Información sobre el viaje
Instrucciones para llegar desde Madrid a San Lorenzo de El Escorial:
The Escorial - María Cristina Royal University Centre is located in an extraordinary setting and in fabulous surroundings. The University Campus forms a part of the astonishing monumental architectronic complex of the Royal Monastery of El Escorial founded by King Phillip II in the 16th century. The royal site is located about 47 km northwest of the Spanish capital, Madrid, in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. The town is relatively well connected with Madrid through highway, normal roads and train. There are several ways to get to "San Lorenzo" from Madrid. Remember that you will need cash (in Euros, €).
How to pronounce Escorial (if you are an English-speaker): try to say "Sco-real", putting the strength on the "a" instead of on the "e".
From Madrid-Barajas Airport to Nuevos Ministerios by underground:
In you get to Spain by air, then you will take land in Madrid-Barajas Airport (Aena), which is connected with the centre of Madrid through the subway/Metro. The Metro entrance is well indicated with a red-and-blue diamond already from the baggage claim and exit area. The Metro Line 8 (pink) runs from Terminal 2 (access to T1 and T3) and from Terminal 4 to Nuevos Ministerios station (8 stations, 26-27 min), see the Metro Map. Frequencies of Metro trains varies between 10 and 3 min. Metro tickets are expended by machines at the entrance; you can select any language for purchasing. It is necessary to pay extra to enter and exit the airport stations (T1, 2, 3 and T4). The amount is 1 € extra (total amount = 2 €). If you travel in group, we recommend purchasing the 10 "Metrobus" Journeys ticket (7.40 €), but you have still to pay the 1 € supplement fare.
From Nuevos Ministerios to San Lorenzo de El Escorial by train:
Once you go down from the Metro carriage in the Nuevos Ministerios transportation hub, there are indications to "Renfe Cercanías" (marked with a red circle with an inverted white C). Renfe is the company that operates freight and passenger trains in Spain. Just as in the Metro entrance, Renfe tickets are expended by machines in different languages. Your destination is "El Escorial", line C-8a, and the ticket is 3.05 €. Trip length is approximately 58 min and is usually very nice (try to see the deers when you cross El Pardo forest and the Monasterio and some sequoias when you are arriving to El Escorial).
It is important to notice that there are two adjacent towns with very similar names: El Escorial and San Lorenzo de El Escorial. The train station is in El Escorial ("El Escorial de Abajo") while the Centro María Cristina and the Monasterio are in San Lorenzo de El Escorial (or simply San Lorenzo or "El Escorial de Arriba"). There is a bus stop just in front of the Renfe station (Exit: Casita del Príncipe) that connects it with San Lorenzo. It departures just 10 min after the arrival of your train. You can buy the ticket (1 €) to the bus driver. The 5-min trip (you will pass from 920 to 1020 m above see level...) ends in the San Lorenzo bus station, just in front of the Monasterio.
Important comment: the frequency of Renfe trains strongly varies from work days to Saturdays and Sundays, when there is only one train each hour, approximately (departures from Nuevos Ministerios at 14:38, 15:39, 16:40, 17:38, 18:38...). The frequency during work days doubles to about two trains every hour (departures from Nuevos Ministerios at 14:26, 14:54, 15:23, 15:54, 16:40...). Check the timetable (Origen: Nuevos Ministerios, Destino: El Escorial, Fecha: the date of your trip).
From Nuevos Ministerios to San Lorenzo de El Escorial by bus:
If you are travelling in a work day, we suggest not to take the Renfe train in Nuevos Ministerios, but to connect from Metro Line 8 (pink) to Metro Line 6 (grey) in the direction to the Moncloa transportation hub (the connection may take you about 5 min). The Metro stations are: Nuevos Ministerios, Cuatro Caminos, Guzmán el Bueno, Metropolitano, Ciudad Universitaria and Moncloa. In the Moncloa transportation hub ("Intercambiador de Moncloa"), go to dock 11, island 1, Herranz´s buses (dársena 11, isla 1, Autobuses Herranz), where you can take a bus directly to the San Lorenzo bus station, just in front of the Monasterio. You can take either bus 661 (via Galapagar) or bus 664 (via Guadarrama). The combined frequency is as high as one bus every 10 min. Tickets are sold by the bus driver (3.35 €). The bus takes about 45-55 min (661) or 40-50 min (664), depending on the traffic in the highway and intermediate stops. It is better to wait 10 min to take the 664 bus (especially if you don't like curves...). Either if you take bus 664 or 661, your bus stop destination is the same: the last bus stop!
- From San Lorenzo de El Escorial bus station to the María Cristina Royal University Centre on foot:
There is a short (about 8 min) walk from where the buses leave you, which is the San Lorenzo de El Escorial bus station. This is the same end point of all buses from the "Intercambiador de Moncloa" or from the El Escorial Renfe station. As you can see in the grey map at the top of this page, you must go from the Bus Station to the "Plaza de la Virgen de Gracia" (Virgen de Gracia Square, 1-2 min), from where you will perfectly see the Monasterio. Then walk always with the Monasterio to your left (along the "Avenida de Juan de Borbón y Battemberg", 6-7 min) until you pass below an arcade. The main entrance of the RCU María Cristina y just to your right, in front of a park (the "Parque de los Alamillos").
From Madrid-Barajas Airport to San Lorenzo de El Escorial by hired car:
In the airport, there are several desks of international car hiring companies (e.g. Hertz, Europcar...). Contact astrocam_school09astrax.fis.ucm.es if you are hiring a car.
From Madrid-Barajas Airport to San Lorenzo de El Escorial by taxi:
There is a taxi stop just in front of the airport exit. Maybe the taxi driver has a GPS, but these are the indications to arrive to your destination:
San Lorenzo de El Escorial
"tomar A6 dirección A Coruña;
tomar salida 47 a El Escorial/Valle de los Caídos;
llegar al Monasterio por la M-600;
rodear La Lonja del Monasterio en dirección al Puerto de la Cruz Verde;
justo al pasar los arcos del Monasterio, torcer a la derecha;
la entrada del María Cristina está enfrente del parquecito"
In case you get crazy with all these explanations and need to make your life easier, we can manage to reserve a taxi for you. This is an interesting option if your are a group of four people (80€ / 4 pax = 20€/pax). Just contact astrocam_school09
