lkar

We arrive at T4 around 7:45 p.m. and have an early flight out the next morning. Family with kids. We are staying at the hotel in T4. It is hard for me to tell from the MAD airport whether there will be anything decent for dinner in T4 itself airside. We don't need anything fancy -- even a grocery or something will do.

By the time we have our bags, and drop them at the rooms, it will probably be closer to 8:45 or 9:00 p.m. Any other decent options? We've been to Madrid pretty extensively, and this will be the end of a long travel day, so heading downtown is probably not something we want to do. It looks as though there are some decent options near the metro between T4 and Neuvos Ministerios (we will be there after the metro reopens), but with the metro airport surcharge for a family it gets a bit expensive and it's probably more than we really want to do.

If there were something airside at T2 or T3, I suppose that would be a decent option as well.

Thanks in advance.

LupineChemist

You can avoid the metro surcharge by using Cercanías, but remember it closes earlier than metro. Regardless, there is a restaurant in T4 airside and there's also a McDonalds (depending on how picky the kids are being)

ajeleonard

There's also an Iberian ham theme place in the landslide departures of T4 which is open late

lkar

Ok -- thank you very much. I couldn't tell if those restaurants were landside or airside on the map, but knowing the McDonalds is landside helps interpret the map. It looks like the 100 Montaditos in T2 is definitely airside, which is kind of a bummer because they liked that last time we went to Madrid.

If we're adventurous and feel ok, maybe we'll take the train to Recoletos or something and then cab back. But I have a feeling we're just going to want to eat and sleep.

LupineChemist

Just to be sure, there are two mcdonalds. One on the top floor with the ticket counters that's landside (that's where the other restaurant I forget the name of is) and there's another one airside on the main departure level near the AENA lounge.

lkar

Got it. I actually found a great, detailed breakdown of all the terminals and a listing of the restaurants by location including airside or landside.

http://www.aena.es/en/madrid-barajas...afeterias.html

But, I have another question. We are arriving to MAD from the Schengen zone (Germany). I think that means when we deplane, we will be in the main gate area of T4 and allowed to mingle with the T4 passengers. There are many restaurants in that area, and so I think we could stop and get something to take away in one of them before we leave to the baggage claim area.

Am I understanding the T4 set up correctly?

LupineChemist

Yes. T4 main building functions just like US airports where if you arrive from Schengen you are airside in the departures area.

So yeah, that opens a lot more options for places to eat.

lkar

Excellent -- thank you for the help.