Children under 4 ride free on the Metro de Madrid, EMT buses, Metro Ligero and Cercanías trains without needing any ticket at all. Visiting children aged 4 to 10 pay half on the Tourist Travel Pass, which brings the one-day zone A pass to 5.15 euros, and from 11 they pay the adult fare. Children who live in the region ride free until 15 with one of two cards, but both need a padrón registration. On Cercanías, the Renfe rule lets up to 2 children under 6 travel free with each adult.
Do kids pay on the Madrid metro? Children under 4 ride free with no ticket. Visiting children aged 4 to 10 pay 50 percent of the Tourist Travel Pass, from 5.15 euros a day, and from 11 they pay the adult fare. Resident children aged 4 to 14 ride free with a card from the Consorcio Regional de Transportes de Madrid.
Do children pay on Madrid buses and the metro
The fare depends on two things: the child’s age on the day of travel, and whether the family is registered in the Community of Madrid. For a visiting family the table is short:
| Child’s age | What a visiting child pays |
|---|---|
| Under 4 | Nothing, no ticket needed |
| 4 to 10 | Half price on the Tourist Travel Pass, or the adult single and 10-trip fares |
| 11 and over | The adult fare on every ticket |
Single tickets and the 10-trip ticket have no child fare. A single metro ride costs 1.50 to 2.00 euros and the 10-trip ticket 7.30 euros, and each child needs a separate Multi card, because two people cannot pass the gate on one card.
Is the Tourist Travel Pass cheaper for children
Yes, and it is the only discount a visiting child gets: children under 11 pay 50 percent of the Tourist Travel Pass, according to the Consorcio Regional de Transportes de Madrid. The pass also covers the airport supplement and Cercanías trains within its zone. In zone A the two-day pass drops from 17.50 euros to 8.75 euros and the five-day pass from 33.40 euros to 16.70 euros.
For a family of two adults, a child of 8 and a toddler of 3 on a three-day visit, three zone A passes come to 57.75 euros: 23.10 euros for each adult, 11.55 euros for the 8-year-old and nothing for the toddler. Whether the pass beats single tickets for your plans is worked out in whether the Madrid Tourist Travel Pass is worth it, and how the airport metro supplement adds up on singles.
Do children need a ticket on Cercanías trains
Not under 6. On a Cercanías ticket, up to 2 children under 6 travel free with each paying adult, according to Renfe, and this applies to visitors too. It is the one case where a visiting child rides free after the fourth birthday. Adult Cercanías fares and zones are in the Madrid Cercanías ticket guide.
Moving to Madrid with children, the order to do things in
The free fares for ages 4 to 14 need a padrón certificate from the Community of Madrid dated within the last 3 months, so a family that has just arrived does it in this order:
- Register on the padrón at your new address. The documents for each situation are in how to register on the padrón in Madrid.
- Apply for the card at webttp.comunidad.madrid, delivered in about a week, or at an Oficina de Gestión with an appointment on 012, issued on the spot. Bring the child’s passport, NIE or birth certificate, the parent’s ID, the parental authorisation form and, for online applications, a passport photo.
- Ages 4 to 6 get the children’s card, the Tarjeta Transporte Público Infantil, free and valid until the 7th birthday. It is activated once at a metro machine, a tobacconist or in the Tarjeta Transporte app.
- Ages 7 to 14 need the personal card, 4 euros the first time and valid for 10 years, with the free Abono 7-14 loaded every 30 days.
Both cards cover zones A to C2, which includes the whole city and most of the region. The children’s card switches itself off on the 7th birthday, so apply for the personal card a few weeks earlier. The free Abono 7-14 is part of the fare discounts the Community of Madrid keeps until 31 December 2026. At 15 a teenager moves to the Abono Joven at 10 euros a month.
For days out once the cards are sorted, what is free in Madrid with kids lists the free museums and parks.
Madrid kids’ transport FAQ
Do kids pay on the Madrid metro?
Children under 4 ride free with no ticket. Visiting children aged 4 to 10 pay half price on the Tourist Travel Pass, and from 11 they pay the adult fare. Resident children aged 4 to 14 ride free with their own transport card.
Is the Madrid Tourist Travel Pass cheaper for children?
Yes. Children under 11 pay 50 percent of the price, so the one-day zone A pass costs 5.15 euros instead of 10.30 euros and the seven-day pass 21.60 euros instead of 43.20 euros.
Do children need a ticket on Cercanías trains in Madrid?
Not under 6. On a Renfe Cercanías ticket, up to two children under 6 travel free with each paying adult, whether or not they live in Madrid. From 6, a visiting child needs their own ticket, while registered residents up to 14 ride free with their card.
Can a tourist child get the free Madrid transport card?
No. Both the children’s card for ages 4 to 6 and the Abono 7-14 need a padrón registration in the Community of Madrid, dated within the last 3 months.
How do I get a free transport card for my child in Madrid?
Register on the padrón first, then apply online at webttp.comunidad.madrid or by appointment on 012. The card for ages 4 to 6 is free; from 7 the child needs the personal card, 4 euros the first time, and loads the free Abono 7-14 every 30 days.
For a visiting family the rule is simple: the toddler rides free, the primary-school child pays half, and everyone else pays full.