There are underground railway systems ( metros) in Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Valencia, where public transport tickets and passes permit travel on all modes of public transport, including metro, bus and suburban train services. Metros offer the quickest way to get around these cities, although they’re crowded during rush hours.
No smoking is permitted on metro trains or in stations, which are clean and fairly safe. Crime is generally rare on Spanish metros, although you should watch out for pickpockets especially on the Madrid system. Metro systems are also under construction in Malaga and Seville.
Madrid has the largest and oldest metro system in Spain with twelve lines and 190 stations covering most of the city, operating from 6am until 2am and is used by over 620m people a year. Monthly or annual season tickets are available for people aged under 21 ( abono joven), commuters ( abono normal) and for pensioners over 64 ( abono tercera edad). Season tickets offer exceptionally good savings for unlimited travel on public transport, including the underground, city buses and local trains ( cercanías). A free map ( plano del metro) showing the lines in different colours is available from ticket offices. Tickets are sold at station ticket booths and from machines. The metro is easy to use; simply note the end station of the line you want and follow the signs. When entering or leaving a train, car doors must be opened manually by pressing a button. Apart from Sundays and late at night, trains run around every five to eight minutes (more frequently during rush hour), although no timetable is published.
Madrid has invested heavily in its
metro system and the centre of Madrid (
Nuevos Ministerios station where check-in facilities are available) is now connected by underground to Barajas airport (Terminals 1 and 2), which can be reached in just 15 minutes. Further extension to the south of the city has been finished with the
MetroSur line, connecting many suburbs such as Alcorcón and Fuenlabrada to the central underground lines. Comprehensive information regarding the
metro is available by phone (902-444 403 from 6am to 1.30am) or on the internet
(http://www.metromadrid.es ).
Barcelona’s metro is one of the world’s most modern and best designed systems, although it has just six lines: L1 (red), L2 (purple), L3 (green), L4 (yellow), L5 (blue) and L11 (light green). Large areas of the city aren’t covered by the metro and despite having only a few lines, most connections require long walks between platforms (not recommended if you’re carrying heavy luggage). Stations are indicated at street level by a large red ‘M’ within a diamond. Trains are frequent and run every three or four minutes at peak times. There’s piped music on platforms to keep you entertained while waiting for trains, most of which are air-conditioned.
A map ( xarxa de metro in Catalan) is available from tourist offices and at ticket windows in stations (there’s also a metro map on the back of the free tourist office city map). Lines are marked in colours, and connections between lines ( correspondencia) and between metro and train systems ( enlace) are clearly indicated. Stops are announced over an intercom and illuminated panels show where the train has come from, the station you’re approaching, and as the train departs after stopping, the next station (an excellent idea which should be adopted by all metro systems). Flashing red chevrons at the end of each carriage indicate the side of the train from which to exit. Announcements on trains (and in stations) are made in Spanish (Castilian) and Catalan.
Numerous other passes are also available such as the T-mes, valid for a month’s unlimited travel; the T-familiar, valid for up to 70 journeys and transferable; and the T-joven, valid for 90 days’ unlimited travel for those under 21. One, three and five-day passes are also available.
Tickets and passes can be purchased from automatic ticket machines at most stations, ticket windows, and from ServiCaixa ATMs and special sales’ outlets. If you purchase a multi-trip ticket, it must be inserted in the slot of an automatic gate, which illuminates a flashing yellow light and releases the gate. The metro is open from 5am and closes at midnight from Mondays to Thursdays, on Sundays and public holidays, and at 2am on Fridays, Saturdays and the day before public holidays.
Barcelona also has the FFCC ( Generalitat), a small underground train service within the city operated by the provincial government of Catalonia. You can use the T-1 and T-2 passes on the FFCC or buy tickets from machines in stations.
Comprehensive information on all Barcelona’s public transport systems is available on the Transports Metropolitans Barcelona website (http://www.tmb.net ), which includes a useful guide to public transport based on the name of a street. When you type in the name of a street the public transport operating in the area is shown. Transports Metropolitans Barcelona also have a telephone helpline ( 933-187 074).
Bilbao’s metro system consists of two lines and 32 stations, and transports over 73m passengers a year. Further discounts and passes are also available. Trains generally run from 6am to 11pm during the week and until 2am at weekends, when a night service runs between certain stations. Information is available from 944-254 025 and on http://www.metrobilbao.net .
The metro system in Valencia consists of four lines. Further discounts and passes are also available. Trains generally run from 5am to midnight (2am at weekends). Further information is available from 900-461 046 and http://www.metrovalencia.com , which includes details of other public transport in Valencia.
This article is an extract from Living and Working in Spain.
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