Choosing airport transport in nine European cities
Compare airport trains and buses by the stop you need, the right ticket and the full journey to your room.
The cheapest airport ticket is only part of the trip. A train to the wrong side of the city can leave you paying for another ride, while a bus near your hotel may save a change. Start with your accommodation address and your airport code.
There is no reliable rule that these journeys all cost less than €5. Airport fares change, and some routes require a special ticket or supplement.
A starting point for nine cities
Use these official links to compare the available routes for your arrival time.
| City and airport | Option to check | Before buying |
|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam, Schiphol | Train beneath the terminal | Choose the station nearest your room |
| Athens, ATH | Metro or airport express bus | €9 airport metro or €5.50 express bus; ordinary city tickets exclude the airport journey |
| Berlin, BER | Regional train or S-Bahn | Include zone C for a city-centre journey |
| Brussels, BRU | Airport train | Check whether the supplement is included |
| Kraków, KRK | SKA1 train | 20 PLN regular single to Kraków Główny, about 20 minutes; add the onward walk or tram |
| Madrid, MAD | Cercanías from Terminal 4 | Allow for a transfer from another terminal |
| Milan, Linate | Metro M4 | Do not use this route for Malpensa or Bergamo |
| Rome, Fiumicino | Leonardo Express or FL1 | Only the Leonardo Express goes to Termini |
| Vienna, VIE | S7 or Railjet | Compare Wien Mitte with Hauptbahnhof |
Add the parts outside the vehicle
Check how long it takes to walk from arrivals to the station or stop. Then add the wait, any changes and the final walk with bags. For a late flight, search after midnight as well as before it.
A timetable based on the flight's landing time can be too tight. You still need to leave the aircraft and may need passport control or baggage collection. Avoid a restrictive onward ticket unless the connection leaves enough room for delays.
For a group, compare the total public transport cost with an official taxi or booked transfer. Convenience can matter when someone cannot manage steps or a long walk.
Keep the ticket rules simple
Choose the ticket for the actual service you will board. Check whether it needs validation, whether a transfer is included and whether a child needs a different product.
Save your accommodation address and return-airport details offline. Our airport guide for Milan shows why checking the airport name matters before booking the flight as well as after landing.
Choose the Madrid option by terminal
The T4 Cercanías journey to the central rail zone is €2.60 for the stated four-zone single. The Airport Express bus is a separate €5 ticket and serves Atocha by day, with Cibeles as the city endpoint overnight. A metro journey can require the €3 airport supplement in addition to the base fare. Use the Madrid guide to choose the connection for your actual terminal, arrival hour and room, rather than assuming the smallest fare means the shortest trip.