Barajas airport to Alcala

How to go from Barajas Airport to Alcala de Henares?

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The 4 best options to go from Barajas Airport to Alcala de Henares. Just the information you need in order to travel cheap and fast!

Travelling from Barajas Airport to Alcala de Henares is not as easy as it should. These are the most common options used by Spaniards:

Taxi from Barajas Airport to Alcala

The most convenient option for you (but not for your wallet), especially if you are travelling with much luggage.

  • Pro: Fast and very convenient, you can practice your Spanish skills
  • Contra: as mentioned, not good for your wallet
  • Time: 25-35 min
  • Price: Depends on your final destination, but be sure of having at least 30-45 euros with you.

Bus from Barajas Airport to Alcala

There are no buses from Alcalá going directly to the airport, so you will have to change buses! A new bus Alcalá de Henares-Airport is running since March 2013. Information about schedule and routes are available in here.

Going to Alcalá with the bus is a cheap option – and if there is not much traffic – also the fastest way to reach Alcalá.

1. If you are in terminals T1, T2 or T3 take no. 824 directly to Alcalá de Henares. (T3 is in a walking distance to the bus stop)

2. If in terminal T4 you will need to take the airport bus connecting the terminals. Once you are in terminals T1 or T2, take no. 824 directly to Alcalá de Henares.

Be aware that in the buses heading to Alcala, you will have to put your luggage in the boot of the bus by yourself. And then get on the bus and pay your ticket directly to the driver. If you are traveling alone, be careful of paying with bills no higher than 5 euros, since drivers hardly carry any change, and they don’t accept higher bills for just one ticket!!

  • Pro: Fastest way
  • Contra: Road congestion, and for some reason one feels less comfortable in a bus than in a train or subway.
  • Time: Aprox. ¾ hours (a bit longer if you are in T4)
  • Price: 3.60 euros

Subway (Metro de Madrid)

The subway is not a very good option for getting out of the airport. Since there is not any subway station in Alcala you will have to change your mean of transport to the train or bus. Besides, it is the most expensive option to go to Alcala using the public transport, since you will have to pay 3 extra euros just for exiting (or entering) the airport.
If you however decide using the subway, the best option is to get on T4 or T1-T2-T3 subway stations going in the direction of Nuevos Ministerios. In Nuevos Ministerios you will have to change to the train, which in Madrid are called “Cercanías”. You need to take trains heading for Alcala de Henares or Guadalajara, which are train lines C-7 or C-2.

  • Pro: forget about road congestions
  • Contra: it is possibly the slowest option and the most expensive one after taking a taxi
  • Time: 1:20-1:30 hours (aprox. 20min from airport to Nuevos Ministerios, then aprox. 40 min to Alcala – if you don’t have to wait for the train and you are a light traveller.)
  • Price: Subway: 3.5-3.7 euros, train: 3.85 euros. Total 7.35-7.55 euros.

Train from Barajas Airport to Alcala

There are not direct trains from the airport to Alcala de Henares, and so you will have to change trains most likely in Atocha.
First, from T4 train station take any train going to Principe Pio, after five stations (at Atocha) get off and take a train of lines C-7 or C-2, heading either to Alcala de Henares or Guadalajara (they also stop in Alcala de Henares). You can also catch the train going to Alcala in some stations before Atocha, but we recommend changing trains in there, since you will not have to change the platform.

  • Pro: Forget about road congestions
  • Contra: the train station is only in T4, if you are in any other terminal, you will have to spend some time getting there (there is a free bus shuttle between terminals).  Also, there is only one train going into/out of the airport every 30min.
  • Time: Aprox. 1-1:15 hours
  • Price: 3,25€

Finally, this is a map of the airport connections between terminals, in case you need to take the the airport bus connecting them or to know where the bus, subway or train stops are.

5 thoughts on “How to go from Barajas Airport to Alcala de Henares?

  1. I would like to use this bus service on Thursday evening. Can you tell me how to find the bus stop from Termainal 1? Thanks in advance

  2. Sería bueno que también colocasen algunos consejos para moverse dentro de la ciudad ya que muchas personas están dudosas y no saben por donde empezar al recorrer el centro de Madrid.

    Gracias por los detalles, thanks for the great job!

  3. When is the last bus from Alcala leaving on Tuesday nights to Barajas airport? I cannot understand from the itineraries:(

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