Question about Layover (Madrid)

Active Poster Joined: Jan 12 2012 Posts: 96

Hi. I am travelling with my husband and baby next week and stopping over for 8 hours in Madrid. I was wondering a few things:
Firstly, will they give me back my stroller for the layover?
Second, if I want to go out of the airport, how much of a pain is it? Do you have to go through security/ customs/ again, both in and out of the airport? And how soon before the next flight should we return (2 hours like a regular flight? or less because no baggage?)
Third, about Madrid itself: I read other threads here about stuff to do in Madrid, but they were from a while ago. What do you suggest we do? What is very worthwhile to see? (with a three month old) Where can we get kosher food? (Restaurants/ supermarkets) Is there a place my husband can daven Mincha in early afternoon?
Thanks in advance!

1. Whether you get the stroller during the transit depends on airlines as well as the size of the stroller.
If the stroller goes to the hold (ie bely of the plane), chances are likely you won't see it till you
get to the final destination. FAs *may* let you keep a small folding umbrella style stroller on board,
if the flight is not too crowded and if they can find space in the wardrobe (where they keep jackets for
first-class/busienss-class passengers).

2. Yes, you do need to go through security queue if you want to exit the airport and comeback.
Having said that, Madrid should be relatively less stressful than going thru your average airports in the
US where security queues are staffed by morons. Unless you're flying with EU countries that are
members of Schengen treaty, you'll need to go through passport control (though exit control is quite
quick). Custom control is literally nothing.
Considering you don't have luggage to re-check in and you already have boarding passes for the
next flight, you probably won't have to come back full 2hours before. HOWEVER you do need to be
at the gate around 45minutes before departure time, and you need to include the time for security &
passport control as well getting to the gate. It's a modern airport with good amenity (nice shopping mall)
and good signage in English (less confusing than Barcelona), though quite big.
Assuming your flight is not delayed too much, 8hr should be enough time to go out of the airport.

3. Madrid--the easiest way to get to central town is take the subway.
Kosher food--I only know one one grill-style restaurant. I remember it very good (esp steak) but
rather on an expensive side. You also need to check the time they're open--they do close down
after lunch and don't open till quite late for dinner. Some big branch of El Corte Ingles department
stores may have a food section with a tiny kosher shelves but usually rather limited offerings
(crackers, biscuits, kiddush wine, soup cube, bottled tehini that's about it). Though fruits are excellent
Mincha--I'm not sure. Again contact local chabad? I think the renovated Beth Jakob synagogue
is near Iglesia (awlright, a bit ironical name ) subway but I've never been there.

I had a layover in Madrid. First, you can take the bus to the center of Madrid for 2 Euros. You may want to have the money set aside beforehand. I seem to recall that it took about a half an hour to get to the center. I got off at Plaza de Cibeles. .There are also regular buses going back . Also taxis are plentiful. I went to to Prado Museum, but that was my personal preference. There is a cable car near the center as well. I think there is a kosher restaurant. There is a tourist information desk at the airport, but you have to go before you leave security, in the area where you retrieve your luggage as they wont be let back in. There are many tourist information desks as in town as well. Sorry that I don't know anything about a minyan, (I guess you can contact Chabad)but it is likely that if your flight is to Israel, there will be a minyan before the flight. Enjoy!

Senior Member Joined: Dec 12 2011 Posts: 135

I am not sure if there is a daily minyan, but if you do go, make sure you have your passport on you or the guard will not let you in. The community in Madrid is small, but very warm. Here are the details:

Beth Yaakov Synagogue: Calle de Balmes, 3 28010 Madrid, Espa�a
915 91 31 31

Regarding eating in Madrid, La Escudilla is the kosher restaurant and it's amazing. La Escudilla: 16 Santisima Trinidat St, Chamberi District, 28010, Madrid. Ph: +34 91 445 7380 (call for hours of operation).

There are also some small shops selling kosher items. Here are the details for two of them (there is a third but I don't have that information).

Carneceria Elias: Calle Viriato 35, Madrid. Ph: +34-446-78-47.
Orio Bread Bakery Boutique: Bravo Murillo 29, 28015 Madrid. Ph: +34 91 4458780 (note: only this location has kosher goods)

The shul and kosher food places are all located in the same area so you can take the train and just walk from one place to the next.

Iberian Airlines gave us our stroller during our layover and was a really nice airline. It is a pretty nice airport but a little bit confusing. We did not leave the airport on our layover.