Article: Madrid Barajas airport rail link opens

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Note: this is the 2nd rail link to Madrid airport, as the Metro already serves the airport.

Railway Gazette International -> click here

23 September 2011
Official opening of the Madrid Barajas airport rail link Terminal 4 station.

SPAIN: RENFE suburban services began running to a new station beneath Terminal 4 at Madrid Barajas airport on September 23. An official opening ceremony had been performed the day before by Development Minister José Blanco, President of the Madrid regional government Esperanza Aguirre and Mayor of Madrid Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón.

Trains on route C1 now run every 30 min from the airport, offering a journey time of 11 min to Chamartín station, 18 min to Nuevos Ministerios and 25 min to Atocha. The single fare to the centre of Madrid is €2·15, while holders of tickets for RENFE high speed services travel for free.

Construction of the 8·8 km airport rail link has cost €218·3m, with the first section over 4·1 km of upgraded infrastructure between Chamartín and a new station at Fuente de la Mora opening on March 24 this year. The remaining 4·7 km to Terminal 4 is new infrastructure running entirely in tunnel, serving one intermediate station at Valdebebas where construction is still ongoing.

The tunnel section features dual-gauge slab track that will enable 1 435 mm gauge high speed services to run to the airport, and catenary that can be energised at 25 kV AC as well as 3 kV DC. Completion of a 1 435 mm gauge track between Chamartín and Hortaleza will join Barajas to the Spanish high speed network.

September 23 also saw restructuring of RENFE's Madrid suburban network, with route C3 extended from Chamartín to El Escorial and the peak service on route C2 to Guadalajara increased to every 12 min. More double-deck rolling stock has been introduced on this route, and the number of Civia EMUs deployed across the network increased from 72 to 88.

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Another half hourly airport service.  

But at least this one runs from 5.15 AM to until 11:45 PM, has competition (in the form of the Metro), and only costs €2.15 (approx $2.95).

There you have it - a half hourly rail service operated by normal suburban trains and taking around 25 minutes from airport to city is worth $2.95, not $15!!

I saw this station under construction when I was there in July/August. Next time I'm in Madrid I'll definitely by trying it instead of my usual €20 taxi ride, as the hotel I stay in is right next to a suburban rail station.

I'm guessing that the initial half hourly frequency on line C1 may end up being filled by another service pattern, possibly on the standard gauge. I doubt this will stay as a half hourly service for long.