YERAC 2024

LOGISTICS

Transportation in Madrid

You have several options to get to the center of Madrid (Atocha) from the Adolfo Suárez Madrid Barajas airport:

Metro: The airport has two metro stations: Aeropuerto T1-T2-T3 and Aeropuerto T4. You must take Line 8 (pink line) of the metro from the airport towards Nuevos Ministerios. From there, you can transfer to metro Line 10 (dark blue) towards Tribunal. Finally, transfer to Line 1 (light blue) towards Estación del Arte (Atocha). The total journey takes approximately 45 minutes. To travel on the Madrid Metro you will need the Multi Public Transport Card. This card is multipersonal, rechargeable, and valid for ten years. It has a price of 2.50€ and can be purchased at the ticket offices of any metro station. To top it up, you can use the vending machines. To this price, you will need to add the fare for the metro ticket and the airport supplement. All of this information is clearly indicated on the vending machines.
Cercanías: The Cercanías train line C-1 connects the airport (only T4) with Atocha Renfe station. The journey takes around 25 minutes.
Metro & Cercanías. There is a hybrid version that combines Metro and Cercanías. You must take Metro Line 8 from Aeropuerto T1-T2-T3 / Aeropuerto T4 to Nuevos Ministerios. Then, transfer to Cercanías C-2 to Atocha Renfe. This journey takes 35 minutes
Bus: The Airport Bus 203 connects Madrid Airport to Atocha Station, located southeast of the city center. The bus operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, departing from the airport every 15-20 minutes during the day and with intervals of 35 minutes during the night. It takes about 35 minutes from Terminal 1 (T1) of MAD, 40 minutes from Terminal 2 (T2), and 45 minutes from Terminal 4 (T4) to reach Atocha Station. The bus makes 2 stops along the way (at O'Donnell station and Cibeles). The airport express buses are easy to identify, as they are yellow and have "Airport Express Aeropuerto" written on the sides in large letters. The buses have luggage compartments, and there is no extra charge for luggage.
Taxi: The price of a taxi from Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport to the center of Madrid is a fixed cost of 33€ per trip. The transportation of your luggage is free.
Private transportation companies: There are several useful apps for getting around in Madrid. Some of them include the official Madrid Metro app, which provides information on route planning and estimated travel times. It also includes information on EMT buses and Cercanías Renfe. The app is called "Metro de Madrid Oficial." It is available in Spanish, English, French, German, and Chinese. Another interesting application is the one for buses, which provides route information, bus combinations, travel time, as well as the waiting time for the desired bus at each station. Its name is EMT Madrid.

Hotels

The attendees are responsible for booking their own accommodation, as it is not the organization’s responsibility to provide lodging under any circumstances. However, we can recommend the following accommodations nearby, which offer some advantages until their availability is filled.

Hotel OnlyYou ****: This hotel offers a 10% discount for participants who wish to stay there. Registration must be confirmed exclusively through the hotel’s website, and in the promotion field, the code YERAC2024 must be entered.
Hotel AC Marriott ****: This hotel offers a fixed price: 145€ per night for a single occupancy double room and 163€ per night for a double occupancy double room. In both cases, breakfast is included. To benefit from this price, hotel registration must be done through this link. Registration must be completed before July 31st 2024, at 12:00 (Spanish time). Cancellable reservations without charges are available until this date. After that moment, any cancellation will incur a 100% charge for accommodation and VAT.

WARNING: there have been several phishing attempts against some congress participants, offering them to book with them (Global Booking, gtravel, ...). The LOC of the congress has only contacted the hotels that you can see on the website. Be careful and if you have any doubt, do not hesitate to contact us.

In September, Madrid is still in high season, so we strongly recommend that pre-registered participants book hotels with a cancellation option to avoid financial losses in case the number of admitted participants exceeds the limit.

Miscellaneous tips

We recommend joining the YERAC 2024 Telegram group for participants for an easier and faster practical chat. "I’m landing on Monday at 16:00, is anyone there at the same time to share a taxi?”, “I took a wrong turn and now I’m near Seville, please help”, “The conference is over for today, and some of us are enjoying some nutritious drinks. Anyone want to join?”, “Is anyone’s hotel near mine? In case you want to go together to the Observatorio Astronómico Nacional.”
A link will be sent when the participants are confirmed.
Electricity sockets are the European two-pin models.
If needed, in the city center, you won't have trouble finding currency exchange offices. These are mainly located at Atocha Station, Calle Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Calle Fuencarral, and Airport.
In bars, restaurants, and hotels, while tips are not mandatory, they are always welcome, especially when the service has been pleasant and prompt.
If you are staying near Atocha, you can reach Observatorio Astronómico Nacional in less than 20 minutes on foot. If you are farther away, keep in mind that Madrid’s public transport is excellent.
In Madrid, schedules tend to be later than in the rest of Europe. Shops open their doors at 10:00 am, and restaurants start serving their lunches and dinners later than in other countries, although in tourist areas it's possible to eat at any time. Madrileños typically have lunch around 14:00 and dinner starting at 21:00.
In September, it's still very hot in Madrid, so choose your clothing accordingly.
Tap water is safe and good to drink in most of Spain. Thus, bring your own bottle and enjoy the water of Madrid.
Enjoy the rich, varied, and delicious gastronomy of Madrid and the rest of Spain.