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Riding the Metro in Madrid

Riding the Metro in Madrid

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Tren_3000_2After spending the last 11 years living in Seattle – a city who’s transportation system is limited by lots of water (i.e. no underground trains) and can’t seem to gain the critical public support it deserves (i.e. super crowded roads) – I was thrilled to leave my car behind and Riding the Metro in Madrid

When I first arrived I found it quite easy to pay 1,50 euro per trip and use the automated machines that offer instructions in English.  Soon, I learned that I could save a little money and time at the machine by purchasing a 10 trip pass for 12,20E.

abonoNow I’m riding the metro daily to get to my Spanish class and I decided it was best to buy a monthly pass (“abono”) for 47,90E. This was the first ‘tricky’ experience I had with the metro, but it wouldn’t have been if I’d checked out this website in advance or, if that’s not clear enough, this helpful Madrid transport guide.  It doesn’t matter what time of month you purchase your pass, it will be valid for 30 days at a time and is valid on the metro, buses, and cercanías (urban train), so it’s a huge asset to anyone traversing the wilds of Madrid. Here’s what you should do if you’re planning to purchase a monthly pass:

  • First, find a photo booth to have your ‘headshot’ taken (you can find these in the larger metro stations like Ave. de America or even on the street if you keep your eyes peeled).
  • lsSecond, take one of your photos and your passport with you to any Estanco or Tobacco shop – you’ll see them all over with their maroon and yellow “Tobacco” signs. This process can also be done at some of the larger metro stations, such as Sol, Nuevos Ministerios, Chamartín, and Atocha.
  • Third, tell the cashier you’d like a monthly pass, “Yo quiero un abono“
  • Fourth, fill out the form provided with your local contact information and ID information.

At that point you should get a red card (roughly the size and shape of a credit card) with your photo and metro credit.  Each time you take the metro you’ll have to swipe your pass on the large green circle, located on the right side of each metro turnstile.  If you decide to get a monthly pass the next month, the process is much easier.  Go to one of the automated machines, select monthly pass, stick your red abono card into the machine, pay with cash or a card with a chip in it and you’ll have your new ticket for the month!

A couple of important notes:

  • You can plan your route and find the quickest way to get where you’re going at www.metromadrid.es (available in English). This is also available as an app on your phone!
  • If you’re coming or going from Barajas Airport, the metro is a great way to go, but remember that you have to pay an extra 3 euros at the machine in order to pass through (unless you have a monthly pass).
  • It’s always good to have a metro map, which can be picked up at any metro station or found online here.
  • The lines are labeled with the final destination to let you know which direction it’s going – a map will help you figure this out or you can always find a detailed sign that lists the stops on that line.

metro-madrid-linea-1

Happy metro riding!

20 signs you are becoming a madrileño

20 signs you are becoming a madrileño

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A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about a few things I’ve learned during the time I’ve lived in Madrid. The soul-searching was revealing, but it also made me examine the madrileños themselves. I’ve always been concerned with fully adopting my home city—as well as adapting to it—so I’ve become very aware of their particular behaviors, and have even assimilated some myself over the years (I’m not telling which ones). Wondering how well you fit in? Here are 20 signs you are becoming a madrileño !

