If you come to the capital of Spain and intend to travel to its attractions in such a way as to see more and spend less, then you will be helped by the subway and, of course, the metro scheme of Madrid. The price for one trip ranges from one and a half to two euros. If you have children under four years old, then they generally go for free. Although the metro of the Spanish capital is branched and has as many as two ring lines, navigating there is quite simple. In this article we will talk about this. Of course, we will also explain to you how to handle the Madrid metro map.
Lines
The underground of the Spanish capital opened immediately after the First World War, namely in 1919. It was one branch, which then connected eight stations. Metro was the first in Spain. In 1936 there were already three lines. All of them served as bomb shelters during the Civil War. If you look at the Madrid metro map now, you will see that it has twelve lines. In length, this subway takes third place after London and Paris. Two branches pass through the city center. These are lines 5 (Casa de Campo - Alameda de Osuna) and 10 (Hospital Infanta Sofia - Puerto del Sur). The latter, as a rule, is very busy, there are always a lot of people. Line 12 transports people between different suburbs, this is one of the roundabouts. It goes beyond the city and is the longest branch. But if you want to use it, know that this line has a different owner, and tickets for the regular metro are not valid on it. Have to buy others.
Madrid metro stations
The diagram shows all the points where the traveler can find the right one. The main thing is to see next to which street, building, museum or restaurant this station is located. By the way, the subway traffic is left-hand. There are a total of 326 stations. It is interesting that on each of them there are three platforms of the so-called "Barcelona type". This means that during a stop, passengers can leave on both sides. This, as conceived by the builders, will reduce the possibility of injuries and stampede during rush hour. This is especially good for busy lines. All stations are decorated with one-color light-colored tiles.
Features
But even Madrid's metro map will not be able to tell you about some secrets. Sometimes travelers who first find themselves in this subway are shocked. Doors of trains sometimes do not open automatically, but only if you press a knob, lever or a special button. Some even miss their roster without knowing it. In addition, the diagram shows lines not only of the metro, but also of the tram, which sometimes descends underground. To make the trip in the subway cheaper, it is better to buy ten tickets at once. They also act in buses. Such a subscription can be bought not only at the box office, but also at kiosks where they sell newspapers or cigarettes. The metro is divided into zones, and when crossing the border of one of them a new ticket is required.
Reviews
To get to the station, you need to go through the turnstile. Tourists note that it is necessary to insert a ticket into a special receiving device. If the system considers that your travel document is valid, it will skip you. Upon exit from the turnstile you will always find the Madrid metro map. You can always cope with the calculation of the trip time if you ask for a free “subway” card at the ticket office. Then she will always be with you and will help both with orientation in the subway and with travel planning. There are also direction indicators for trains to help determine where the station is located. Trains usually run at intervals of 2-4 minutes. But note: in the evening or on weekends trains move less frequently - once every ten minutes. If you must change lines, then by the time of your trip it’s worth adding another quarter hour. In the Spanish metro, you need to be very careful not to hit your head. Ceilings are sometimes extremely low.