So I usually don't write up on a city's public transportation system ... but after several mistakes, I wanted to write up a simple and helpful guide when using either the Metro de Madrid or Cercanias Trains. 

If you arrive to the main Madrid airport, when you walk to the arrivals area and down the escalators towards the public transportation system, note that:

1) The first ticket machines are ONLY for Metro system.

2) The ticket machines towards the back are ONLY for Renfe/Cercanias Trains.

Ticket bought with Metro does NOT work on Cercanias trains. And here's how I know that:

As when I was being helped by a metro employee while buying my ticket ... I showed him my iPhone that "clearly" and "visually" showed the Cercanias train logo, and the point-to-point location that I wanted to purchase. Yet the metro employee continued to buy the "metro", which I later found out did not work in getting through the train turnstiles. He cited that he didn't speak "English" ... but I'm sorry ... no excuse. If you are going to "work" at the Madrid airport, the point and hub where many people from around the world come, at least have some basic English... I totally understand that Spanish is the home language of Spain ... but NOT everyone is going to have the level of Spanish to understand all the details of the difference between the two. But that's besides the point ... I "visually" showed him on my iPhone the Cercanias ticket that I wanted to purchase, so instead of directing me to the machines next door, he simply tricked me into buying it. Thank goodness I purchased it with my American Express Platinum card instead of using cash ... as later when the transaction posted ... I immediately disputed the charge.

Here's the Metro de Madrid card that they issue:

Here's the Cercanias train ticket that I originally wanted for my journey into center of the city:

Now we can talk about the price difference to get into the city center of Madrid with using Metro or Cercanias

Which is better and which is cheaper?

Guess what? ... it's Cercanias.

The Metro ticket, the one the metro employee had me purchase between Madrid Airport to Tirso de Molina cost 7,50 Euros ... while the Cercanias ticket from Madrid Airport to Atocha Renfe costed only 2,10 Euros.

With both tickets going to city center ... that's quite a difference. When I did buy the Atocha Renfe to Tirso de Molina single ticket, that still only costed 1,50 Euros, so the total came out to 3,60 Euros for the entire journey, compared to if I took the Metro de Madrid from airport to city center.

Quite honestly, the Madrid metro isn't really airport friendly, as you'll most likely have to transfer at Nuevos Ministrios all the time to one or more other lines.

I recommend that people see if they can first use the Cercanias train first to get into the city center at Atocha Renfe or Sol and then transfer next to local Metro line if needed. The Cercanias trains are much more comfortable.

Now lastly, when you buy single ride on Metro card, it is ONLY valid on the day that you purchase it

I found this out, because I wanted to save time from having to buy tickets while carrying my heavy luggage, so the day before I knew I was leaving for Barcelona via Madrid Puerta Atocha station, I thought I could load my card with the single ride between Tirso de Molina and Puerta Atocha.

Well, found out the day of, that if you don't use it ... it's gone.

What the hell? That's so stupid ... what's the point of having a loadable card that doesn't allow you to load up rides for future use.

In any case, I called up Barclarys Mastercard and disputed that charge as well.

If you use Metro card ... my host did mention you can load up with 10 rides, and save a little bit on each rides ... but quite honestly, Madrid center is small enough that you can walk anywhere and get to the most popular tourist sites.

What has been your experience using any of the Madrid public transportation system?