As the first students from UofL studying here at the Universidad Carlos III, maybe a few of you don’t know how to get here. If you ever want to pop in during this spring, let me know and I can update the instructions to get you to my flat. ;D
Okay, so: Make sure you have around €10 in currency! It’s two brief train rides from the airport, so hopefully with these instructions, it’ll clear up any questions you may have and help you feel comfortable using the public transport for the first time.
1) Inside Barajas airport, after you come out of the Arrivals gate, turn right – still inside the airport – and, keeping to the left side of the walk-way, you need to walk about half a kilometre – following the Metro (underground) signs (a red, white and blue flattened diamond shape icon that says Metro) – you honestly think you’re never going to get to the Metro station, but you will! I promise! Use the moving pavements if carrying heavy luggage (like we were).
After a long walk and having gone up an escalator to the first floor and along various moving pavements, the signs will tell you to turn left. After another 200m. on foot and on moving pavements, you arrive at the entrance to the Metro station which is down below.
3) Look for the blue and silver automatic ticket machines OR the kiosk with a real person selling tickets. In both cases select or ask for a single ticket to NUEVOS MINISTERIOS (“sencillo” or “ida”) WITH AIRPORT SUPPLEMENT. (If you don’t buy the supplement now you’ll have to buy it when you try to get out of the exit barriers at Nuevos Ministerios – which is much more frustrating, because the ordinary “ida” ticket won’t let you through the barrier). You’ll need to pay €4.50 for the combined “ida”/”sencillo” ticket and airport supplement.
4) Get on “linea 8” (pink colour) from the Airport – direction: NUEVOS MINISTERIOS. Get in near the front of the train. After 4 or 5 stops, get out at “Nuevos Ministerios” walk forward – beyond the front of the train – FOLLOWING THE SIGNS TO CERCANIAS straight ahead of you (their icon is a tilted red “C” ) You are now in Cercanias!! This is a main hub for train transfers, I’m sure if you’re trying to go anywhere in the city you will pass through here.
Get your ticket in the silver and red machine on the left – you press “Las Margaritas – Universidad” and you pay around €1.80. (The machine gives you change.)
5) Enter through the Cercanias barrier – straight ahead – then go up the escalator which is on the right behind you. Turn left at the top and walk straight to the end of the walk-way – following the signs to Sol, Atocha and PARLA. On the left is the escalator going down for Cercanias platform 8 and you want line C4, direction PARLA. Get out after 5 or 6 stops at LAS MARGARITAS – UNIVERSIDAD (careful there are 2 other stations in Getafe).