In May 2007, a ten trip ticket on the Madrid metro cost 6,40?.  On 1st may 2012, the price for this same ticket will be 12?:

http://www.ctm-madrid.es/red_transportes/tarifas/red_tarifas.jsp

That’s an 87.5% increase over five years, an average of 17.5% per year.  The Suplemento Aeropuerto is going up to 3?, which is a 200% increase in one year.

I find this absolutely ridiculous.  Madrid now has some of the most modern (and expensive) metro trains in the world, which have lcd tv screens in them, presumably so you don’t get bored on your journey.  Meanwhile, within the stations, it is chaos, with no “keep right” or “keep left” signs anywhere, so you will often just walk into a wall of people who have just got off a train.  There is also insufficient signing, so you can be left following signs which lead you nowhere, and having to randomly choose a direction, and if you are wrong, you have to go back again.  The up and down escalators are strategically placed in many stations so that it is necessary to cross the path of other travellers.  Not to mention the fact that it is ridiculously hot.  (Although Spanish people don’t seem to mind this so much).  And all at the bargain price of ticket price inflation a ridiculously high multiple of the country’s inflation target.

My question to you all is:  Who the hell runs the metro in Madrid, and how do I send a complaint to them?

Not been to London lately then… or used any form of UK public transport…

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The last time I was in London, and used the transport system there, was at Xmas.  So, a few months ago.

What’s your point?

1. Are you saying that London Transport price inflation is just as high, so it’s ok to do it here too?
If you are, I disagree completely.  Just because they are getting it wrong elsewhere, doesn’t mean it is justified to get it wrong here too.

2. Are you saying that I am anti-Spain and pro-England as I am critical of the Spanish system but not of the English?
That’s wrong too.  I live in Madrid, and have to use public transport.  These prices affect me directly.  Those in the UK, I don’t really care about, as I don’t use the system there on a daily basis.

I could go on, but I’m not sure that you even know what your point is…

From wikipedia: “Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.”

In view of this, do you think that the management of Metro Madrid should install expensive lcd tvs, buy the most modern expensive trains they can, and then put up prices by 17.5% a year?  Do you think (keeping in mind how much wages have gone up in the same time) this is affordable to most of the people who actually use, and need, the public transport system?

I was in Madrid over Xmas/New Year and they were advertising that they were the cheapest metro with their prices up against many other cities in Europe - at that time London was the dearest.

OK so now you can buy a 10 trip ticket for 12? - 1,20 per trip ie around 1 pound.

Cheapest ticket in London?

Yes it has gone up a lot because the government can no longer afford the subsidies.

Been hesitating to post this but I’ve been digging a bit…

Hi…

I’m not trying to be contentious here, just asking…

Whilst the fare increases may appear to be a bit heavy handed, maybe they are just playing catch-up with the realities.

do you think that the management of Metro Madrid should install expensive lcd tvs, buy the most modern expensive trains they can, and then put up prices by 17.5% a year?

Actually… yes I do… Madrid is a capital city and like all capital cities has a face it must present to the millions of tourists that visit every year and hence bring in millions of much needed Euros.

Let me say that I have never visited Madrid and am not therefore familiar with the Madrid Metro BUT…  a bit of digging around the net shows this from

http://www.metromadrid.es/en/viaja_en_metro/tarifas/billetes/contenido01.html

which suggests to me that far from being expensive its actually rather cheap; it certainly compares favourably with other European Metro systems

quote…TO TRAVEL ON THE WHOLE OF THE COMMUNITY OF MADRID’S METRO NETWORK: METROMADRID, ML1, METROSUR, METRONORTE, METROESTE, TFM AND METRO LIGERO OESTE *LIGHT RAILWAY)

THE UNDERGROUND NETWORK EXTENDS THROUGH PRICE ZONE A AND OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IN THE COMMUNITY OF MADRID BELONGING TO PRICE ZONES B1, B2 AND B3.

Metro Combined Ticket - 2,50 ?

Valid for one journey only in the whole of the Community of Madrid’s Metro network, in any direction and on any day of the week. It is purchased at the ticket booths or the ticket dispensing machines. In both cases access to the trains is through the turnstiles.

Combined Ticket

Metro Combined 10 Journeys Ticket - 15 ?

Valid for 10 journey only in the whole of the Community of Madrid’s Metro network, in any direction and on any day of the week. It is purchased at the ticket booths or the ticket dispensing machines. In both cases access to the trains is through the turnstiles… unquote

2.50? to cover the entire city system? or 1.50? if you use a 10 trip ticket… still somewhat less than the cost of a cup of coffee and a donut…

Is it not true also that the 3? Aeropuerto Supplement actually includes access to the entire Madrid Metro system… so the supplement is actually only 0.50?

In Granada where I live, public transport (Bus) costs within the City limits is 1.20.? any distance (our much vaunted Cross City Tram System has ground to a standstill before it’s even up and running)...

Granada City Centre Granada Airport 3? 
Malaga City Centre to the Airport costs 1.30?.
Madrid Atocha to Barajas 3? inc supplement
By comparison… London Euston to Heathrow Term 4 is ?5.90 or 7.20?

