Taxi from IFEMA to Madrid airport: a guide for trade fairs and events

IFEMA and Barajas Airport are neighbours: the trade fair centre is in the Barajas district, in Campo de las Naciones, and the journey between the two is one of the shortest you can make in Madrid. To get from IFEMA to Madrid airport on trade fair days you have two practical options: Metro line 8, from Feria de Madrid station, or a taxi, preferably booked in advance, because the venue's taxi ranks get swamped at closing time during big events.

Being so close is deceptive: what complicates the journey is not the distance, but coinciding with thousands of attendees leaving at the same time, loaded with equipment and with a flight that same evening. This guide is designed for exhibitors, trade visitors and organisers.

Metro line 8

Feria de Madrid station is on the same line that goes to the airport, with one stop for T1-T2-T3 and another for T4. It is quick and cheap if you are travelling light, although the airport stations charge a supplement and, when a big fair closes, the platforms and carriages are packed.

Taxi

A taxi drops you at the door of your terminal and is the logical option if you are carrying suitcases, samples or a dismantled stand, or travelling with other people. The key is not to depend on the queue: at peak times during a fair, the wait at the rank can be long. With a booked taxi you know when and where you will be picked up. You see the fixed price from the venue when you book, and you can check all the zones on our fares page.

When a team of exhibitors or a delegation is travelling, it is worth planning the transfers as part of the fair logistics:

• Group by flight: make a list of each person's flights and group together those leaving from the same terminal at similar times.
• Use larger vehicles: a 7-seater taxi carries five or more people with their luggage in a single car.
• Centralise the booking: having one person manage the transfers avoids duplicates and missed pickups.
• Company invoicing: if the trips are repeated at every fair, see how the corporate taxi account for businesses works.

If you are looking for a door-to-door transfer with the vehicle dedicated solely to your group, from the hotel to IFEMA and from IFEMA to the airport, that is a private airport transfer.

Many attendees land on the opening day itself. If you are going straight from the plane to the venue, book your pickup at the terminal with your flight number and give the IFEMA entrance you need as the destination. If you have to stop at the hotel first, whether in the centre or in the Campo de las Naciones area, give that as the destination and then arrange the journey to the venue.

Before setting off for the venue

• Have your badge or ticket downloaded.
• Check which hall your stand or session is in.
• If it is a conference with a fixed start time, allow for the badge collection queues.

Trade fair days usually finish in the late afternoon or early evening, and many return flights leave that same night. Taxis run 24 hours a day, so you can book your departure after the closing dinner or for an early-morning flight without depending on metro hours. For a complete business trip, you will find more ideas in our guide to choosing a taxi for a corporate trip in Madrid, and if you have meetings on the Castellana before or after the fair, in the article on the journey from the airport to Madrid's financial districts.