Getting Your Bearings in Chamartín
Chamartín is a district in the north of Madrid, and for many visitors it is the first piece of the city they see. Its centrepiece is Madrid-Chamartín-Clara Campoamor station, one of Madrid's two major railway terminals alongside Atocha. The station was renamed on 23 December 2020 in honour of Clara Campoamor, the Madrid-born politician, lawyer, writer and women's suffrage leader. Because the station sits in the northern part of the city and acts as the gateway to northern Spain, it handles high-speed, long-distance, regional and commuter rail traffic all in one place.
The good news for a visitor is that you rarely need a car here. The station is knitted into Madrid's public transport network, with its own metro stop, local bus stops and a large taxi rank, plus a substantial underground interchange linking the metro and commuter rail lines. What follows is a practical orientation to each of those options.
How Tourists Move Around Madrid
Madrid is a city that rewards travellers who use public transport. The metro, the commuter rail network known as Cercanías, urban buses and taxis between them cover the historic centre, the business districts and the main stations, and Chamartín is well placed on all of them. If you are basing yourself near the station, you can reach the centre, the Paseo de la Castellana and the airport without ever needing to drive.
Rail: High-Speed, Long-Distance and Commuter Services
Chamartín is a genuine rail hub rather than a single-purpose station, and it is worth understanding the three tiers of service before you buy a ticket.
- High-speed and long-distance: Chamartín is the main hub for routes to the north and northwest of Spain, including Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque Country, as well as to the Levante, meaning Valencia and Alicante. Operators serving these routes include AVE, Avlo, Ouigo and Iryo.
- Mid-distance and regional: Regional trains connect Chamartín with Ávila, Segovia, Salamanca and other towns in the Madrid region and nearby autonomous communities. These are a practical option for day trips.
- Cercanías (commuter rail): Chamartín is a major hub for the Cercanías Madrid network, served by lines C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, C-7, C-8 and C-10. These give fast links to the city centre at Sol and Recoletos, to Atocha, and to Nuevos Ministerios. Cercanías is often the quickest way to cross the city, and it is especially useful if you need to transfer between Madrid's two main stations.
Buy your ticket at the station ticket offices, or check official rail information in advance for real-time schedules and routes before you travel.
Metro
The station has its own integrated metro stop, also called Chamartín, served by Line 1 (light blue) and Line 10 (dark blue). Between them these lines give you a direct link to the historic centre and to the northern business districts. A large underground interchange connects the metro with the Cercanías lines, so switching between the two is a matter of following signs rather than leaving the station.
Trams
For a visitor based in Chamartín, the practical modes are metro, Cercanías, bus and taxi; if you want to use the tram elsewhere in the city, plan that as a separate trip rather than expecting it at the station.
Buses
The station is served by Madrid's urban bus network, EMT, with several lines stopping at the terminal, and there are bus stops for local buses on site. Buses are a useful complement to the metro when you want to stay above ground, and they connect the station area with the surrounding district and the wider city.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
There is a large taxi rank at the main entrance of the station, operating around the clock. From here you can take a direct transfer to hotels, to Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport, or anywhere else in the city. For a visitor arriving with luggage or late at night, this is the most straightforward door-to-door option.
Walkability
The station itself is walkable in the sense that matters most: its facilities, shops and transport connections are gathered together, and the underground interchange means you can move between metro and commuter rail without going outside. Beyond the station, several worthwhile sights are close enough to reach on foot or with a very short ride. Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home of Real Madrid, is a few minutes away by metro or taxi. The northern end of Paseo de la Castellana, the city's financial spine, is nearby and offers restaurants, skyscrapers and shopping centres. Also in the vicinity are the Fundación Canal near Plaza de Castilla, which hosts art and photography exhibitions, the Kio Towers, also known as the Gate of Europe, and the Four Towers business area. From Chamartín you can travel onward to the Art Triangle, the Royal Palace and Malasaña.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport is the city's airport, and Chamartín is one of the convenient arrival points on the city side. The taxi rank at the station's main entrance offers direct transfers to and from the airport. If you prefer public transport, the metro and Cercanías networks based at the station connect you onward into the centre and to the other main rail terminal, Atocha, so you can reach your accommodation without arranging a private transfer.
Practical Tips for Your Visit
- Buy rail tickets at the station ticket offices, and check official rail information in advance for real-time schedules and routes.
- Use Cercanías when you want to cross the city quickly or move between Chamartín and Atocha.
- Remember that the metro stop is integrated into the station, so metro and commuter rail transfers happen underground.
- If you are carrying luggage or arriving late, head for the 24-hour taxi rank at the main entrance.
- The station has shops, cafes, restaurants and luggage lockers, so you can store bags or eat while waiting for a connection.
- Premium restrooms are available on the station's ground floor. They opened in January 2022, cost 1 euro, and the fee is refundable as a discount on purchases at station shops; they use contactless technology. Facilities include showers, health check-up points measuring blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, weight, BMI and height, a breastfeeding room with a changing mat, microwave and mother-and-baby chair, a family room with adult and child toilets, a changing mat and a free water station, powder rooms with motivational mirrors and real-time information, and an accessible room for disabled people.
- If you have time to spare, the station complex also includes a bowling alley and MEEU, a large shopping centre with eateries, stores and a roller rink.