Communication in Madrid

Internet


When you are in Madrid it is important to have internet access to stay in contact with your friends and family at home. There is a map with some of the places in Madrid with free Wifi and if you travel by bus you can take advantage of the free Wifi on the buses. Most places with free Wifi have a time limit, after which you will have to pay e.g. Starbucks offer one hour of Wifi free when you purchase something. You will also find many places called “locutorio” internet cafes in the centre of Madrid where you can pay to use the internet by minutes or hours.

Tip: Skype is an excellent way to keep in touch with your family and it's free! 

Telephones


Our school offers a free mobile phone rental service for our students. You can rent a mobile phone or SIM card which allows you to make calls or send messages without the roaming costs.

The main network providers are Movistar, Vodafone, Orange and Yoigo. Movistar is the most popular in Spain however other companies may be cheaper e.g. Yoigo or Orange are cheaper for a pay and go SIM card. You should bear in mind that in order to buy a SIM card in Madrid, you will need to take your passport or DNI.
A post box in Madrid
You can also make calls from telephone booths in the street, bars or “locutorio”. This will probably be the best option for you when first movie to Madrid and do not have time to buy a SIM card.

Post Offices


If you want to send a letter or postcard to someone, you can buy your stamps in the tobacco stores. All of them have the “tabacos” logo. You can post your letter or postcard in a mailbox or you can go to the post office. You can find a list and opening hours of post offices online. The nearest post office to our school is on calle Villanueva 20 (it’s just around the corner, less than 5 minutes walking).

Tip: In the barrio Chueca you can find the Casa Postal (Libertad 37), they offer more than 500.000 different postcards!