Feb 15, 2016, 2:13 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
Connecting at MAD / Madrid Barajas International Airport
FEEL FREE TO EDIT OR ADD TO THIS WIKIPOST
FEEL FREE TO EDIT OR ADD TO THIS WIKIPOST
Madrid airport layout
Terminals include
Terminal 1: International. Star Alliance primarily (also the only non-Schengen area outside of T4)
Terminal 2: Domestic mostly. SkyTeam primarily
Terminal 3: Schengen and some Domestic mostly. Air France/KLM/Lufthansa usually leave from here, but really it's just a slight extension on T2
Terminals 1-2-3 are adjacent and host Star and SkyTeam alliances and are all connected airside.
Terminal 4: one world including Iberia
Domestic and Schengen mostly from Terminal 4
International from Terminal 4-S (satellite) (Except IB or I2 operated flights to UK and Ireland as well as BA CityFlyer flights to LCY that operate out of T4 Main, though note that usually one IB flight to LHR daily is operated by an A330 or A340, these flights go from T4-S).
Both connected by an underground train, though going from T4-S to T4 requires going landside and re-clearing security in order to access T4.
Terminals are connected by a landside shuttle bus service.
Connecting from non-Schengen to Schengen (or departing the airport) one must process immigration in T-4S. Queues can be lengthy at times; if you are an EU citizen, you wil lfind the kiosk to your right in the queues. If you are not, keep to the right of the general queues anyway, as the EU queues can empty and they begin waving non-EU passengers into the EU lines.
The train connecting the T4-S satellite to T4 must be accessed via lifts or stairs; the lifts are faster. A non-Schengen to Schengen connection can take an hour or longer - A 1.5 hours is recommended as minimum connect times, and possibly more for Schengen to non-Schengen if during busy hours due to security procedures, particularly for US flights. Status passengers on Iberia flights to the US have access to a separate priority queue to clear the extra US screening.
Connections to other terminals are by a landside shuttle bus located, and can take rather longer than one might think as T4 is quite far away from T1/2/3. There is a metro link between the two, however you will have to pay full fare and even for a single rider a taxi is pretty competitive on price when the airport supplement is included.
Resources:
Link to Madrid Barajas Airport (World Airport Guides)
Link to AENA official MAD Madrid Barajas website by airport operator AENA
Wikipedia decent article on Madrid Barajas (with listings of airline gates and terminals - BUT caveat - it fails to differentiate between Terminal 4 and Terminal 4-S!)
Schengen Agreements nations information (with maps, etc.)
Connections through Madrid Airport
Oct 21, 2017, 5:49 am
#331
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Germany / Spain / Switzerland
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T2 is only Schengen cleared and there is only a connection from T1 non-Schengen area to T4S as these are the only two non-Schengen cleared areas in the airport. For any connection to/from a Schengen destination, a landside connection is required.
I don't know the exact details of the bus, but from the signs I've seen, it's not exactly "airside" but more accurately "transitside" as you find it on arrivals segregation and I'm pretty sure it's before passing through immigration control.
I don't know the exact details of the bus, but from the signs I've seen, it's not exactly "airside" but more accurately "transitside" as you find it on arrivals segregation and I'm pretty sure it's before passing through immigration control.
It actually should not be a problem within T1 and T2/T3.
With UX you need to connect within T2/T3 into T1 as they do have a lot of international Non-Schengen destinations. With the Passport Control posts position this should be possible.
The specific question would be how to go down to this transit area and get the bus and if this process .Ames the transit process less stressful than going the landslide way.
Latam operates its FRA-MAD leg as Non-Schengen thus you need to do this process either way when connecting between the terminals. And it is definitely possible to connect from T4S Non-Schengen into T4 without going landside, though you can get confused rapidly and then you are in the baggage claim area and cannot go back, then you need to go landside.
Oct 21, 2017, 8:30 am
#332
Join Date: May 2013
Location: MAD
Programs: IB+, BAEC
Posts: 3,105
I guess you may not technically go fully landside, but it is essentially the same thing, the only difference is not walking through a door and which security check you are going through.
The main exception would be T4S non-Schengen to T4S Schengen flights.
The main exception would be T4S non-Schengen to T4S Schengen flights.
Nov 29, 2017, 11:23 am
#334
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 1
Connecting flights in Madrid-Barajas Airport
Hi. I'm looking at getting a connection in Madrid Airport but the flights will be booked separately (DUB-MAD and MAD-ACE). When I land at Madrid Airport, do I have to leave the airport and go upstairs to departures, or can I just follow signs for Connecting flights? Both flights are Terminal 1 and I won't be checking in any bags.
Thanks
Thanks
Nov 30, 2017, 8:50 am
#335
Join Date: May 2013
Location: MAD
Programs: IB+, BAEC
Posts: 3,105
IIRC, there is a security checkpoint after passport control but before going all the way landside. That said, I don't think it's always open and it really is a pretty meaningless distinction other than maybe avoiding 5-10 minutes of a queue at that point compared to just going all the way landside and going back in again.
Nov 30, 2017, 8:54 am
#336
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
Just be aware that you don't have a connection. You have two separate tickets. If your flight from Dublin is very late (how much time do you have between flights?) and you don't make your flight to ACE, you'll be deemed a no-show and that entire ticket (including a return if there is one) will automatically cancel. You'll then have to buy a new ticket at walk-up prices.
Dec 1, 2017, 2:41 pm
#337
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 2
Hi! I have a ticket Moscow-Madrid-Quito which was purchased at an online agency at once, but connecting flights have different PNR. Does it mean it's actually two separate tickets?
The first flight is S7 airline (codeshare with Iberia), second one is Iberia. So both flights use terminal 4S.
Is it possible to check in for both flights together at departure?
