MADRID
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Situated in the geographical centre of the country,
Madrid is the capital of Spain and of the Community of
Madrid. With a population of over five and a half million
it is considered to be Spain’s largest city and the third
largest urban area in the European Union.
As the capital of the country, Madrid is the location
for the central offices of the Government and Parliament
and the main centres of the central public administration.
It is also the official place of residence of the Spanish
royal family.
In terms of the economy, Madrid is noted for being a
major financial and industrial centre, home to the head
offices of numerous Spanish companies and several of the
world’s largest corporations.
Madrid is known for its major cultural and artistic
attractions and its internationally renowned museums
include the Prado Art Museum, the Thyssen Bornemisza Art
Musem and the Queen Sofia National Art Museum.
Madrid has become a multicultural city welcoming
tourists, students and people of a variety of
nationalities who are interested in learning about the
history, customs and traditions of the Spanish capital.
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GETTING TO MADRID |
The high quality of Madrid’s airport, train stations and
its all embracing public transportation system places it
among the best in the world, due to the ease and freedom
of movement throughout the city resulting from excellent
connections between the airport, the Metro, bus and
regional train networks. |
By plane:
Madrid has three airports, the main one being
Madrid-Barajas Airport. In terms of infrastructure,
equipment, resources and air traffic, it is the most
important air hub in Spain and the fourth in Europe.
In 2007, the airport handled 52,143,275 passengers,
483,284 operations and 322,244 tonnes of cargo.
Madrid-Barajas International Airport receives flights from
over 166 destinations, including several low cost airlines,
and is the main European air hub for Latin America. There
are daily flights between Madrid-Barajas Airport and the
main capital cities in Europe and capitals in other parts
of the world. There are also several daily flights to the
other principal Spanish airports.
It consists of 4 terminals: T1, T2, T3 and T4. The
inauguration of the new terminal T4 that has set its
capacity in 70 million passengers a year took place on 5th
of February 2006. The building was designed by Richard
Rodgers and Lamela and it has received the Stirling
Architecture Award.
The Madrid-Barajas airport is just 13 km away from the
city, and access to it by public transportation is one of
the quickest and easiest to use in the world: besides bus
(every ten minutes) or taxi, travellers may take the Metro
(line 8), where every five minutes a train to
Madrid-Barajas Airport leaves from Nuevos Ministerios
Station in the City Centre.
Barajas Airport Information:
0034 - 913 058 343
0034 - 913 058 344
0034 - 913 058 345
General Information AENA (Spanish
Airports Authority):
902 404 704 |
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By train:
Chamartín |
Located in the north
of the city, this station connects with the cities of
Albacete, Alicante, Avila, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cadiz,
Cartagena, Ciudad Real, Cordoba, Irún, León, Málaga,
Palencia, Salamanca, Santander, Segovia, Sevilla,
Soria, Valladolid, Vitoria, Zaragoza and stations in
the region of Galicia, and is also the station for
trains to and from France.
Address: Calle Agustín de Foxá
Metro station: Chamartín
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Atocha |
Located in the south
of the city, this station connects with Andalucia,
Extremadura and Portugal. It is the point of arrival
and departure for the high-speed train (AVE) and also
the station for local trains in and around the
capital. There is an underground train connection to
the Chamartín Station. Address: Glorieta Emperador
Carlos V
Metro station: Atocha-Renfe |
Further information:
http://www.renfe.es
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Information and bookings:
902 240 202
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International information:
902 243 402
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Internet sales information:
902 157 507 |
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TRANSPORT IN MADRID |
Metro: The underground (Metro) is the fastest, most efficient and
most affordable way to move around Madrid. The city has a
vast metropolitan network, one of the most comprehensive
in Europe, and covers almost all the points in the capital
and many of the neighboring areas.
Currently, there are twelve metro lines and three Metro
Ligero (tramway) lines. Out of all these, Line 8 (Nuevos
Ministerios – Airport T4) is particularly noteworthy. This
modern line connects the capital to Barajas international
airport, arriving in only 12 minutes to the rest of
terminals. The underground system covers a total of 283.3
km.
It has regular services running at very frequent intervals
from 6.00 am to 1.30 am every day of the week. You can see
a map of the metro and check the prices on the web page.
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Urban buses (EMT):
There are more than 193 regular bus routes in Madrid, run
by the Municipal Transport Company (EMT - Empresa
Municipal de Transportes), which go to all parts of the
city, running from 6:00 am to midnight. There are single
tickets and 10-trip tickets, which are valid for both the
metro and buses. Madrid’s buses have special facilities
for disabled access. Buses are usually red or blue. There are also night buses
which run from midnight to 6.00 am.
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Local trains (Cercanías):
The local train network of the Spanish train company
(RENFE) runs between most of the towns around Madrid and
the city centre. Local train fares vary depending on the
zone.
Trains run from 5.00 am or 6.00 am (depending on the line)
until midnight or 1.00 am.