Seem to recall Madrid Metro is run by the Madrid Government…
If Rajoys plans for a Thatcherite ‘privatise everything’ scenario come to fruition it seems reasonable to assume that the Metro fares will increase dramatically just as they did in London and across the UK once private operators get their greasy mitts on things… especially if First Group, Stagecoach, Arriva, NEX get involved!

I have some sympathy for Rugbyfan’s point of view. Public transport should be cheap. OK 1.20 a journey isn’t too expensive, but think about a shp worker who returns home at lunch time - we are talking 4,80 per day. On a mileurista’s wage that’s quite alot.
cost aside, it’s also true that Spain’s not too good at organizing things. When my wife, who’s spanish first went to london she was amazed that people kept to the left, walked on the right on the escalator etc. When we returned she was telling everybody about how well organized Londoners were. I have to say in spain’s defence that it’s not only Spain - Ive been on metros in lots of countries and none has the courtesy of the London Underground. More than anything, the courtesy on the Underground is more to do with the British character than anything else.

Just to keep this going…

Found this on http://scaryduck.blogspot.com.es/ dd 30th March seemed somehow appropriate…

Friday, March 30, 2012

On not having an Oyster Card

It is rare, these days, that I use this site to make an overtly political statement. Back in the early years of this blog, I showed a distinct left-wing bias, but the politics have been slowly squeezed out in favour of the more observational funny.

That is, until now.

FOUR POUNDS THIRTY? Four quid thirty for a single ticket on the London Underground?

FOUR POUNDS AND THIRTY OF THE QUEEN’S PENCE to travel a mere four (count ‘em) FOUR stations, because my travel needs are so casual and so not-London-based that I don’t actually possess an Oyster Card. What kind of image does this portray to visitors and tourists, eh? A rip-off, that’s what.

Screw you, Boris. I hope you choke on the caviar that my FOUR POUNDS THIRTY paid for, you posh, tousel-haired (expletive deleted). You’re supposed to be encouraging casual users onto the London Underground, not scaring them away. (expletive deleted).

FOUR POUNDS THIRTY? Even the station staff thought it was an outrage.

?4.30? If I didn’t have a spacked ankle, I’d kick your arse.

In the interests of political balance: Other London mayoral candidates are available, and may also be (expletive deleted).

*Takes a look at list of candidates* Yes, they are all (expletive deleted). Best of luck, London.

Well I thought it was funny in a cynical way…. I’ll just get my coat…

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Just in case someone comes across this conversation and thinks they are getting accurate information, I thought I would make a few things clear.

Firstly, the link which foxbat posted above:

http://www.metromadrid.es/en/viaja_en_metro/tarifas/billetes/contenido01.html

Is of a page that shows current prices for a “Combined Ticket” which allows you to travel on the whole of the metro system (Zone A, B1, B2, B3).  You can change lines within the metro system, but I understand that you cannot travel on buses with this ticket (to be sure, if you are considering this ticket, you should check at the ticket office).  In fact, there is an error on this page, as the price of a single ticket is 2?, not 2,50? (if you change language to Spanish, it will show you the correct price).

The link which I posted at the very start:

http://www.ctm-madrid.es/red_transportes/tarifas/red_tarifas.jsp

Shows both current prices, and what prices will be from 1st May 2012.  You can compare prices easily here, and will see that the “Combined Ticket” prices are going up to 3? and 18? from 2? and 15?.

It is NOT TRUE that the Suplemento Aeropuerto which costs 3? includes access to the entire metro system.  It is in addition to your fare, and hence the reason why it is called a “supplement”.  You need to buy this each time you enter and exit the airport using the metro.  It is moving to 3? from its current price of 1?.

ROB1305 has also compared prices here in Madrid with those of London, again.  It’s irrelevant.  The transport system in Zurich is more expensive than both Madrid and London, and that in Warsaw is cheaper than both.  If you look at average disposable income for these cities, it will give you some idea why this is so.  A comparison of absolute prices is simply a waste of time.  A comparison of price inflation would be more relevant, however, without knowing the general price inflation in those economies, it would be difficult to compare them directly.

And lastly, “...Madrid is a capital city and like all capital cities has a face it must present to the millions of tourists that visit every year and hence bring in millions of much needed Euros. ” and therefore, argues foxbat, Madrid should be overspending on the metro system causing prices to inflate at a rate of 17.5%/year.  I cannot agree with this.  Not I, nor anyone I know, has visited a city because it has had a fantastic metro system.  In fact, I have visited many, many places, for many, many reasons, but not once has it been because they have had above average public transport.

What is more important to me is that the transport system should be affordable to those who use it most, to do things like turning up at work, and 17.5% inflation doesn’t help when wages are decreasing.

I would agree that the Tube in London is outrageously priced.  But I would also agree that Madrid’s metro was underpriced for years so the price rise is not a surprise. 

There’s not an urban transit system in the world that pays for itself strictly through fares collected.