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Transportation & Reach
In addition to motorways, the city has a series of orbital roads that has a circumference around the city. Barajas International Airport serves the city. Spain's railway system links the city with other regions. Madrid Metro, one of the most extensive and fastest growing metro networks in the world is the latest commutation method executed in Madrid. It is the second largest metro system in Western Europe.

Madrid Airports:
Madrid has one of the busiest airports in the country, Barajas Airport, connected widely by major world carriers. It is just 10 miles northeast of the town. Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD)

Location: Madrid airport is located eight miles (13km) from the city centre.

Madrid Railway Transportation:
Rail:
Madrid has three main train stations, the Chamartin, the Atocha and the Norte – of which the first two are served by regular trains from nearby locations such as Lisbon and France.

The national Spanish railway network is operated by. Madrid has two main railway stations - Estación de Chamartín (Chamartín Station), Calle Agustín de Foxá, in northern Madrid, and Estación de Atocha (Atocha Station), close to Paseo del Prado, at Avenida Ciudad de Barcelona, in southern Madrid. Both stations have exchange facilities, including cafés and car hire on or near the premises. Chamartín also has a post office, tourist information, hotel reservation centre, InterCity Club Room and a large shopping centre.

Mainline services in Spain are reliable and efficient. It is essential for travellers to book ahead for long-distance trains. Tickets are available for purchase online, from stations or from travel agents. RENFE also offers a national telephone information and ticket sales service.

RENFE also operates the Cercanías, the suburban network connecting outlying towns beyond the metro (see Public Transport). Trains are frequent and reliable and there is less overcrowding than on the metro. Atocha Station is the hub of the Cercanías suburban rail network.

Rail services: Madrid's rail network includes services to provincial capitals in Spain and connections to the European railway network. Chamartín Station serves trains from France, Catalonia and northern Spain, including Bilbao (journey time - 6 hours), Barcelona (journey time - 6 hours) and Oviedo (journey time - 6 hours). Atocha is Madrid's largest station, serving trains from the regions of Andalusia, Extremadura and Portugal, including Malaga (journey time - 5 hours) and Valencia (journey time - 3 hours 30 minutes). Many trains stop at both Atocha Station and Chamartín Station. Atocha is the arrival and departure point for AVE, the high-speed Madrid-Seville service calling at Córdoba (journey time - about 3 hours).

Local:
Despite the fact that Madrid is congested due to increasing urbanization, it has a pretty good subway system, bus networks, and commuter railroads that connect the inner city to other regions at affordable rates within reasonable commuting time.

Central Madrid is served by a comprehensive network of around 200 city bus routes, a modern and extensive metro system and local trains to the neighbouring cities and towns. The main hub is Puerta del Sol.


The Consorcio de Transportes de Madrid (tel: (91) 580 4260; website: www.ctm-madrid.es) offers maps and information on Madrid's metro and buses.

The metro (tel: 902 444 403; website: www.metromadrid.es) system covers more than 227km (141 miles) and is good value, clean and efficient, although crowded during rush hour. Trains run every 3 to 5 minutes, daily 0600-0130. Each of the 12 metro lines is distinguished by a colour and number (at stations and on maps).

EMT (tel: 902 507 850; website: www.emtmadrid.es) runs Madrid's bus service. Night buses, known as buhos (owls), depart from Plaza de Cibeles for the suburbs, between 2330 and 0600. A new service known as buho metro, replaces the metro by night. Although the timetables depend on the line, in general it runs between 0045 and 0545.

The local train network, operated by Cercanías (tel: 902 240 202; website: www.renfe.es/cercanias/madrid), comprises 12 lines in the Madrid area and provides a fast link between Charmartín Station and Atocha Station - as well as to destinations such as Toledo and El Escorial (see Excursions).

Hotels & Accommodation
The hotels in Madrid welcome its guests especially tourists with much honor. It offers tailormade reception to its customers. They make sure that their customers leave the place with cent percent satisfaction.

Madrid has a flourishing hotel industry as well as many paradors and simpler lodging sites, so the options are numerous. Hotels are rated from 1 to 5, although rating reflects the number of amenities offered rather than quality. The authentically decorated Paradors offer great services and atmosphere. Eating here, though, can be an expensive affair and you might want to look elsewhere. They’re a great, if not particularly economical way to lodge, but need advance bookings.

Apart from major hotel chains and Paradors, you can also get rooms in private houses or night accommodation in hostels – although these may lack atmosphere and character. Rates drop dramatically in the off season time of November - February. A night in a moderate hotel could cost anything between Euro 60 and Euro 120.

Hotels of Montreal	Average Rates
5-Star	$$$$ (over €250)
4-Star	$$$ (€150 to €250)
2-Star	$$ (€75 to €150)
Budget Hotels	$ (under €75)