** Boarding gates R, S, U, and M. T4-S

You have gone through the controls: to reach R,S,U and M doors you must go left and go down to floor -2 where you should take the underground train that will take you to T4S. Trains pass every 3 minutes and the journey takes just over 3 minutes. These automatic trains are fully accessible, feature double (about 2 metres wide) automatic glass doors have reserved seats for PRM and wheelchair reserved space equipped with safety belts and two emergency call panels: door closing/opening announcements are made by P.A. system.

Again, and very important, verify boarding gate: embarking through R,S,U means going through passport control and security checks: way back to the train station is really complicated and will probably result in you missing your flight. Non-Schengen flights and non European countries destinations board in this area. Take lift or escalators to floor -1, passport control, and then go up to floor 1.

M departure zone is used for domestic flights: proceed to the ground floor. There are no movable ramps in this area and when the plane is on the apron remote stand (no air-bridge) you will have to go down some ten to twelve steps before getting on the bus and board the aircraft by staircase.

Arrivals.

If you arrive to T4 you will disembark on the first floor (remember? movable ramps just on one of the aisles: actually, boarding and disembarking take place on the same floor, corresponding to gates H,J,K), you should go to the central area of the building and then down to the ground floor for baggage reclaim, hall 10. There are automatic glass sliding doors, an elevator and escalators. Signs are printed in yellow.

If your flight comes in to T4S (satellite building) and has come from Spain or a Schengen country you should make your way to floor -2 and take the underground train to T4. This remote-controlled train connects T4S with T4 in three minutes. Once you are in T4 go up to the ground floor (lifts and escalators) and to baggage reclaim in hall 10.

If your flight is disembarked via air-bridge in T4S and has come from a non-Schengen country or a country outside the EU, you should make your way to floor 2 and go through passport control and the hand luggage customs point. Then go down to floor -2 and take the train to T4, once there take the elevator to the ground floor and make your way to baggage reclaim Hall 11.
Once you have collected your baggage you will be directed to the arrivals lounge or to the customs point, depending on where your flight has come from. There are an Aena info point (two heights counter) and two Madrid tourist information desks (high counters again) before going through the last glass sliding doors (usually you have to walk through more than a couple of them). If you walk outside you'll step into the taxi queues and taxi bays; would you rather take the bus, you must not leave the building: take the elevator or escalators one floor up, walk over the pedestrian walkway and then go down (lift and escalators) to the street level. Public and private buses park there.

Buses drive to Madrid downtown (yellow buses that go to Plaza Colon) and Barajas Pueblo Metro station (bus number 201) where you can take the tube (15 minutes ride downtown). Barajas Pueblo station and Nuevos Ministerios station (located in Castellana) are both wheelchair accessible as well as the trains in this number 8 line. Yellow bus and No. 201 bus are adapted. It's quite better taking the Metro at Barajas Pueblo than going to the T2 Metro station (long walk in the building again.) by the connecting bus.

The works for the connection with the Metro network have not yet been carried out, but T4 buildings already have the station and services.

Transfers to/from T1-T2-T3 (the "old airport")
There are adapted/accessible Aena (green) shuttle buses connecting the "old" and new terminals: trip takes about 10 minutes and frequency is every 6 minutes. They are parked on the bus bay at arrivals level and are free of charge.

If you have requested for assistance (wheelchair, U.M. visually impaired, etc..) you will have to do the transfer on your own. The airline operating in the “new” T4 terminal will wave you goodbye once you have collected your luggage and the airline operating in the “old” terminals (T1,T2,T3) will take care of you when you show up at their check in counter. Unbelieveable? Yes, but true. That's the procedure. Depending on how busy is the time you arrive, how many workers are available and many other circumstances, the carrier might take care of the trnsfer from the old to the new airport.There are very few cases in which you can check in all your luggage from origin to final destination (in that case assistance should be provided for the transfer) with airlines operating in the two different airports (old and new). Ask your travel agent and make sure that operating airlines have been informed about your needs (holding a copy of the telex/fax is very useful).

Rebecca Arce

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