green_spork
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino Portugues
Aug/Sept (2017)
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Flew LHR- MAD last Monday. Very quick, a matter of minutes! That was T4. Same story into Valencia last month.Good afternoon everyone,
I am walking the Camino Primitivo on Monday the 26 of September!
I am flying into Madrid on Saturday the 24th of September, before catching the bus to Oviedo!
I should arrive in Madrid with 1 hour to spare, before I have to catch the ALSA bus outside!
I am hoping not to have any delays with the flight or to be held up with long queues at immigration!
Can anyone share their recent experience of arriving into Madrid Airport and how long it took them to clear Passport control/Covid checks!
Flying from U.K, will only have carry on bag!
All help appreciated!
I cannot help regarding the delays in getting through the airport but having once made that connection I can recommend that you have an advance purchase and a reserved seat on the bus.Good afternoon everyone,
I am walking the Camino Primitivo on Monday the 26 of September!
I am flying into Madrid on Saturday the 24th of September, before catching the bus to Oviedo!
I should arrive in Madrid with 1 hour to spare, before I have to catch the ALSA bus outside!
I am hoping not to have any delays with the flight or to be held up with long queues at immigration!
Can anyone share their recent experience of arriving into Madrid Airport and how long it took them to clear Passport control/Covid checks!
Flying from U.K, will only have carry on bag!
All help appreciated!
Hi joe, thanks for the info! It seems most people have got through Immigration without any problems! Hoping for the sameWife did Madrid in late March 2022 - immigration/customs took mere minutes. However, this can be hampered if large international flights land at the same time as you! Or if you are in the back of a big plane. I’d say you have a great chance if making it, but no guarantee
I flew into Madrid in May with three family members and the non EU queue was very slow. Well over an hour. I have an Irish passport and a British passport. I could have got through on the Irish one in no time but still would have had to wait on the other side for the other three to come through.Good afternoon everyone,
I am walking the Camino Primitivo on Monday the 26 of September!
I am flying into Madrid on Saturday the 24th of September, before catching the bus to Oviedo!
I should arrive in Madrid with 1 hour to spare, before I have to catch the ALSA bus outside!
I am hoping not to have any delays with the flight or to be held up with long queues at immigration!
Can anyone share their recent experience of arriving into Madrid Airport and how long it took them to clear Passport control/Covid checks!
Flying from U.K, will only have carry on bag!
All help appreciated!
Isn’t May prime vacation time in Europe? Moreso than the end of September?I flew into Madrid in May with three family members and the non EU queue was very slow. Well over an hour. I have an Irish passport and a British passport. I could have got through on the Irish one in no time but still would have had to wait on the other side for the other three to come through.
No, prime time in Europe is mid July to mid September.Isn’t May prime vacation time in Europe? Moreso than the end of September?
Do you have to use the same passport that you used to book your flight to go through customs?I flew into Madrid in May with three family members and the non EU queue was very slow. Well over an hour. I have an Irish passport and a British passport. I could have got through on the Irish one in no time but still would have had to wait on the other side for the other three to come through.
I very much doubt it! I don’t think I ever put my passport details in when I book a flight (buying ex UK).Do you have to use the same passport that you used to book your flight to go through customs?
Usually you do need to put your passport details in. If it's an airline you've used before they may already have your details so you don't have to do it for every flight.I very much doubt it! I don’t think I ever put my passport details in when I book a flight (buying ex UK).
Usually you do need to put your passport details in. If it's an airline you've used before they may already have your details so you don't have to do it for every flight.
Yes of course for OLCI!Yes, you have to do it for online check in. I don't think you need to do it for intra-schengen flights, though.
My experience is based on being a US citizen with an Irish passport, going in and out of Spain. There are separate streams of information, airlines and immigration. Use the same passport both ways with the airline. If you switch passports on the airlines, you will get questioned (I did that on my maiden voyage with my Irish passport — it wasn’t a big problem, but they told me to always use the same passport with the airlines, both when leaving the US and when checking in to return to the US). Use whatever passport you want going into and out of Spain at immigration. I have given the airlines in the US my US passport, but I have gone through Spanish immigration on my Irish passport — no problem. Use only your US passport going into the US at US immigration.Do you have to use the same passport that you used to book your flight to go through customs?
