Madrid by Car

Even though moving about by car is not the most highly recommended means of transportation in Madrid, at any hour of day or night for you can easily find yourself wrapped up in an instantaneous traffic jam. As such, there are a few things that you should know when the time comes to pick up a car.

• Accesses

Madrid relies upon six main access routes, the six National Highways: National I (Burgos), National II (Barcelona), National III (Valencia), National IV (Andalusia), National V (Extremadura) and National VI (La Coruña). As well, it relies upon two perimeter loops, known as the M-30 (interior) and the M-40 (exterior).

• Aparcamiento

In almost the entire centre of Madrid, there is a parking system that governs how/when/where/why parking is controlled. From Monday to Saturday in the morning, if you want to park in town you have to have a (parking) residency pass or purchase the corresponding ticket in an Estanco (tobacconist). The tickets are valid from half an hour up to two hours long. The price: 150 pesetas per increment. It’s worth paying this amount and not risking getting stuck with a 20.000 pesetas fine which is what you’ll have to pay if your car is towed. Just in case, the telephone of the city towing service is 91 345 06 66.

If you need more info abou the Parking System, Si necesitas más información sobre el sistema de la O.R.A., you can go to the offices of Municipal Parking Regulations Office (Oficina Municipal de Regulación de Aparcamiento):

c/ Alberto Aguilera, 20. Telephone: 91 588 96 27. E-mail: ora@munimadrid.es.

• Rent-a-Car

In Madrid there are a number of rental car companies. We have selected a few of the most representative ones, of which those that have offices in Barajas airport, Atocha train station and Charmartín train station.

We recommend that before you embark on your journey in the urban jungle that you consult the Central Traffic Office web page (in Spanish) (www.dgt.es) to know in just what condition the highways are in.