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Madrid Chamartin-Clara Campoamor (Madrid)
This guide to Madrid Chamartin station explains what to look out for when using the station to arrive and depart in Madrid by train.
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Four Things Worth Knowing About Madrid Chamartin Clara Campoamor rail station:
1: Chamartin station is located particularly far from Madrid city centre.
It's around 2km north of the heart of Madrid - the Puerta del Sol city square.
So taking a Cercanias or Metro train to/from Madrid Chamartin can be a big money saver compared to taking taxis.
2: Madrid Chamartin is the station you need to head to if you will heading north from the Spanish capital by train.
3: When looking at the Madrid metro map ‘Pinar-Charmatin’ station is not the metro stop at Chamartin train station.
Instead you’re looking for the ‘Chamartin’ stop to the left of it – the white circle served by line 1 and line 10.
4: Madrid Chamartin is currently in the midst of being transformed by a huge reconstruction project, while still handling its usual volume of arrivals and departures - hence the access to and from the trains is currently compromised with temporary and evolving paths having to be taken between the construction sites.
The reconstruction of Chamartin
Pre-boarding luggage, security and ticket checks for the high-speed AVE trains have been introduced at Spanish stations, since the current version of Chamartin station opened its doors in the 1970s.
So the station wasn't designed to manage this passenger flow, which also separates Arrivals and Departures.
Hence for many years this had compromised the boarding procedures at Chamartin station; queues to access luggage screening facilities used to snake-up escalators, which had to be switched out of use.
Therefore Madrid Chamartin-Clara Campoamor is currently in the midst of a massive reconstruction project, which is inevitably compromising both the facilities which are available - and the access to and from the trains.
- the routes into the station can be less obvious and longer;
- many of the vias (tracks / platforms) are currently more than a 5 min walk away from the main concourse.
The work. will ultimately:
- more than double the number of the vias (platforms / tracks) which can be used by high speed train services;
- facilitate the full use of the Interconnector Tunnel, which will enable the majority of the high-speed train services to / from Madrid, to depart from both Chamartin and Atocha stations;
- streamline the access to/from the high-speed trains.
Changes to Departures
The situation regarding taking the high-speed trains from Madrid Chamartin is currently evolving, but the part of the new station that's closest to completion is the departure hall for for the larga-distancia (long-distance) trains.
SMTJ's recommendation is to aim to be at the station a minimum of 30 mins prior to departure, because what's already in place are what are now the the standard boarding procedures when taking a larga-distancia train:
(1) All travellers enter the hall through a ticket /security check.
(2) There are further checks at the access points to the vias (tracks / platforms).
However, try to avoid being at Chamartin more than an hour before departure, as what's still compromised are the the number of catering outlets and waiting areas.
Moving walkways and elevators now provide the access to the vias (platforms/tracks) that the trains depart from, but boarding many of the trains can involve a 2-3 min walk to the far end of a via (platform / track).
Changes to Arrivals
Arriving at Madrid Chamartin-Clara Campoamor on an Avant, AVE, Alvia or IC train is currently compromised, as the usual policy of the Spanish station operator, Adif, of separating arriving and departing passengers is evidently already in place, but the Arrivals area of the new Chamartin station is a construction site!
Hence a temporary subway, under the building work, has to be used between stepping off a high-speed train and the evolving main station building, which gives the access to the Metro and taxi rank etc.
Signs at the beginning of this compromised route warn that taking this path will take 5-10 minutes and it is not step-free, as flights of stairs also have to be taken.
To the city centre
Though a minute or two along the route is the access to the part of the station currently being used by the local 'Cercanias' trains.
Most tickets for journeys to Madrid by the larga-distancia express trains include onward travel into the city center by the 'Cercanias' trains - So taking advantage of this comparatively easy access to the Cercanias trains is the best current (May 2025) option for a Chamartin to city center transfer.
However, this short-cut can only be taken by ticket holders for the Cercanias trains
These 'Cercanias' trains take two routes through the city centre - though all trains call at Nuevos Ministerios station, which has interchanges with Metro lines 6, 8 and 10
(1) Cercanias lines C1, C2, C7, C8 and C10 take a route via Recoletos station
(2) Lines C3 and C4 take a different route via Sol station - which has interchange with Metro lines 1, 2 and 3.
Heading to Sol from train arrivals at Chamartin by Cercanaias train is currently a major easier alternative than taking Metro line 1.
There are departure screens which clearly show the line numbers and which via (platform / track) the next train will be leaving from.
To Atocha staion
Any Cercanias trains heading into the city centre will call at Atocha station.
Arriving at Chamartin by Cercanias trains
If possible, for the time being, avoid taking a Cercanias train to Chamartin.
The part of the station currently (May 2025) being used by the Cercanias trains is currently in the middle of a construction site.
Exiting from the station or accessing the departure hall for the larga-distancia trains, involves a five minute walk!
A walk which can be avoided if you take the Metro to Chamartin.
Arriving by Metro at Chamartin station:
If you will be arriving by Metro and connecting to other trains, the exit from the metro is on the very far side of the concourse
Once you’re on the concourse simply walk ahead of you - the area of the station that the Avant, AVE or Alvia trains depart from is at the opposite end of the concourse.
Heading to Barajas airport from Chamartin
Cercanias trains on line C1 and C10 connect Chamartin station to Barajas airport in 15 mins - There are 4 x trains per hour during the day, but there can be gaps of up to 20 mins between departures.
These trains will also have called at Atocha, as well as at Nuevos Ministerios and Recoletos stations in the city centre, so you don’t have to head for Chamartin in order to take the train to the airport.
Due to the currently compromised access to the Cercanias trains at Chamartin, taking these trains from those alternative stations is the way to go for the moment.
For the time being accessing the Cercanias train from the main station building involves taking a five minute walk, which isn't step-free.
Though if you will be taking an express train to Chamartin in order to connect into a Cercanias train on to Barajas Airport, you can use a shortcut - the transfer from larga-distancia arrivals will take less than two minutes.
Though to take advantage of this, you will will need to have booked your ticket with Madrid Aeropuerto T4 as the destination.
These line C1 and C10 trains call at a station that’s directly linked to Terminal 4 (the main terminal) of Barajas Airport
If your flight is departing from Terminals 1 or 2 – the best option is take the Cercanias train to T4 and then transfer to the metro for a two station hop on to its T1/T2 station.
Journeys
# Jump to a directionJourneys from Madrid Chamartin-Clara Campoamor
Jump to directionsMadrid to Alacant / Alicante by train
Madrid to Barcelona by train
Madrid to Bilbao by train
Madrid to Burgos by train
Madrid to León by train
Madrid to Murcia by train
Madrid to Salamanca by train
Madrid to San Sebastian/Donostia by train
Madrid to Santiago de Compostela by train
Madrid to Segovia by train
Madrid to Tarragona by train
Madrid to Valencia by train
Madrid to Zaragoza by train
Journeys to Madrid Chamartin-Clara Campoamor
Jump to directionsBarcelona to Madrid by train
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