There are several types of tickets and fares.
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Taxis:
Madrid taxis are white with a diagonal maroon-coloured
stripe and the city shield on the side. A green light or a
sign saying libre (available) shows when taxis are not
carrying passengers. The fare consists of an initial fixed
rate, known as the flag fall (bajada de bandera), which
increases in accordance with the number of kilometres
covered. There are additional charges for fares to the
airport or train stations, for the carriage of suitcases
and for night rates and public holidays. All taxis must
display information on the rate for the flag fall and
additional charges. There are more than 15,600 taxis in
Madrid, so it is not usually difficult to find one
available in the city’s main thoroughfares. Just make a
sign and they will be keen to stop!
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Tourist travel pass The Tourist Travel Pass is the most affordable and
practical way to get to know Madrid. It can be used on all
public transport in the Region as many times as necessary
within the valid dates. There are five passes valid for 1,
2, 3, 5 or 7 days.
The Organizing Committee will look into the possibility of
facilitating a 5 day tourist travel pass with the
registration fee. Relevant details will be posted on the
IAMG 2013 website closer to the date of the Meeting.
Tourist tickets can be purchased at all stations in the
Metro network, at the Centro de Atención al Viajero (Passenger
Assistance Centre) at both airport stations (Line 8), at
Tourist Offices, Offices of the Regional Transport
Consortium, tourist attractions and internet; it’s also on
sale at some tobacconists and newspaper stands. Children
under 11 years old get a 50 per cent discount. |
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CLIMATE |
Winter in Madrid is not very cold, with minimum
temperatures of around 2ºC and maximums of around 15ºC.
Spring and autumn are very pleasant, with maximum
temperatures of around 20.5ºC and minimums of 7.5ºC.
Summer in Madrid is normally hot, with maximum
temperatures ranging from 30ºC to 40ºC. Madrid is
fortunate to have a majority of sunny days throughout the
year.
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CULTURAL TOURISM |
The city of Madrid has an extensive range of cultural
attractions which visitors should take the time to
discover.
The large number of museums include the History Museum,
Museum of Archaeology, Museum of Natural Sciences, the
Army Museum and the Museum of America, although the most
important ones are: |
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Museo del Prado (El Prado Art Museum):
This is one of the
world’s major art museums. It is located in Paseo del
Prado and is open from Tuesday to Sunday and on public
holidays from 9.00 am to 8.00 pm.
Closed on Mondays.
Metro stations: Banco de España and Atocha
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Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza: Exhibition of paintings covering
a wide range of masters and schools, from early
Netherlandish painting to the contemporary avant-garde.
Located in the Palacio de Villahermosa, Paseo del Prado
number 8.
Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 am to
7.00 pm.
Closed on Mondays.
Metro station: Banco de España
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Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (Queen Sofia
National Art Museum): Modern and contemporary paintings
and sculptures. Located in Calle Santa Isabel, number 52.
Open on Mondays and from Wednesday to Saturday from 10.00
am to 9.00 pm and on Sundays from 10.00 am to 2.30 pm.
Closed on Tuesdays.
Metro station: Atocha
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El Palacio Real (Royal Palace): The Spanish royal palace
is one of the best in Europe.
It opens from Monday to
Saturday from 9.30 am to 5.00 pm and on Sundays and public
holidays from 9.00 am to 2.00 pm.
Closed on the occasion
of official events.
Metro station: Ópera
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Plaza Mayor: This is a large square surrounded by
balconied buildings constructed between 1617 and 1619.
The
most emblematic buildings are the Casa de la Panadería and
the Casa de la Carnicería.
Metro station: Sol |
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El Rastro de Madrid:
The Rastro is a street market
covering several streets of Madrid, around Plaza de
Cascorro, La Latina, Calle Embajadores and the surrounding
area.
It is held on Sundays from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm.
Metro station: La Latina
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Parque de Atracciones de Madrid (Fun Park):
Located in the
natural setting of La Casa de Campo.
It can also be reached by bus, numbers 33 or 65
Metro station: Batán
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Other places to visit: Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la
Almudena (Cathedral of Our Lady of Almudena), Iglesia San
Francisco El Grande (Church of Saint Francis the Great),
Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida (Saint Anthony’s
Chapel), Faro de Moncloa (viewing tower), Monasterio de
las Descalzas Reales (Convent of the Royal Barefoot Nuns),
Monasterio de la Encarnación, Real Fábrica de Tapices
(Royal Tapestry Factory), Museo Sorolla (Sorolla Art
Museum), other art galleries and so on.
Nearby tourist attractions: Alcalá de Henares (30 km from
Madrid); Aranjuez (47 km from Madrid); Chinchón (45 km
from Madrid); El Escorial (50 km from Madrid); Toledo (71
km from Madrid); Segovia (91 km from Madrid); Ávila (113
km from Madrid); and Cuenca (167 km from Madrid).
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