Understanding Madrid transport card pricing for 2026 is essential for any visitor — the city offers four main options ranging from the budget-focused 10-trip Metrobús card (€12.20, €1.22 per ride) to the comprehensive Tourist Travel Pass (€8.40-€35.40 by duration) to the long-stay personalized T-Mobilidad card (€54.60 monthly Zone A) plus the airport supplement that catches first-time visitors. The right Madrid transport card pricing choice depends entirely on your trip length, daily ride volume, and whether your itinerary includes airport transfers. This guide breaks down every Madrid transport card pricing tier, explains exactly when each makes sense, and shows the math for typical 3-day, 5-day, and 7-day trips.
Table of Contents
- Madrid Transport Card Pricing 2026 Overview
- Madrid Transport Card Pricing: Break-Even Math
- Sample 3-Day Madrid Transport Card Pricing
- Sample 5-Day Madrid Transport Card Pricing
- Sample 7-Day Madrid Transport Card Pricing
- Airport Madrid Transport Card Pricing
- Long-Stay Madrid Transport Card Pricing
- Madrid Transport Card Pricing Recommendations by Trip Type
- FAQs
Madrid Transport Card Pricing 2026 Overview
- Tarjeta Multi card (one-time): €2.50 plastic card.
- Single ticket: €1.50-2.00 (5+ stops); €4.50-5.00 with airport supplement.
- 10-trip Metrobús: €12.20 (€1.22/ride).
- Tourist Travel Pass 1-day Zone A: €8.40.
- Tourist Travel Pass 2-day: €14.20.
- Tourist Travel Pass 3-day: €18.40.
- Tourist Travel Pass 5-day: €26.80.
- Tourist Travel Pass 7-day: €35.40.
- Zone T (includes airport) 1-day: €17.00.
- Zone T 7-day: €70.80.
- Monthly Adult Zone A: €54.60.
- Monthly Youth (under 26): €20.
- Monthly Senior (65+): €12.30.
Madrid Transport Card Pricing: Break-Even Math
The cheapest Madrid transport card pricing depends entirely on how many rides you’ll take per day:
- 1-3 rides/day: 10-trip Metrobús (€1.22/ride) cheapest.
- 4 rides/day: Tourist Travel Pass starts beating per-ride math.
- 5+ rides/day: Tourist Travel Pass clearly cheapest.
- Including airport ride: Tourist Travel Pass Zone T cheaper than per-ride airport supplement (€3 supplement on otherwise €1.50-2 ticket).
- 30+ days stay: Monthly Adult Zone A pass (€54.60) far cheapest.
Sample 3-Day Madrid Transport Card Pricing
Typical 3-day Madrid tourist itinerary: 8-12 metro rides total (3-4 per day) plus airport round-trip.
- Option A: Tarjeta Multi (€2.50) + 10-trip Metrobús (€12.20) + 2x airport tickets (€10): €24.70 total.
- Option B: Tarjeta Multi (€2.50) + Tourist Travel Pass 3-day Zone T (€36.80): €39.30 total.
- Option C: Tarjeta Multi (€2.50) + per-ride at €1.50 × 12 + airport €5 × 2 (€28): €30.50 total.
Verdict for 3-day Madrid trip: 10-trip Metrobús + separate airport tickets at €24.70 is cheapest.
Sample 5-Day Madrid Transport Card Pricing
Typical 5-day Madrid tourist itinerary: 20-25 metro rides total (4-5 per day) plus airport round-trip.
- Option A: Tarjeta Multi (€2.50) + 2x 10-trip Metrobús (€24.40) + 2x airport (€10): €36.90 total.
- Option B: Tarjeta Multi (€2.50) + Tourist Travel Pass 5-day Zone T (€53.40): €55.90 total.
- Option C: Tarjeta Multi (€2.50) + Tourist Travel Pass 5-day Zone A (€26.80) + 2x airport (€10): €39.30 total.
Verdict for 5-day Madrid trip: Two 10-trip Metrobús cards (€24.40) + airport tickets (€10) = €36.90 is cheapest. Tourist Travel Pass Zone A + airport tickets is competitive (€39.30).
Sample 7-Day Madrid Transport Card Pricing
Typical 7-day Madrid trip: 30-40 metro rides total (4-6 per day) plus airport round-trip.
- Option A: Tarjeta Multi (€2.50) + 3-4x 10-trip Metrobús (€36.60-€48.80) + airport (€10): €49.10-€61.30.
- Option B: Tarjeta Multi (€2.50) + Tourist Travel Pass 7-day Zone T (€70.80): €73.30.
- Option C: Tarjeta Multi (€2.50) + Tourist Travel Pass 7-day Zone A (€35.40) + airport (€10): €47.90.
Verdict for 7-day Madrid trip: Tourist Travel Pass 7-day Zone A (€35.40) + separate airport ticket beats per-ride math at this duration. €47.90 total beats per-ride €49.10+.
Airport Madrid Transport Card Pricing
- Single airport ride (Metro Line 8): €4.50-5.00 (includes €3 supplement).
- Cercanías to airport (T4 only): €2.60.
- Express Bus 203: €5 (24/7).
- Tourist Travel Pass Zone T: Includes airport at no extra charge — significant savings if multiple airport visits or accommodation requires many transit rides.
- Free with AVE long-distance ticket: Combined Cercanías ticket valid 4 hours before/after AVE — totally free airport-Atocha or airport-Chamartín ride.