No. You just need to present a valid passport. I obtained an Irish passport as my mother was Irish as soon as UK left the EU. I use whichever one makes life more convenient for me at the time.Do you have to use the same passport that you used to book your flight to go through customs?
Am flying into Madrid end of September, my flight arrives in T1, I then have a 1 hour to get through passport control/covid check, before I need to get a ALSA bus from outside T4!We travelled from LHR to MAD last week.
There was no delays at all and we made it through immigration, via the monorail to T4 from T4S and through the health screening in about 15-20 minutes.
I was genuinely surprised how quick it was (especially having experienced Heathrow recently).
There are ‘health check’ staff (lots of them) right after immigration. They check (scan) either your travel health form or covid vaccination status; whichever you’re required to have. In my multiple experiences at Madrid and Malaga it’s taken no more than a couple of minutes.Am flying into Madrid end of September, my flight arrives in T1, I then have a 1 hour to get through passport control/covid check, before I need to get a ALSA bus from outside T4!
Some people have mentioned they have had to wait over an hour to get through the Non EU queue/Covid scanning!
What was the process when you arrived?
Do they check your Covid status at immigration?
Thanks, good to know, they sound like their well organised!There are ‘health check’ staff (lots of them) right after immigration. They check (scan) either your travel health form or covid vaccination status; whichever you’re required to have. In my multiple experiences at Madrid and Malaga it’s taken no more than a couple of minutes.
It was very smooth through immigration, in fact the non EU queue was shorter than the EU one (but that was probably because we were flying Iberia and most of the passengers were Spanish).Am flying into Madrid end of September, my flight arrives in T1, I then have a 1 hour to get through passport control/covid check, before I need to get a ALSA bus from outside T4!
Some people have mentioned they have had to wait over an hour to get through the Non EU queue/Covid scanning!
What was the process when you arrived?
Do they check your Covid status at immigration?
Will be my first flight since 2018, so trying to get an idea of what the procedures are! From all accounts it seem the Madrid has got things pretty well organised! Am flying with Easy jet so expect it will all be non eu passport holders! I will probably be taking a lateral flow test the day before, so hopefully have a negative certification! Cheers for the all the info, much appreciated!It was very smooth through immigration, in fact the non EU queue was shorter than the EU one (but that was probably because we were flying Iberia and most of the passengers were Spanish).
Once through immigration there's the Health Check section but providing you have an EU or equivalent Covid vaccination certificate (eg NHS etc) then they were just waving people through.
One thing to note, it's a good idea to print off or save as a PDF your Covid vaccination pass as the NHS app went down last week.
You can save you NHS ‘pass’ to your ‘wallet/passbook’ on your phone so it’s is permanently there and not linked to the NHS Intenet site.It was very smooth through immigration, in fact the non EU queue was shorter than the EU one (but that was probably because we were flying Iberia and most of the passengers were Spanish).
Once through immigration there's the Health Check section but providing you have an EU or equivalent Covid vaccination certificate (eg NHS etc) then they were just waving people through.
One thing to note, it's a good idea to print off or save as a PDF your Covid vaccination pass as the NHS app went down last week.
I doubt anybody’s ever checking, or that there is a penalty, but under the regulations you’re obligated to use your European Union passport when you’re traveling in the European Union.I flew into Madrid in May with three family members and the non EU queue was very slow. Well over an hour. I have an Irish passport and a British passport. I could have got through on the Irish one in no time but still would have had to wait on the other side for the other three to come through.
I think that’s cutting it very close. If anything goes wrong, delayed plane, crazy long line, you get chosen for an extra search, you might miss your bus. You might make it to, but it’s a gamble. Is there not a slightly later bus?I am flying into Madrid on Saturday the 24th of September, before catching the bus to Oviedo!
I should arrive in Madrid with 1 hour to spare, before I have to catch the ALSA bus outside!
I am hoping not to have any delays with the flight or to be held up with long queues at immigration!
My wife and I just flew into Madrid yesterday from the U.S., arriving in terminal 1. We did run into the "health check" people after immigration but all we had to do is wave our EU digital Covid certificates (they scanned the QR codes) and we were through in minutes. Immigration was also very quick, maybe 10 minutes, but that could be because we arrived around 8 a.m. at a time not a lot of other passengers were going through.Good afternoon everyone,
I am walking the Camino Primitivo on Monday the 26 of September!
I am flying into Madrid on Saturday the 24th of September, before catching the bus to Oviedo!
