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Spain

Madrid

Spain's capital of grand museums and a royal palace. One of Europe's largest metro networks covers the city.

Bus (EMT / autobús)

Tap a bank card or phone on the reader beside the driver - nothing prints, the card itself is your ticket. Only the green buses out of the city run on a separate fare where city tickets do not count.

Updated on August 20, 2026

  • Until Dec 31, 2026

    The 10-trip price relies on a subsidy that is ending

    The €7.30 on the 10-trip ticket is a subsidised price - the regional discounts are funded only up to 31 December 2026, so check the price again once the year turns.

How to ride

  1. 1
    Board through the front door
    Next to the driver's position, on the left of the partition as you board.
  2. 2
    Tap your card or phone
    A green light and the message "Aceptado. Buen viaje" mean the single ticket is paid for.
  3. 3
    Want a paper ticket? Ask the driver first
    Ask before you tap and the driver hands you a paper ticket - this is also how you pay for a group.
  4. 4
    Paying cash? Bring coins
    You pay the driver, and there is a limit on how much change they will hand back.
  5. 5
    Press the stop button before your stop
    Buses do not stop automatically - give the signal in good time.
  6. 6
    The green intercity buses are a separate system
    Neither the Metrobús nor a zone A pass works on them - buy a single as you board.

Fares

Single fares4

Single ticket (EMT city bus)
No transfers are included; you buy it on board as you get on
1.5 EUR ≈ $2
TransBUS (60 minutes unlimited)
Sold only as a QR code in Madrid Mobility 360; €1.50 first, €0.30 on the transfer
1.8 EUR ≈ $2
BicibusEMT (90 minutes plus bikes)
Bundles 90 minutes of transfers with short bicimad rides; not valid on the airport line
1.8 EUR ≈ $2
Single ticket (green intercity bus)
€1.50 within one municipality, €3.00 once you cross into another; bought on board
1.5〜3 EUR ≈ $2–3

Passes & multi-ride2

10-trip Metrobús
Valid on every EMT line except the airport express, plus Metro zone A and ML1; loaded on a TTP or Multi card
7.3 EUR ≈ $8
Tourist ticket, zone A (1-7 days)
Six steps from €10.30 for a day to €43.20 for seven; counted in calendar days
10.3〜43.2 EUR ≈ $12–48

Estimates use exchange rates as of November 3, 2026

Payment

Tap to ride
VISAMastercardAmexDiscoverDinersJCB銀聯
Tap the reader beside the driver and the single ticket is bought on the spot
Phone wallet
A card virtualised in a phone taps in exactly the same way
Card payment on board
Ask the driver first and you get a paper ticket; up to €19.99 per transaction
IC card
At the gates: Load a 10-trip or tourist ticket onto a TTP or Multi card and tap it
App tickets
EMT MadridMadrid Mobility 360
At the gates: BicibusEMT is sold inside Bus EMT or Madrid Mobility 360
QR ticketing
At the gates: Show the app's QR code to the reader - this is how TransBUS works
Paper tickets
On board: A paper ticket the driver issues - you have to ask before you tap
Cash
On board: Pay the driver; change is capped at €5, so board with coins

Quick facts

Hours
06:00-23:30, then Búho
Fares from
1.5 EUR+

Heads-up

  • Green intercity buses have their own no-ticket surcharge

    On the green intercity buses the surcharge for riding without a ticket is €80.00, halved to €40.00 if you pay the operator on the spot or within fifteen working days - a separate rule from EMT's €30.00.

  • Card declined and no backup means leaving the bus

    If the payment fails and you have neither cash nor another card or phone, you will be told to leave the bus. Board with coins or a second card.

  • Tap one card for the group and its holder gets off last

    If you tap one card for the whole group, the person holding it has to be the last one off - no tickets are issued, so the card is the only proof for everyone.

  • Keep your card away from the validator while you ride

    Do not leave your card sitting near the validator while you ride - EMT itself gives this warning to avoid being charged twice.

  • EMT's English pages carry out-of-date fares

    EMT's English pages carry stale fares - they list the 10-trip ticket at €12.20, which is not what it actually sells for. Check prices on the CRTM fare pages instead.

  • Women and minors may ask to leave night buses between stops

    On night intercity buses, women and minors can ask the driver to be set down between stops inside built-up areas.

Timetable

Operating hours 06:00-23:30, then Búho
Typical duration 203 lines and more than 10,000 line-stops, filling in the residential districts and hilly stretches the Metro does not reach
Check the official site for the latest times and service status
Editor Naotaka