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Madrid Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tours

Updated: July 9, 2023

If you’re looking for a convenient way to get around Madrid and see the most notable sites, a hop-on hop-off bus tour is one of the best ways to do it.

This post provides details about how much these services cost, how they work, and which landmarks you can expect to see along the way.


Madrid Hop-on Hop-off Tours

This section will cover everything you need to know about these bus tours, including ticket prices, duration, how it works, and what is included with the service.

A bird's eye view of Madrid. Image source: Pixabay user falco.
A bird's eye view of Madrid. Image source: Pixabay user falco.

Here are a few of the more notable sites included on these tours:

  • The Prado
  • Reina Sofia
  • Royal Palace
  • Puerta de Alcala
  • Palacio de Cibeles
  • Biblioteca Nacional
  • Catedral de la Almudena
  • And more!

If you’re looking for an easy way to see all of these landmarks, consider one of the following hop-on hop-off Madrid bus tours.


Big Bus Tours

Big Bus Tours offers Panoramic tour of Madrid during the day and night time. The whole tour is on an Open-top double decker bus accompanied by live guides who are fluent in Spanish and English language.

Enjoy magnificent buildings like Palacio de Cibeles, cultural icons like the “Big three” museums, Estación de Atocha, vibrant neighborhoods like Lavapiés, Cuecha and Malasaña and lush parks, including the Reales Jardines botánicos and Parque de Atenas.

During the tour you are assisted and briefed on Madraid’s history, culture and architecture.

This service runs daily from 10:15 am - 18:45 (6:45 pm).

Things to Consider

Nowadays, it's actually quite rare for a hop-on hop-off bus tour to have live guides onboard at all times. Most other companies around the world only offer audio guides, so this service is actually quite good.

If you're interested in getting a good overview of the city, this hop-on hop-off tour is a great way to learn about where all the best attractions are located and why they are historically relevant.


Gray Line

Join Gray Line on a magnificent sightseeing trip to Madrid. It is an open-top double decker bus tour equipped with headphones and audio system.

You will choose between 2 different routes for your trip; both of these routes cover Plaza de Colón, Plaza de Cibeles, and Puerta del Sol.

In addition to these sites, you can also expect to see the acclaimed Royal Palace of Madrid abd various museums, including Museo del Prado and Museo Reina Sofia.

The tour also includes a Map of Madrid and audio guide to lead you through the whole journey making you feel like a voyager in the 21st century, giving you a whole different experience.

  • Validity: 1 - 2 Days
  • Constant Availability
  • 1-Day Ticket: €25/Adult | €11/Child | €11/Senior
  • 2-Day Ticket: €30/Adult | €15/Child | €15/Senior
  • Book Your Tour or Learn More

Gray Line offers their hop-on hop-off service from 10:00 am - 18:00 (6 pm).

Things to Consider

The main thing to note with this hop-on hop-off tour is that they do not have a live guide. Although that might be a negative for some travelers, it's worth noting that the audio guide they offer is available in the following 14 languages:

English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Dutch, Catalan, Callego, Chinese, Arabic, Japanese, and Euskera.

If you don't speak English or Spanish, this would be the hop-on hop-off tour for your needs. However, if you are looking for a live tour guide, you might want to consider Big Bus instead.


Madrid Night Bus Tours

If you’d rather see what Madrid looks like after dark, these night bus tours will take you around to the most noteworthy sites in the city, including Estación de Atocha, Edifício Metrópolis and Catedral de la Almudena for instance.

Madrid after dark. Image source: Pixabay user David Mark.
Madrid after dark. Image source: Pixabay user David Mark.

Feel the gentle wind on the double decker bus as you take in the beautiful panoramic view of Madrid’s streets. Live tour guides narrate nighttime excursions in both English and Spanish, making for a very engaging experience.

See the city as it lights up the night on one of the following night tours.


Big Bus Tours

You can completely immerse yourself in Madrid's wonderful atmosphere with this alluring Night Bus Tour. It offers an entirely different perspective of the city, showcasing its notable landmarks brilliantly illuminated under the night sky.

The knowledgeable guides elevate this extraordinary exploration of Madrid’s nightlife. Through their engaging story telling and insights about the city’s history, these guides enrich your understanding of Madrid’s vibrant Cultural heritage.


Madrid Hop-on Hop-off Combo Deals

There are several ways to save money on a hop-on hop-off bus tour in Madrid. These discount packages include additional activities such as Bernabéu Stadium, the Prado Museum, the Royal Palace, and more.

Two hop-on hop-off buses in Madrid. Image source: Pixabay user Joaquin.
Two hop-on hop-off buses in Madrid. Image source: Pixabay user Joaquin.

The Madrid Pass

The Madrid Pass is a great tool for exploring the city at your own pace. With this pass, you can conveniently explore Madrid's landmarks and neighborhoods by taking a hop-on, hop-off bus tour.

This service also grants access to a number of noteworthy attractions:

  • Royal Palace
  • Prado Museum
  • Bernabéu Stadium
  • Madrid City Audio Guide
  • Prado Museum Audio Guide

This prepackaged pass saves you money on individual attraction tickets while allowing you to experience the best of Madrid.

As if all of that weren't enough, you can also use this pass to get an additional 10% off other activities and attractions in Madrid, including examples like Parque Warner and Parque de Atracciones.

  • Constant Availability
  • Time to begin: Anytime
  • €57/Adult | €49/Senior | €49/Student | €39/Youth | €17/Child (7-15) | €8/Child (5-6)
  • Book Your Tour or Learn More

Hop-on Hop-off Bus Madrid + Paseo del Arte Card 

With this discount package, you get access to a hop-on hop-off bus tour of Madrid and the Paseo del Arte Card.

The bus tour offers an efficient and flexible way to navigate the city, with the liberty to alight and explore whenever you wish.

The Paseo del Arte provides entry to the Prado Museum, the Thyssen Museum, and the Reina Sofia Center, otherwise known as the "Big Three" Museums in Madrid.

This combination delivers both cultural enrichment and sightseeing convenience.

You can get this deal for just €60 per person.


Madrid Hop-On Hop-Off Bus & Santiago Bernabéu Stadium Tour

This combo package comprises not only the Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour of Madrid but also a behind-the-scenes exploration of the renowned Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

Explore Madrid's intriguing districts, celebrated landmarks, and spectacular vistas from the comfortable confines of the tour bus. 

The tour of Santiago Bernabéu Stadium provides you with a behind-the-scenes look at the field and adds some sporting history to your Madrid experience.

This combo deal is only €56 per person.

About The Author

Stephen Pickhardt

Stephen is the CEO of Free Tours by Foot and has overseen the transformation of a local walking tour company into a global tour community and traveler’s advice platform. He has personally led thousands of group tours in the US and Europe, and is an expert in trip planning and sightseeing, with a focus on budget travelers. Stephen has been published and featured in dozens of publications including The Wall Street Journal, BBC, Yahoo, Washington.org, and more.
Updated: July 9th, 2023
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