If your stay includes airport ride only at start and end, separate airport tickets (€10 round-trip) plus standard Zone A pass usually cheaper than upgrading to Zone T pass.
Long-Stay Madrid Transport Card Pricing
- Monthly Adult Zone A: €54.60. Cheapest option for stays of 28+ days.
- Monthly Youth (under 26): €20. Spectacular value for young residents/long-term travelers under 26.
- Monthly Senior (65+): €12.30. Spectacular value for seniors with proof of age.
- Monthly Zone A+T (includes airport): €63.70.
- T-Mobilidad personalized card: Required for monthly passes; €0 with first monthly purchase but requires registration with passport/photo.
Stays of 28+ days should switch to T-Mobilidad personalized card with monthly pass. Stays under 28 days should stick with the simpler Tarjeta Multi anonymous card.
Madrid Transport Card Pricing Recommendations by Trip Type
- Weekend visit (2-3 days): Tarjeta Multi €2.50 + 10-trip Metrobús €12.20 + airport tickets separately.
- Long weekend (4-5 days): Tarjeta Multi + 2x 10-trip Metrobús + airport tickets.
- Full week (7 days): Tarjeta Multi + Tourist Travel Pass 7-day Zone A + airport tickets.
- Heavy transport user: Tourist Travel Pass Zone A regardless of duration.
- Multiple airport rides during stay: Tourist Travel Pass Zone T.
- Day trips by AVE: Combined Cercanías ticket FREE — always activate at vending machine.
- 30+ day stay: T-Mobilidad personalized card + monthly Zone A.
- Children: Children under 4 free; children 4-11 pay full adult fare (no kids pricing).
FAQs
What’s the cheapest Madrid transport card?
10-trip Metrobús card at €1.22/ride (€12.20 for 10 rides). Cheaper than per-ride and Tourist Travel Pass for casual users (1-3 rides/day).
Should I buy the Tourist Travel Pass?
Only if averaging 4+ rides daily. For casual tourist use (1-3 rides/day), the 10-trip Metrobús card is cheaper.
Does the Madrid transport card include the airport?
Tourist Travel Pass ‘Zone T’ yes; ‘Zone A’ no — €3 supplement applies per airport ride. Verify zone before buying.
How much is a single Madrid metro ticket?
€1.50 (5 stops or fewer); rises €0.10 per additional stop up to €2.00 cap. Airport supplement adds €3.
Where do I buy a Madrid transport card?
Tarjeta Multi: every metro station vending machine (instant, €2.50). T-Mobilidad: tobacco shops, Cercanías windows, online tarjetatransportepublico.es.
Can children use Madrid transport cards?
Children under 4: free (no card needed). Children 4-11: pay full adult fare; need their own card. No youth pricing under 26 except for monthly residents.
Is the Madrid Tourist Travel Pass worth it for 3 days?
Math says no for casual users. €18.40 Tourist Travel Pass 3-day vs. €14.70 (Tarjeta Multi + 10-trip Metrobús). Tourist Travel Pass wins only with 4+ rides daily.
Can I share a Madrid transport card with my partner?
No — each person needs their own card to pass through gates. Budget €2.50 per person for the card itself.
Madrid Transport Card Pricing: Family and Group Considerations
Madrid transport cards don’t offer family or group discounts — each person needs their own Tarjeta Multi card (€2.50). For families of 4, that’s €10 just in cards. The math then depends on individual ride frequency. Family of 4, 5-day mid-range trip: 4× Tarjeta Multi (€10) + 4× 10-trip Metrobús (€48.80) + 2× airport tickets per person (€40) = €98.80 total transport. Versus 4× Tourist Travel Pass 5-day Zone T (€213.60) — the cheaper per-ride approach saves €115. Always do the math for your specific group size.
Madrid Transport Card Pricing: Children’s Tickets
- Children under 4: Free; no card needed.
- Children 4-11: Pay full adult fare; need their own Tarjeta Multi card and tickets.
- Children 12-17: Full adult fare. T-Mobilidad youth pricing only available to 26+ residents (not tourists under 26).
- Family pass: No family-specific Madrid transport card pricing; each person separately.
For families of 4 with kids 4-11, transport costs for a 5-day trip total €80-120 — significant amount. Walking with kids when possible saves substantially.
Madrid Transport Card Pricing: Special Cases
- Day trip to Toledo by AVE: Activate combined Cercanías ticket FREE on AVE departure day; saves €1.70 each way to Atocha.
- Day trip to Aranjuez: €4.20 each way Cercanías; not included in standard Tourist Travel Pass Zone A.
- Day trip to El Escorial: €4.20 each way Cercanías.
- Day trip to Alcalá de Henares: €4.20 each way Cercanías.
- Multiple day trips: Tourist Travel Pass Zone E (covers all Madrid Cercanías zones) might be cheaper for travelers doing 3+ Cercanías day trips.
- Bicycle on metro: Allowed outside peak hours (Mon-Fri 07:30-09:30 and 14:00-16:00 prohibited). Free with own bike; BiciMAD shares require docking.
Madrid Transport Card Pricing: Lost or Damaged Cards
- Lost Tarjeta Multi: No replacement; buy new card €2.50. Loaded fares lost.
- Damaged Tarjeta Multi: Take to Metro customer service; sometimes replaced free if damage minimal.
- Lost T-Mobilidad personalized: Reissue at customer service with passport; remaining balance transferred.
- Don’t transfer Tarjeta Multi between travelers: Same card cannot pass through gate twice in succession.