Public Transportation

You will save a lot on metro (subway) and bus transportation with a unlimited combination bus and metro transportation card, called the Tarjeta de Transporte, which is a laminated ID card that you can charge for 30-day periods. You will get a youth card (abono joven) for being under 26, which costs only 8 euros a month to refill and gives you access to all public transport in the Autonomous Community of Madrid (La Communidad Autónoma de Madrid).

Your study abroad office will ask you to submit a digital ID photo and a very clear scanned copy of the passport page that has your name, personal information, and signature on it. The passport must be signed before you scan it (it is only considered valid once it is signed). The quality of the scan must allow for it to be perfectly legible when printed. If you submit the materials promptly, the Madrid staff can arrange for a transportation pass to be ready for you upon arrival, meaning you can immediately have unlimited access for 30 days to the subway and bus, and then easily recharge it every 30 days. If you do not submit these items, you will need to make an appointment to go to the transportation authorities to apply for this pass and then return four days later to pick it up.