Avoid this train station. I can accept construction work, but this is disorganized, forklifts…read moredriving through pedestrian walkways, cigarette smokers gathered by the only entrance and cafes, and the customer support specialist doesn't speak a word of English. Everyone waiting for his attention poke English. I don't understand how passengers and employees haven't been injured in this horribly organized work area.

Lord of the Flies from start to finish. Enough said, and if I ever come back to Spain, I will spend…read morethe extra money for taxis.

I ended up in the train station a few times and wowwww is this station massive! I mean, I should…read morehave expected it, seeing as how it's in a major city, but it's even bigger than you expect, especially when it's 6 am and you're trying to find a train. Everyone who worked here that I encountered was super nice and helpful if I asked for directions. The bathrooms were really clean too, you have to pay 1€ to use them so have change or your credit card ready. Also if you're American, prepare to go through security. I hadn't seen that before and for a moment worried I was in the wrong place instead of the train station, but nope, they just take precautions here.

The building is currently under construction and definitely hard to navigate if you don't speak…read moreSpanish. Part of the issue is that there are multiple train companies and they are not easily identified. We waited in line 3 times.. and each one was the wrong one. But 4th time was the charm.

Metro Gran Vía was very clean & easy to navigate. We took…read morethe train from here twice to get to and from Madrid Atocha station. Tickets were easy to purchase from the kiosks & Apple Pay, card, + cash are payment options. To go to Madrid Atocha station, take the Valdecarros train 5 stops. From Madrid Atocha to Metro Gran Vía take the train towards Pinar de Chamartín 5 stops.

Metro stations are spaced close to each other with 13 different colored lines, 276 stations & 182…read moremiles of tracks. I was impressed with all of the working elevators & escalators; 1,705 escalators & 529 elevators. It's hard to believe the system began over a hundred years ago in 1919. All of the stations we visited were well marked in Spanish? English & braille, we're Immaculate, looked new station had elevators, escalators and helpful people. The metro staff wear badges Identifying themselves and speak English. It was very easy to navigate the city from the station. Rides are €1.50, we bought a 10 ride pass for €8.50. Masks were required & they were worn.

There are two other train companies that use this space so it was slightly confusing at first. The…read moreRenfe customer service lobby (in Purple) is off to the side and you need to take a number before heading to counter. Renfe departures are up on level 1 where you will need to screen luggage. Once you pass through luggage screening there are a few last minute concessions and waiting area (no chairs) as patrons awaiting their platform # to be displayed. Boarding usually begins 15-20 minutes early. Spend the extra money for a coach comfort seating. Power and drop down table available. The trains are fast and quiet and so much less stress than flying

A decent train station if not great. The station itself is a little hard to navigate and feels…read morepretty old. The renfe club was an unexpected treat though, so if you book a ticket that includes access, don't hesitate to visit the lounge. They have a wide variety of treats including gluten free and vegan food and beers. As we had a long flight coming in and a long train ride ahead of us, that was a nice respite. Boarding at the station is similar to pretty much any other and for us, the walk was not far at all, although it did look like some trains could be more difficult to get to. We also took another train to Toledo a bit later in our trip and the experience was very similar. That platform was a bit more of a walk into the station and it was considerably more difficult to find out platform, but after having done it once, it would be simple the next time.

The part ,once you get on your train was great. We had the large reserved seat on the AVE high…read morespeed train. Atocha station was confusing and not well signed for folks unfamiliar. I find this odd for a country that lives and dies with tourism. People ask the security guards questions ., because there is no one else to ask. Renfe are long distance trains, and Renfe Cercanias is suburban light rail, like the one that comes from the airport. Atocha has a differnt name for Renfe and Renfe Cercania, but it's a differnt part of the same station. We asked a guard about luggage lockers and were informed none were available. True but misleading, none in the station but within a block or two several self service locker services are available. Big surprise at security x-ray , we had two knives: a serrated one for bread and another for cheese, fruit etc. All baggage is gets screened and there is no 'checked bags" . As they were much longer than 6 cms, , out they went. Oh, and the website was unusable, had to download the app to buy tickets.

Do not waste your money paying for seat selection on Renfe. I explicitly chose and confirmed…read moreside-by-side seats for my husband and myself prior to making our payment. However, once the booking went through and the tickets were issued, Renfe completely ignored our selection and assigned us entirely separate seats far apart from each other. If you are traveling with someone, be warned that Renfe's booking system is completely unreliable and may still split you up regardless of what you select and pay for.

The metro in Madrid is a god send. It's so easy and so fast! Even at one of the busiest metro…read morestations in the city, it's so easy to hop on board and get to your next destination. If you're visiting, I highly recommend getting the ten pack of tickets. Even if you have multiple people, just get one card and one pack. Multiple people can use a single card and you can share.

as a tourist i was a little nervous at first but then i got the hang of it and it was easy in and…read moreout. I wish they had more folks working to help if you have questions.

€30 flat fee from the airport to Chamartin train station. No need to wait in line at the booth…read moreinside the terminal if you don't have any special needs - you can walk straight out and wait to be guided the first taxi available by the representative at the taxi stop. A word of warning, Chamartin station is under construction and can be a nightmare to get out of a taxi during peak times... Currently, Spain still requires face masks to travel on any public transportation, so check the status of this rule before you anger the driver getting into the vehicle without a mask.

From the owner: Taxi Aeropuerto Madrid. Viaja rápido y con garantías con nuestras rutas Madrid, Aeropuerto y…read moreBarajas optimizadas en rapidez y km. Sin sorpresas en precios.

Get a Madrid Card if you go on the Metro. It is very handy if you are visiting as a tourist!!!!read more