Last month I was flying from Barcelona to Buenos Aires and had to transfer at Madrid Barajas Airport, where I encountered a frustrating situation: my arrival flight landed at T1, but my connecting flight departed from T4S. With only 2 hours for the connection, I nearly missed my flight. Today I’m sharing this experience to help fellow travelers who need to transfer between different terminals at Madrid Airport.
Madrid Airport Terminal Layout
Barajas Airport has 5 terminals in total: T1, T2, T3, T4, and T4S. T1, T2, and T3 are adjacent to each other and can be reached on foot, but T4 and T4S are located farther away from the other terminals and require transportation. Most European airlines operate from T1, while Iberia and its partners primarily use T4.
Transfer Methods Between Terminals
| Origin Terminal | Destination Terminal | Transportation | Approximate Time |
|---|
| T1/T2/T3 | T1/T2/T3 | Walking | 5-10 minutes |
| T1/T2/T3 | T4/T4S | Free shuttle bus | 20-30 minutes |
| T4 | T4S | Underground train | 3 minutes |
| T4/T4S | T1/T2/T3 | Free shuttle bus | 20-30 minutes |
Moving between T1, T2, and T3 is straightforward—just follow the signs. However, if you need to travel to or from T4, make sure to allow at least 40 minutes, as the free shuttle buses run every 10-15 minutes, and with waiting and travel time, it can easily exceed expectations.
In my case, after landing at T1, I rushed with my luggage to the bus stop, only to wait nearly 15 minutes for the bus to arrive. I originally thought 20 minutes would be enough, but from deplaning to reaching the T4S gate, it took a full 55 minutes.
The airport’s free shuttle bus signage is clear—just follow the “Bus” or “Autobús” signs. The buses are yellow with “Lanzadera” written on them. You don’t need to show your boarding pass to board, but it’s recommended to have it handy just in case. The bus stops at T4 → T1 → T2 → T3 in sequence, and in the opposite direction: T1 → T2 → T3 → T4.
Between T4 and T4S, there’s a dedicated underground APM train. Although the distance isn’t far, you cannot walk it and must take this train. Fortunately, the train runs frequently, with departures every 2-3 minutes, and for Madrid transfer visa purposes, the journey takes only about 3 minutes.
A Few Recommendations
If your connection time is less than 2 hours, I strongly recommend checking the terminal information for both flights in advance. Try to choose flight combinations at the same or adjacent terminals. Additionally, transfers within the EU typically don’t require going through security again, but if you’re doing an Madrid airport transfer from international to international, you may need to go through security again, which adds more time.
One final reminder: Barajas Airport’s T4 terminal is genuinely huge, and it can take another 10-15 minutes to walk from the bus drop-off point to your gate. My near-miss experience taught me to always allow at least an extra 30 minutes buffer time for connections. I hope everyone has smooth transfers and doesn’t end up running through the airport like I did!