I should arrive in Madrid with 1 hour to spare, before I have to catch the ALSA bus outside!
I am hoping not to have any delays with the flight or to be held up with long queues at immigration!
Can anyone share their recent experience of arriving into Madrid Airport and how long it took them to clear Passport control/Covid checks!
Flying from U.K, will only have carry on bag!
All help appreciated!
Hi, yeah, Actually, I would have 1 hour 15, to get through Immigration, that’s if the flight arrives on the time! I know it’s still risky, but this bus gets me to Oviedo for the evening, their is a later bus, but it’s means a 4 hour wait, plus you arrive in Oviedo for around 10pm!I doubt anybody’s ever checking, or that there is a penalty, but under the regulations you’re obligated to use your European Union passport when you’re traveling in the European Union.
I think that’s cutting it very close. If anything goes wrong, delayed plane, crazy long line, you get chosen for an extra search, you might miss your bus. You might make it to, but it’s a gamble. Is there not a slightly later bus?
That said, it probably took me about a half an hour to make it through when I arrived in Madrid in March of this year. But I had an EU passport. I think the people with non EU passports took slightly longer.
Arriving into T4 you need a lot more time than the other terminals.Good afternoon everyone,
I am walking the Camino Primitivo on Monday the 26 of September!
I am flying into Madrid on Saturday the 24th of September, before catching the bus to Oviedo!
I should arrive in Madrid with 1 hour to spare, before I have to catch the ALSA bus outside!
I am hoping not to have any delays with the flight or to be held up with long queues at immigration!
Can anyone share their recent experience of arriving into Madrid Airport and how long it took them to clear Passport control/Covid checks!
Flying from U.K, will only have carry on bag!
All help appreciated!
I always fly into T4, so I can’t compare, but unless I check luggage, I usually whiz right through. Luggage takes a LONG time to get from the satellit terminal T4S (where the long haul international flights arrive).Arriving into T4 you need a lot more time than the other terminals.
Be prepared for a different camino primitivo. Large swaths of this route were affected by the summer wildfires. It’s very sad.
My flight arrives into T1, but the ALSA coaches depart from outside the T4 terminal!Arriving into T4 you need a lot more time than the other terminals.
Be prepared for a different camino primitivo. Large swaths of this route were affected by the summer wildfires. It’s very sad.
According to https://emergency.copernicus.eu/map...oom=2&lat=36.00107&lon=-28.40126&layers=0BT00 not much that wasn't previously damaged in 2016 & 2019. Over the entirety of the Primitivo expect to encounter 0.1-0.2% of landscape that is fire damaged and most of which is in recovery from previous fires. The descent to Grandas in 2017 was heartbreaking and joyful. Most of the Pine Forest had gone but there were already bright green shoots emerging from the ashes. I'd love to see it again now. The deciduous Chestnut and Oak forest closer to the Embalse had survived and was thronged with wildlife. Local contacts tell me that now, as is typical, there are flora and fauna species that have not been recorded in over a century that can now be encountered on the descent from the Capilla de Santa Maria de Buspol.My flight arrives into T1, but the ALSA coaches depart from outside the T4 terminal!
You mentioned the recent wildfires, how much of the route was affected!
We flew into Madrid last month (July) on a visit to my husband's family. I came in from Mexico and my husband came from Australia. Both our experiences were quick, nor long queues at immigration nor the covid paperwork check zone (follow the blue line). However things can change on a daily basis, as we learned with our return flight to Australia - massive delays, lines, missed connections etc, starting with a 4 hour delay in leaving Madrid.Good afternoon everyone,
I am walking the Camino Primitivo on Monday the 26 of September!
I am flying into Madrid on Saturday the 24th of September, before catching the bus to Oviedo!
I should arrive in Madrid with 1 hour to spare, before I have to catch the ALSA bus outside!
I am hoping not to have any delays with the flight or to be held up with long queues at immigration!
Can anyone share their recent experience of arriving into Madrid Airport and how long it took them to clear Passport control/Covid checks!
Flying from U.K, will only have carry on bag!
All help appreciated!
Yes, that is right. You go through immigration and then go down to the train to T4. A tip for anyone, but especially those with mobiility issues. Take the elevator from immigration down to the train. It is a lot of flights on the escalator.do I understand correctly that luggage collection would be in T4, not T4S, and so I need to get the monorail to T4S first?
