At first I was shocked at how big the network was and how it connected the inner city to the rural areas surrounding the center. In a random station, trains come in and out every two minutes! I have not felt stressed about getting late to places due to slow trains. Also, it is inexpensive to use the transportation systems here. I do not have to use the taxi or Uber all the time, which helps reduce some of my living costs. And this means, fortunately, that I can do more of the activities that I enjoy.
Furthermore, my campus (Carlos III University) is actually not located in Madrid, but in two small towns located just south of the center called Getafe and Leganes. I was relieved when I was told that I could use any of these three kinds of transportation methods to get to my classes. Initially, I used Cercanías to go to both campuses, which would take me 45 minutes to 1 hour (I know, a long commute!). Then I realized I could use the buses, which reduced my commuting time by half! Imagine how happy I felt when I realized going to classes could take me just 25 mintues instead of one hour!
Madrid is an energetic, fast-paced city, and that is reflected by its transportation system. People are always on the move; you never see them standing still! Crowds get off and on every train at every station and walk rapidly through the small and crowded streets and the big plazas. I have never felt alone, as I move from place to place (not even at 1 a.m.; the streets are still full of people at that time!) This feeling of not being alone is one of the reasons Madrid is one of my favorite cities to have every lived in.