  1. You frantically open your umbrella at the tiniest drop of rain. Bonus point if it’s broken.
  2. Crappy bar napkins don’t faze you. Neither does throwing them on the floor.
  3. You take the “de” out of place names, sticking with “Casa Campo,” “Plaza España,” “Calle Serrano,” etc. (Thanks to my friend Joanne for this one!)
  4. You jump up from your seat and elbow your way to the door a full stop before yours when riding the Metro. Bonus point if you also didn’t let people off the train before you got on.
  5. You don’t make evening plans before 22:30, you show up at least half an hour late to those plans, and you consider going home at 3am “leaving early.”
  6. You know someone named Almudena. Bonus point if you call her Almu.
  7. You always know which way is “up” and which way is “down” when giving directions, even in a flat part of the city. (Thanks to my friend Marc for this one!)
  8. You swear (“curse” for you east-coasters) a lot.
  9. Sundays are all about getting drinks with your friends, rather than staying home or doing errands.
  10. You carry your lunch in a high-end shopping bag, as if to say, “In reality, I’m rich enough that I don’t need to be taking the Metro.” Bonus point if it’s from Harrods or Tous.
  11. You never hold doors open for anyone. (Thanks to fellow guiri Erin for this one!)
  12. You have a pueblo, even though you definitely weren’t born there. The fact that your parent/grandparent/significant other/significant other’s parent or grandparent is from there is enough to make it “yours.”
  13. You have definite opinions about who should win football derbies. Bonus point if it’s Atleti, since mostly only madrileños follow them, whereas people all over the world watch Real Madrid.
  14. You also have definite opinions about where to find the best croquetas, cocido, and chocolate con churros.
  15. You instinctively preface your BS with, “Es queeeee…” Bonus point if you pronounce the “s” like a Spanish “j.” (Shout out to Marc for this one too.)
  16. When you visit a smaller city, it feels like everyone is walking at a snail’s pace.
  17. You think that any cabby who actually adds the airport fee to the meter, rather than just pocketing it, is either too honest or simply a schmuck.
  18. You routinely use the words “mola,” “mazo,” or “mi keli.” (One point for each.) Mega bonus points if you’ve ever said, “Mi keli mola mazo.”
  19. You have a chulapo/a outfit in the back of your closet.
  20. You can sleep through the shouts of drunken revelers, no problem, even though the sound of a jackhammer still wakes you up every time.

I got 16 points (still not telling which ones). How about you? And what typically madrileño things did I miss? Let me know below!

The Road to an Abono Joven

The Road to an Abono Joven

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Guiri Guest Laura is a recently-arrived English Language and Culture Assistant. She graduated from university in the Spring and is exploring the options that Madrid has to offer for her varying interests in fiction writing, Spanish, teaching, and Journalism. She is from the United States and is still figuring out all the little things that Guiris have to master to become true expatriates in this city and Riding Metro with Abonois one of them. 

*****

Abono

I thought I learned a lot of Spanish when I was in high school and college. I realized when I got to Madrid that my Spanish is not so much bad as it is odd, out of sync with local convention.

It all added up to me being mildly terrified of everyday encounters with Spanish-speaking people. I felt very brave whenever I walked into a shop and actually asked for what I wanted and was understood, even a little bit.

I live in a suburb, so the Metro system is a daily need. In order to do almost anything, I need to take the metro or bus, and the 1.50E-a-pop tickets (or 9.30E for ten trips) get pretty expensive.

This meant that I needed to apply for an Abono, a monthly pass that allows me unlimited rides on buses and metro in the city. Despite my fear, I had to go and talk to real people in multiple shops in order to get what I needed. Through my own errors, I learned the steps it takes to get your hands on one of these excellent money-saving tools.

  1. Determine your needs – Check out this page in order to determine whether your age qualifies you for a discount. Also, this is the place to figure out what zone you want. Some people who work in the outskirts need a particular pass, which is more expensive but still far less than individual tickets.
  2. Acquire photos – In metro stations and at any photo shop around Madrid, you can get “fotos carnet,” which are a specific size photo that is used for a lot of official documents. You may need them for other things, so don’t worry if they are sold in batches of 6 or 8. You will also want to get a photocopy of your passport.
  3. Visit an Estanco – These are the Tabacco shops that are all over Madrid. While some are open in the afternoons, I recommend visiting in the morning. You can apply for a regular abono on the spot, or fill out the paperwork for an abono joven, the one with the youth discount, which will be available in 15 days, either at that Estanco or by mail to your address. There will be a nominal fee (less than 5E) for the abono’s plastic wallet.
  4. When your Abono Arrives – you will still need to purchase your monthly ticket. The easiest way to do this is go into a metro station and find a ticket machine. It will have you insert the card wallet, which will allow you to purchase your monthly ticket.
  5. Use your Abono – Remember you can purchase next month’s pass using your card wallet a few days before the next month using the machines.

Believe me, the process and the talking-to-people-in-Spanish were well worth getting my abono and having unlimited public transit.