€1.50–2.00 ride: EMT 101 from Canillejas to MAD T1–T3
EMT bus 101 runs between Canillejas and Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas T1, T2, and T3, and locals treat it as the ultra-cheap option compared to the airport express. It’s a regular city bus, not an airport-branded service, so the fare stays at the standard EMT single ticket level, around €1.50–2.00 as of current CRTM tariffs.
The route starts at Canillejas (next to Metro line 5, green line) and finishes at the T1–T2–T3 terminal complex, but it never goes to T4 or T4S. Travel time from Canillejas to the terminals usually sits between 15 and 25 minutes depending on traffic on the A-2 corridor, so build a buffer if you’re on a tight check-in cutoff.
During daytime, buses typically show up every 15–20 minutes, with no listed overnight service when the city frequency drops off. That schedule works fine for airport workers starting or ending shifts in T1–T3, but if you’re trying to catch a 06:00 departure you’ll want to check the first bus of the day and probably have a backup plan.
From central Madrid, the play is: Metro line 5 to Canillejas, then switch to EMT 101 for the last leg to T1–T3. That extra transfer at Canillejas is what puts off most visitors, since the official Airport Express bus and Metro line 8 run direct from Atocha or Nuevos Ministerios without this hop.
Regulars on Spanish forums say they ride 101 because they already live or stay around Canillejas, often in walking distance of the bus stop near the metro. One poster sums it up: they use 101 daily to work at the airport but tell visiting family to pay more for the express bus or Metro 8 instead, especially with luggage.
Watch out for the peak-hour crush: locals complain that 101 is slow and packed with workers around 07:00–09:00 and again after 17:00, and the standard city-bus layout leaves little space for big suitcases. If you’re hauling two 23 kg bags, expect to stand and block a doorway from Canillejas to T1.
To use it from arrivals at T1–T3, follow airport signs for “Autobuses urbanos EMT” and look specifically for the 101 stop, then pay the driver or validate your transport card on boarding. One simple rule: if you’re not already passing through Canillejas or on line 5, skip 101 and save it for a future trip when you know the area.
- Step 1: From central Madrid, take Metro line 5 (green) to Canillejas station.
- Step 2: Exit toward the main bus stands signed “EMT” next to the plaza by Canillejas.
- Step 3: Find the stop labeled for EMT 101 with destination “Aeropuerto T1-T2-T3.”
- Step 4: Board the 101, tap your abono/transport card or buy a single ticket from the driver for about €1.50–2.00.
- Step 5: Ride 15–25 minutes, then get off at your terminal stop (T1, T2, or T3) as announced on board.
One last tip: if your flight leaves from T4 or T4S, skip 101 entirely and use Metro line 8 or the C-1/C-10 Cercanías trains instead so you don’t end up stuck at the wrong terminal complex.