Two and a half hours from MAD T4 to Zaragoza or Salamanca
ALSA long-distance buses run directly from Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas T4 to cities like Zaragoza, Salamanca, León and others, with typical T4–Zaragoza and T4–Salamanca times around 2.5–3 hours. This suits flyers who land in Madrid and want to skip a transfer to Méndez Álvaro or Avenida de América bus stations in the city.
Prices swing a lot by route and how early you buy: recent trips show airport–Salamanca at roughly €20–30 and airport–Zaragoza at about €15–25. Tickets are sold on ALSA’s website and app, and you need to pick “Aeropuerto T4” explicitly as your origin or destination when searching, not just “Madrid.”
Only a handful of ALSA departures per day stop at Aeropuerto T4 in each direction, while dozens more leave from central Madrid terminals like Méndez Álvaro. One r/spain poster points out that ALSA “has some buses that stop at T4 so you don’t need to go to Méndez Álvaro,” but the timetable makes clear that many routes still skip the airport.
At T4, ALSA coaches use the long-distance bays on the lower levels, separate from the EMT city buses that serve lines like the Airport Express. Reddit users say first-timers sometimes follow generic “bus” signs and end up at the EMT stands, then have to double back down to the intercity coach area.
How to use ALSA from T4, step by step
- 1. When booking online, select “Aeropuerto T4” as origin/destination and check that your exact departure lists the airport stop.
- 2. Aim for a departure at least 1.5–2 hours after scheduled landing, more if arriving from outside Schengen and facing passport control.
- 3. After baggage claim in T4, follow signs for “bus / buses” down to the long-distance coach area, not just the EMT city bus stands.
- 4. Find the ALSA bay number on the overhead screens; buses to Salamanca, Zaragoza or León typically show the final city as destination.
- 5. Show your QR code or printed ticket to the driver, store luggage in the underfloor hold, and keep any valuables in the cabin.
- 6. Expect 2.5–3 hours to Salamanca or Zaragoza from T4, longer for farther cities, depending on route and traffic.
- 7. On arrival at your city, check your stop name: some routes stop at both a main bus station and peripheral points.
Watch out for tight connections: ALSA will not hold the coach if your flight is late, and same-day changes can mean extra fees or buying a new ticket. Regulars build a bigger buffer at T4 and, if their timing looks risky, switch to a later and more frequent departure from Méndez Álvaro instead.
One last tip: screenshot your ticket with the Aeropuerto T4 stop clearly visible and keep it handy on your phone; it helps both when finding the correct bay in T4 and if staff ask which stop you booked.