This page includes information regarding:

• Traveling to Madrid
• Entry Visas

By Plane:
The nearest airport is Barajas International Airport (MAD), about 15-20 minutes from Madrid. It is connected to the city by the Metro line eight. Taxis from the airport to the city center cost about 25 euros. In 2006, a new terminal building was inaugurated at Barajas. All One World alliance flights depart from the new Terminal 4 (T4) as well as the low cost carrier Vueling and other unaffiliated carriers. A metro connection to the airport and the new T4 terminal is available. There is a supplement of 1 euro on the regular metro ticket for the airport line. Bus services run from the remaining terminals to T4 and there are additional bus services running from the center of Madrid (Plaza Colon and Avenida de America).

From the airport, take the metro to the Atocha station, which is nearby the Conference Center and Hotel.

By Train:
Not only is Madrid the capital of Spain, but it is also the hub of the country's rail network. Major routes include frequent trains to Barcelona on the east coast (5 hour journey), where it is possible to continue on to the French coast, and to Paris to the north with access to most of the rest of Europe.

Main connections between Madrid and other European cities include:

• Portugal, direct train from Madrid to Lisbon, but also a train from Irun to Lisbon via Madrid.
• France, direct train from Madrid to Paris, but also a train via Barcelona to the Parisian train station Paris Austerlitz. Also trains to Montpellier via Barcelona and Cartagena (Murcia).
• Switzerland, train to Zurich via Barcelona.
• Italy, train to Milan via Barcelona.

Spain's high-speed train (AVE - Alta Velocidad de Espana) makes the Madrid-Seville run in two and a half hours. Other available lines include Madrid-Camp de Tarragona and Madrid-Huesca (both via Zaragoza).

Northbound trains arrive and depart from Chamartin station, while trains to Barcelona, Valencia and southern Spain depart from Atocha railway station.

There is more information available at Spanish Railway System Renfe.

By Bus:
Madrid has eight gigantic international and intercity bus stations. Information on where buses to a particular destination depart from can be found at the Tourist Office.

Many of the international buses, and those headed south of Madrid, arrive at and depart from Estacion Sur de Autobuses (Calle de Mendez Alvaro) which is connected to the rest of the city by Metro. Buses to and from Barcelona are based from the Avenida de America bus terminal (Ave. de America), also connected to the Metro.

By Car:

There are car rent facilities available on the airport, train stations and other main travel sites. Always be sure to have a street map handy!

Visa Information

Spain is a signatory of the Schengen Agreement, which permits freedom of movement within Europe.

The following information is taken from the official Spanish tourism website (Visa Requirements). Neither the MIT GSW nor our partner organizations, accept responsibility for any errors or omissions in this text. Please confirm this information via your own research, and please let us know if you discover any inaccuracies (gsw-contact@mit.edu).

Obtaining a Visa

1. If you determine that you need a visa based on the information below, you will first need to register for the conference to receive a registration receipt by email. This will serve as your written invitation.
2. Apply for a visa from the Spanish Consulate in your place of residence. You will also require a valid passport. Locations of embassies and consulates.

Note that the visa application process may take several weeks, so we recommend that you apply early.

Visa Requirements

In general, all foreign nationals require a visa to visit Spain, but there are quite a few exceptions to this requirement. Below is a list of those who do not require a visa.

Schengen countries

As part of the Schengen Agreement, there are no passport controls when traveling between signatory countries. Citizens of these countries may therefore enter Spain freely, without having to apply for a visa. The same applies to foreign nationals who have a residence permit for one of the Schengen countries. The 15 member states are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

It should be noted that European countries such as Ireland, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom are not parties to the Schengen agreement.

Countries exempt from visa requirement

A visa is not required for nationals of countries with which Spain has signed a visa waiver agreement. Nationals of countries with a visa waiver may stay in Spain for up to three months. The countries with which Spain has a visa waiver agreement are:

A: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria
B: Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria
C: Canada, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic
D: Denmark
E: El Salvador, Estonia
F: Finland, France
G: Germany, Greece, Guatemala
H: Hong Kong, Honduras, Hungary
I: Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy
J: Japan
L: Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg
M: Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco
N: Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway
P: Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal
R: Romania
S: San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, South Korea
U: UK, Uruguay, USA
V: Vatican, Venezuela