If it's not possible, is there an Iberia transfer desk inside the terminal 4S? So I can check in there without leaving the terminal and passing through immigration, as I don't have schengen visa.
Note: I'm travelling _without_ check in bags, only hand baggage.
Thanks!
The first flight is S7 airline (codeshare with Iberia), second one is Iberia. So both flights use terminal 4S.
Is it possible to check in for both flights together at departure?
If it's not possible, is there an Iberia transfer desk inside the terminal 4S? So I can check in there without leaving the terminal and passing through immigration, as I don't have schengen visa.
Note: I'm travelling _without_ check in bags, only hand baggage.
Thanks!
Dec 3, 2017, 3:03 pm
#338
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: PEK
Programs: A3*G, UA Gold EY Silver
Posts: 8,956
Are both PNRs linked to a single eTicket number? If so, you're good to go - you should get both boarding passes in DME.
There IS a transfer desk in T4S right before you get to passport control.
There IS a transfer desk in T4S right before you get to passport control.
Dec 3, 2017, 3:55 pm
#339
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 2
Thanks for the reply!
PNRs and e-ticket numbers are different, booking number (inside the agency's system) is the same for both tickets.
So I assume tickets are separate. I emailed the agency but they didn't respond yet.
So if there is a transfer desk inside the terminal, I should be able to check in there if I don't get the second boarding pass in DME, right?
PNRs and e-ticket numbers are different, booking number (inside the agency's system) is the same for both tickets.
So I assume tickets are separate. I emailed the agency but they didn't respond yet.
So if there is a transfer desk inside the terminal, I should be able to check in there if I don't get the second boarding pass in DME, right?
Dec 4, 2017, 12:21 am
#340
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: PEK
Programs: A3*G, UA Gold EY Silver
Posts: 8,956
Dec 12, 2017, 3:48 pm
#341
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: BA, EK, SQ, MH
Posts: 14
Hi guys, I'm looking at connecting via Madrid Airport with no checked luggage. First part will be from Marrakech to Madrid with IB and then Madrid to Liverpool with Easyjet. So it's going to be from T4S non-Schengen to T1 non-Schengen. As mentioned previously, according to the website there is an air side transfer bus from T4S to T1. Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this and how reliable is the service? Will there be additional security checks between the terminals? Just wondering roughly how long will the whole process take.
Ideally I would prefer not to transfer from land side unless it is absolutely necessary =)
Edit: i found some extra information from this website http://www.iberia.com/web/product.do?cntCat=Productos/ACCESO&cntId=conexT4&isPopup=true
Journey between Terminals T1 - T4S and T4S - T1
service upon request.
Passengers are asked to contact the Connections Centre to request this service. Airport staff (wearing green jackets) will check whether it goes to T1 or T4S and will advise the Police and the Shuttle Bus.
Stops:
Maximum waiting time is 30 minutes and maximum travel time between the two terminals is 15 minutes.
Ideally I would prefer not to transfer from land side unless it is absolutely necessary =)
Edit: i found some extra information from this website http://www.iberia.com/web/product.do?cntCat=Productos/ACCESO&cntId=conexT4&isPopup=true
Journey between Terminals T1 - T4S and T4S - T1
service upon request.
Passengers are asked to contact the Connections Centre to request this service. Airport staff (wearing green jackets) will check whether it goes to T1 or T4S and will advise the Police and the Shuttle Bus.
Stops:
- T1 Level 0, Room 1
- T4S Level 0
Maximum waiting time is 30 minutes and maximum travel time between the two terminals is 15 minutes.
Last edited by DinoKev; Dec 12, 2017 at 5:55 pm
Dec 14, 2017, 2:59 pm
#343
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: PEK
Programs: A3*G, UA Gold EY Silver
Posts: 8,956
They will call a bus or a car for you ONLY if you cannot enter Schengen. Otherwise they'll force you to use the landside transfer.
As you'll have to go through security regardless of how you do the transfer, I don't see any advantage of doing the airside transfer as you may have to wait up to 30-45 mins airside, which will make the time savings point quite moot
As you'll have to go through security regardless of how you do the transfer, I don't see any advantage of doing the airside transfer as you may have to wait up to 30-45 mins airside, which will make the time savings point quite moot
Dec 15, 2017, 8:22 am
#344
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Jupiter, FL
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While not a connection question per se, I will be meeting a friend at the Madrid airport who is flying in on a different airline and hence a different terminal. We are eventually taking the train to Toledo, so we need to get to the Atocha station.
I am flying Delta, they are flying American. So I get fly into T1, they fly into T4 20 minutes earlier. It looks like subway/train options out of MAD are best out of T4, so planning on heading that way.
Is the shuttle bus the best option with luggage? I see some people thing taxis are okay, but won't that short ride annoy the taxi driver? Seems I could take the subway, but is that a pain with luggage?
Any advice, experience is appreciated.
I am flying Delta, they are flying American. So I get fly into T1, they fly into T4 20 minutes earlier. It looks like subway/train options out of MAD are best out of T4, so planning on heading that way.
Is the shuttle bus the best option with luggage? I see some people thing taxis are okay, but won't that short ride annoy the taxi driver? Seems I could take the subway, but is that a pain with luggage?
Any advice, experience is appreciated.
Dec 15, 2017, 8:57 am
#345
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 1,351
There is a direct train from T4 to Atocha station (Cercanías, just beyond the Metro station at T4), which is the best way to get there (although it only runs every 30 min, so if you just miss one it can be faster to take the Metro to Nuevos Ministerios and then change to the Cercanías, but this is also more expensive). I would recommend taking the free shuttle to meet with him at T4 (a taxi within T4 and T1 is € 20, at that point you might as well take the taxi to the city for the flat fee of € 30).