Though this may have changed, because it was not a permanent setup, the last time I went through, the covid control was after the tram and before baggage pickup.Whereabouts is the covid form checked - is it pre passport control, pre luggage collection, T4 or T4S?
Do you have your train ticket? Train travel is very popular in Spain and trains frequently sell out. Availability for next week looks pretty good as of right now, so it just depends on your own preferences about travel and having reservations. You are arriving at a time of day when there may be much longer lines in immmigration. I think a lot of forum comments about how quick it was getting through immigration has been from US travelers — flights from the US arrive very early in the morning and the lines are usually quite small.I land in Madrid at 12.45, is it realistic to hope to get through, and across Madrid, to Chamartin in time for the 14.30 or (more likely) the 16.00 train, or should I expect to be on the 17.45?
Thanks so much for that! Useful hint about using the lift not the escalator.Yes, that is right. You go through immigration and then go down to the train to T4. A tip for anyone, but especially those with mobiility issues. Take the elevator from immigration down to the train. It is a lot of flights on the escalator.
Though this may have changed, because it was not a permanent setup, the last time I went through, the covid control was after the tram and before baggage pickup.
Do you have your train ticket? Train travel is very popular in Spain and trains frequently sell out. Availability for next week looks pretty good as of right now, so it just depends on your own preferences about travel and having reservations. You are arriving at a time of day when there may be much longer lines in immmigration. I think a lot of forum comments about how quick it was getting through immigration has been from US travelers — flights from the US arrive very early in the morning and the lines are usually quite small.
If you are not checking any bags, a 14.30 train is possible. But if I were you, I would buy a ticket on the 16.00 train. If you buy a slightly more expensive ticket it is changeable, but I think you can be fairly onfident that you will make the 16.00 train unless your flight from Australia is massively delayed.
One other thing — the Alvia (which has departures at 14.30 and 17.45) does not require changing trains, but the Avant has a change in Ourense, I believe.
Good luck with this!
Thought I’d update this post as I got a lot of helpful advice during my own planning!Good afternoon everyone,
I am walking the Camino Primitivo on Monday the 26 of September!
I am flying into Madrid on Saturday the 24th of September, before catching the bus to Oviedo!
I should arrive in Madrid with 1 hour to spare, before I have to catch the ALSA bus outside!
I am hoping not to have any delays with the flight or to be held up with long queues at immigration!
Can anyone share their recent experience of arriving into Madrid Airport and how long it took them to clear Passport control/Covid checks!
Flying from U.K, will only have carry on bag!
All help appreciated!
I just saw online that as of Sept 20, Spain no longer has entry restrictions related to Covid - I'm assuming this means: no more negative test, no proof of vaccination, no acquiring QR code stuff. Was that your experience? I fly to Barcelona on Tuesday evening so just want to confirm with someone that just arrived. Thanks and buen camino! I'm headed up to Switzerland to walk to Rome on the Via FrancigenaThought I’d update this post as I got a lot of helpful advice during my own planning!
I arrived this morning into Madrid, very busy with multiple flights all arriving at the same time!
Their was some one at the start of the passport queue directing everyone into the EU/Non EU line!
I did not book the direct ALSA bus from T4, for fear of getting caught up at immigration/covid checks.
I caught a later bus from Moncloa in the city centre!
Anyway both queues were equally busy, however I would say I waited about 20 mins to clear, by this time the EU line was empty! Not as bad as expected, meaning I could have caught the bus from T4!
Also I had taken a negative lateral flow test but was not asked for the certificate!
The way I understood the September 20 announcement was they had only scrapped the need for the travel health locator form/QR code requirement, I took it you still needed your NHS vaccination certificate or a PCR /Lateral Flow negative proof!I just saw online that as of Sept 20, Spain no longer has entry restrictions related to Covid - I'm assuming this means: no more negative test, no proof of vaccination, no acquiring QR code stuff. Was that your experience? I fly to Barcelona on Tuesday evening so just want to confirm with someone that just arrived. Thanks and buen camino! I'm headed up to Switzerland to walk to Rome on the Via Francigena
As @green_spork suggests, I have seen that Spain no longer requires the submission of the SpTH form. I have not seen any change in the official requirements for one of vaccine, testing, or recovery. See this page and also this FAQ page.I just saw online that as of Sept 20, Spain no longer has entry restrictions related to Covid
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