6 tips for driving in Madrid

If you follow these 6 tips for driving in Madrid and respect some basic rules of the road, your drive in Madrid will be safe and stress-free.

More than 3 million cars travel on the streets of Madrid every day, meaning that the city has some of the heaviest traffic in Europe. This makes driving in Madrid at certain times a real test of patience and determination.

Pedestrians, bikes, scooters and cars weave in and out of traffic, honking and swerving and speeding to make the next light. It sounds a bit scary, and it should.

The traffic system in Madrid is complex and demands careful planning if you are not familiar with the city. Once you have arrived, our main piece of advice is to leave your car in a safe place and use the public transport system.

But if you still want to travel by car, check this complete guide on where to book your rental car online.

The tips for driving in Madrid I list below will help you to travel around the city better.

 

1. Beware of traffic in Madrid

In general, the traffic in Madrid is very dense and you have to look around all the time. So the most important piece of advice I can give you for driving in Madrid is to be aware.

There’s a dedicated lane for buses, wide lanes for bicycles and scooters, and many pedestrians and motorcyclists. Pedestrians, by the way, tend to cross the road anywhere and at red lights. Madrileños consider it particularly handy…

Add to this small densely-packed streets and huge commercial avenues full of drivers, bicyclists, pedestrians, motorbikes and electric scooters darting in and out.. You really can’t be too careful. Pay a little more attention than usual to what’s going on around you, and you’ll be fine.

Thus my tip #1 when driving in Madrid is that you should be extremely careful.

 

2. Respect the speed limit in Madrid

Since 2018, the speed limit in Madrid is the following:

  • Single lane streets are limited to 30 km/h. This affects 80% of the total number of streets in the whole city and covers 85% of its total length.
  • The roads limited to 50 km/h are limited to streets and avenues with 2 or more lanes per direction.
  • Bikes and electric scooters can no longer travel on pavements and must do so on designated bike lanes or streets limited to 30 km/h. So be particularly careful as in streets and avenues with 2 or more lanes per direction, one lane is shared by cars, motorbikes, bicycles and electric scooters!

 

3. Don’t use bus lanes

Bus lanes are shown by road markings and signs that indicate which (if any) other vehicles are permitted to use the bus lane.

Unless otherwise indicated, you shouldn’t drive in a bus lane. You may enter a bus lane to stop, to load or unload where this is not prohibited.

In Madrid, the following vehicles are allowed to use them:

  • Buses with a minimum of 10 seats.
  • Licensed taxis. Licensed vehicles for private hire (e.g. Uber, Cabify) are not allowed!

If you use a bus lane incorrectly, you could be issued with a fine.

 

4. Navigate safely through the roundabouts

Now roundabouts can seem chaotic and scary, and they’re certainly dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. But just remember a few rules and tips, and you’ll be a pro in no time.

  1. You must yield to vehicles entering the roundabout.
  2. Be aware. Check your mirrors and blind spots constantly – the traffic in Madrid moves at lightning speed, and scooters are famous for darting through even the narrowest gaps here.
  3. Stay calm but confident. Drivers use their horns like extra punctuation in Madrid, and you’ll hear them. Don’t let it throw you off.
  4.  You may even need to be a little pushy in order to exit the roundabout. This takes practice, and you can always go around again if you don’t make it the first time.

 

5. Drive through Madrid Central penalty-free

One of the most important things you need to know about driving in Madrid is how to navigate through the city after the 2016 anti-pollution plan. This plan has been updated in recent years with new restrictions that affect traffic and include penalties for drivers who fail to comply.

 

What is Madrid Central?

Madrid Central is a Restricted Access Area (RAA) located in the city center. It aims to turn the center of Madrid into an area free of traffic jams, smoke and noise. In other words, Madrid Central is the name of a low emission area in which traffic is restricted.

 

Map of Madrid Central

The boundaries are the following streets: Calle Alberto Aguilera, Glorieta de Ruíz Jiménez, Calle Carranza, Glorieta de Bilbao, Calle Sagasta, Plaza de Alonso Martínez, Calle Génova, Plaza deColón, Paseo de Recoletos, Plaza de Cibeles, Paseo del Prado, Plaza de Cánovas del Castillo, Paseo del Prado, Plaza del Emperador Carlos V, Ronda de Atocha, Ronda de Valencia, Glorieta de Embajadores, Ronda de Toledo, Glorieta de la Puerta de Toledo, Ronda de Segovia, Cuesta de la Vega, Calle Mayor, Calle Bailén, Plaza de España, Calle Princesa and Calle Serrano Jover.

The whole perimeter is perfectly delimited by painted red lines.

 

What type of vehicles may enter Madrid Central?

The DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico) introduced environmental labeling for cars in 2016 which classified vehicles depending on their environmental impact. This was designed to make it easier for authorities to restrict the worst polluting traffic during environmental alerts.

The labels determine who can access Madrid Central and how.

The following vehicles may enter Madrid Central:

  • Electric vehicles (ZERO label) and hybrids (ECO label). They can circulate without problems and can park in any SER zone. There is no time limit for ZERO vehicles, while ECO ones are allowed to park for up to 2 hours.
  • Vehicles with a C or B environmental label: They can only access Madrid Central to park in a public car park or a private garage.
  • Vehicles without an environmental label: They can’t access Madrid Central, unless you’re authorized.
  • Motorbikes:
    • Both ZERO and ECO labels can access without time limit.
    • Those with a C or B environmental label may enter from 07:00 to 22:00.

 

6. Be aggressive but responsible

In Madrid most drivers can get very impatient, don’t tolerate cautious (or lost) drivers very well – and can be expected to protest loudly when behind a slow or unsure driver. Trust me Spanish drivers can – and do – user their horn at their will. So if you do get lost, the best thing is to find somewhere to stop, get clear instructions and start again.

All in all, you’ll never be comfortable driving in Madrid if you cower behind your steering wheel and curse the unfairness of being cut off.

So square your shoulders, sit up and drive as Madrileños do – with much confidence, while respecting the rules.

 

This article is part of a complete tutorial about car rental in Madrid where you can read all the information you need to organize your road trip around the country.

Here is a complete summary of all the guide:

1. Traveling to Madrid by car
2. How to book your rental car online
3. How to find cheap rental rates?
4. Do you need an International Driver’s Licence?
5. Getting around Madrid: rental car
6. 6 tips for driving in Madrid
7. Car parking in Madrid