Kyliebaby3

Hello all...

I have a 7:45 a.m. flight out of MAD on Sunday morning, and I'm trying to figure out how I can reach the airport and not take a taxi. Evidently, the metro doesn't begin running until 6:00 a.m., and being that it takes nearly 45 mins to the airport, that's going to be cutting it too close I think.

Any other suggestions/thoughts? I have a feeling a taxi is going to be outrageously expensive. Is there a bus or any other way? I can't be the only person with an early flight who's staying in the city center.

Thanks!

Flame123

I highly recommend AeroCity Madrid Shared Airport Shuttle at this e-mail : [email protected]

It cost us 23 Euros for two people about 10 months ago. We used them from teh airport to our hotel but on the way back, we ended up taking a taxi (big mistake) which not only cost us twice that amount (or even more I think) but also cheated us.

Kyliebaby3

Thanks so much Flame! Didn't even think about a shuttle, but that might be the smartest thing to do. I'll give them a shout to see what the price would be just for me. Appreciate it!

yorkshire

A few years ago at a worse exchange rate, I paid about 25 euro for a taxi from the airport to the city, so I would ask my concierge what the appropriate taxi fare should be and confirm it with the driver before booking a shuttle.

Flame123

My pleasure Kyliebaby3. Re the taxi, our concierge at the hotel called for our taxi and when I wrote to them after we returned home about the cheat they were very upset and felt terrible but aside from that they said there was nothing they could do.

cruiseluv

I agree with Flame. I have had many bad experiences with taxis in Madrid, I am done with them. If they charged what they are supposed to charge, especially on a Sunday early morning with no traffic it shouldn't be that expensive. But many times they try to scam you with bogus charges for lugagge , etc. I am going back to Madrid this summer and will use Aerocity.

cruiseluv

Just wanted to add that in my last incident, like in Flame's case , our hotel had called the taxi. Didn't matter, still they scammed us. And as usual, the day you need them there was no police hanging around the drop off point at the airport. Maybe had there been the cab driver would not have engaged in this.

Flame123

Here here cruiseluv!! I'm with you!! Why is it that big city cab drivers like to leave tourists with a bad taste in their mouths by scamming them? For a few extra Euros they really spoil a person's image of a place. It happened to me in Rome several times as well, although I DID have one instance of a true gem of a driver in Rome. Oh well......

cruiseluv

Flame , you and I seem to be having the same experiences with cabs. I have also had bad experiences in Rome.I now use a limo service with an agreed price upfront. It costs me just a few more euros that the Flat fee the cabs are supposed to charge.

I agree, if the cab drivers in Madrid had been honest I was planning to give them a nice tip. But the only thing they have accomplished is alienate me. In my upcoming trip to Madrid I will have to go to travel to/from the airport twice as I will have to go meet my teenage daughter traveling back from Malaga after attending a summer spanish program. I will take the Metro on my way to the airport and then arrange to drive back again with Aerocity.

Kyliebaby3

Thanks to both of your for your input and for sharing your experiences with taxis. That's just the type of thing I was afraid of, and also the type of thing that would happen to me half asleep that early in the morning.

I sent an email to Aerocity, but I just heard back from my hostel and they said they have a shuttle for €10, which is quite amazing. So, I'm planning to go with them for convenience and cost reasons. I'm going to keep Aerocity's information just in case though.

Normally, I'd just take the metro, but in this case, it would be a terrible idea, especially since I'm flying Ryanair. Vaya con Dios, right?!

cruiseluv

Wow kyliebaby, 10 Euros is an amazing rate.

Yes, Vaya con Dios indeed!

Kyliebaby3

It actually says €9 at the hostel check-in, so if this gets me to my early Ryanair flight without incident, I have to say it's the bargain of the century!

cova

Actually, kylie, given that you are flying Ryanair and therefore you should do the check-in online the previous day ... I think you could get the metro (depending on where are you staying, of course). When I am on an early flight, around 8 am, I usually choose the metro (but of course, it is around 25 mns from my place to the T4).
There have been other times when I have got a taxi if I am carrying a big suitcase, and I have usually simply stopped one taxi in the street. It is cheaper than ordering one the night before. I do agree that my experiences with Madrid taxi drivers are very mixed. Some of them are nice, but some of them are extremely obnoxious, and I am spanish ... I wouldn´t like to know what they would do to a tourist ...

Bye, Cova

sinverguenza

Depending upon how you read it, AeroCITY is showing a fare for two at 17 or 19 Euros. Can I assume that my Madrid hotel (on Calle Atocha) can make a reservation for pickup (and that the shuttle will show up on time)???

Christina

That shuttle rate sounds like a good idea but FWIW, I've taken a taxi to the airport from central Madrid in early morning and it didn't cost that much and I wasn't scammed. I think it was only about 15-20 euro from around the Plaza Mayor area. I don't recall that taxis in Madrid have fixed rates so don't know what you'd confirm with the driver.

chapla

I have had very good luck w/Aerocity -the driver showed up early because he had to pick up other passengers. Just have the fare ready!
I almost missed my early Sunday morning flight.I thought getting a cab wouldn't be a problem that early in the morning so I just started walking up the street-all th cabs were busy!Finally one pulled up and I asked what was going on and the driver explained it was the disco club crowd! The clubs close and people are trying to get home and using the cabs because the metro is closed until 6 AM.Lesson learned!