nskoylesg

My family and I are picking up a rental car at the Madrid airport and heading to Andulcia. We will end up back in Madrid, but would rather avoid the hassle of returning the car to the airport. I'm looking for an area we can drop the car off, outside of the city. We then want the ability to easily take the train/metro into into the Centro area. I have looked on many rental sites, and most just have a pull down menus listing alternate address. Since I have never been to Madrid, and am not familiar with the city.

Also, When I am searching for spots on google maps, I keep seeing lots of rental agencies located at the same location - Alquiler de Coches Estación de Chamartín, Calle Agustín de Foxá, 28046 Madrid. Is this an offside car rental area close to the airport? If so, would it be easy to zip in and out of? If this is not the case, I would appreciate any other suggestions. We will be coming from Salamanca.

Thanks in advance.

Bedar

We always pick up the car at the airport and drop it at Atocha train station. My husband drops me and the bags at the hotel, drops the car, and then walks back to the hotel. Look for Atocha on a map and on your car rental website. It's very central - near the Prado and many hotels.

Cowboy1968

Yes, when you drive to Madrid from the South it makes more sense to drop off the car at Atocha than at Chamartín (or at the airport).
Chamartín is also a major train station, but north of the city center. So not as centrally located as Atocha.

joannyc

I (solo traveler) also drop my bags at my hotel and then return my car to Atocha train station and walk back to my hotel (AC Recoletos). I fill the gas tank when I hit the city... my GPS has the option to find the closest gas station as, I imagine, they all have. It is not a difficult city to drive in.

nskoylesg

Fantastic, thanks for the help. We just booked a car, with drop off at the main train station. Good to know it isn't a hard city to drive in. It seems the kids always start getting on eachother's nerves as we approach our city destinations!

Robert2533

There is a Repsol station across the street from where you drop off the car at Atocha, so no need to find one before reaching Madrid.

>it isn't a hard city to drive in< will depend on when you arrive, and on which route you use comming in from the south.

ribeirasacra

At the moment Madrid has controls against pollution. Parking is restricted and speed limits imposed.
this is in English from late last year.
http://elpais.com/elpais/2015/11/13/...10_230650.html
notices are issued at the moment the night before. I cannot ascertain if the restrictions can be stricter. ie they do not allow cars with, say even numbers on the road, like they have done in Paris or not.

ribeirasacra

This is in Spanish where it talks about what could be planned for the future.
http://ccaa.elpais.com/ccaa/2016/01/...81_834310.html

Robert2533

There are no restrictions on returning your rental car to Atocha station.

Traffic seems pretty normal right now. Parking spaces are full, both green and blue, and people continue to double park everywhere, turning on their flashers and heading to lunch.

ribeirasacra

Robert there is no warning for pollution right now, so any restrictions are not being enforced at the moment.