atocha train station – covers Pamplona. It also covers Andalucia. A train trip from Madrid to Pamplona can last 3.5 hrs to 5.5 hrs. Train ticket prices tend to increase the closer to the date of departure. Train ticket fares tend to be twice as expensive as bus fares. Bus fares tend to stay at a constant price even before same day departure. Passengers over the age of 62 can purchase a yearly pass at Renfe for some 6 euros that allows for a price reduction of 25% on most trains, not all.
Chamartin train station – covers Burgos through Segovia ( ~2 hrs ), Leon through Palencia ( ~3 hrs ), Santiago de Compostella through Ourense / Zamora ( ~ 3.5 to 5 hrs ).
The web site for Renfe is : https://www.renfe.com
BUS
Bus service for the Camino consists of two main Bus companies which are ALSA and PLM ( Jimenez Movilidad ). The coverage for these bus lines is as follows:
PLM / Jimenez – the bus station is Ave. Americas Interconnection. There is Metro service to this bus station. PLM covers Madrid, Burgos, Logroño, Pamplona. Their web site is : https://www.jimenezmovilidad.es
ALSA – is the largest bus company in Spain. ALSA covers the same locations as PLM, in addition to Burgos, Leon, Astorga, Ponferrada, Santiago de Compostella, as well as smaller towns and villages. The web site for ALSA is : https://www.alsa.es
HOTELS & HOSTELS
This is a complicated topic. Prices and availability are in constant change 24 hours a day. I recommend you contact your preferred hotel chain directly or use a source such as : https://www.booking.com
Madrid has the option of Hostels. These are shared rooms ( bunkbeds ) at a fraction of the cost of a hotel room. I use booking to search for these. Prices tend to rise on a Friday / Saturday and during the peak summer tourism season.
MUSEUMS
Madrid has an extensive number of distinguished museums. You have the Prado, Reina Sofia museums that are world class. Tourism guides are a good source to find these museums. The Ayuntamiento ( City Municipality ) of Madrid has tourism offices at the T4 Airport terminal and downtown. Here is one of their guides :
METRO
The Madrid Metro is the most convenient method to travel around the city. Trains operate from 6am to 1am. Peak hours are 7:30 am to 9:00 am and during the afternoon 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm. Trains are fairly safe. But watch for the pickpockets. The Metro offers a 10 ticket purchase for the train card which is half the price of buying individual tickets. The regular fare is 1.50 euros per trip. This fare can not be used for the airport or buses at the airport. The 10 trip ticket runs at about 7.50 euros or 0.75 euros per trip.
The Bronze Plaques of Lavapies & Madrid
During my trip to Madrid I came across the bronze plaques. I found these tiny bronze plaques on the sidewalks near the Lavapies Metro station at Argamusa street and other locations. These are memories of residents in Lavapies, Madrid who were taken away in France and sent to WWII extermination camps. Each carries a unique short memory and story. Some survived and others did not. These bronze plaques are in memory of : Constanza Martinez Prieto, Fermin Luis Garcia, Jose del Olmo Garcia, Juan Garcia Ramirez, Manuel Rodriguez Perez. Madrid is full of interesting observations. Some are tiny observations but significant.
