Madrid Public Transport Card: Personal Card vs Multi Card

Madrid uses two contactless cards. The personal Tarjeta Transporte Público costs €4, lasts ten years and is the only card that carries a monthly or annual Abono; since June 2026 you need a Madrid-region padrón certificate to get one. The anonymous Tarjeta Multi costs €2.50 and holds single and 10-trip tickets, as of November 2026.

What is the difference between the personal card and the Multi card?

Both cards are issued under the rules of the Consorcio Regional de Transportes de Madrid (CRTM), the regional body that sets fares for Metro, EMT city buses, interurban buses and light rail. The difference is what they can hold.

If you live in Madrid and commute most days, you want the personal card, because the Abono is far cheaper per trip than tickets. Our guide to Abono Transporte prices by zone shows when a monthly pass pays off. Visitors and occasional riders are fine with the Multi.

Who can get the personal card after the June 2026 change?

From 15 June 2026 the Consorcio issues the personal card only to people who can prove residence. The general conditions published in the regional gazette on 31 July 2026 say the applicant must show a volante or certificado de empadronamiento (proof that you are registered at an address on the municipal register). The CRTM accepts residents of the Comunidad de Madrid and of listed towns in Castilla-La Mancha and Castilla y León that fall inside the outer fare zones.

• Large families (familia numerosa) do not have to prove residence, according to the CRTM.
• Existing cards keep working until they expire, but a renewal or a duplicate now needs the padrón as well.
• Students and others registered outside the region cannot get a new personal card under the general rule; check the CRTM page for any agreements with other regions before you apply.

If you have just moved, register first. Our step-by-step guide to empadronamiento in Madrid covers the appointment and documents. The rule was disputed when it was introduced, so check the current conditions on the CRTM personal card page before you go.

How do you apply for the personal card?

You can apply online or in person. The fee is the same.

1. Gather the documents. A recent color passport-size photo (not needed in person, where staff take it), your passport, DNI, NIE or residence card, and a padrón certificate or volante issued within the last three months. With a DNI or NIE and a Madrid-region padrón you can authorize the office to check it instead.
2. Online: apply on the Comunidad de Madrid card portal and pay €4 by card. The CRTM says the card arrives at your home in about a week; other official pages give 7–15 working days, so plan for up to three weeks.
3. In person: book a cita previa (appointment) at an oficina de gestión online or by calling 012. The office takes your photo and hands over the card on the spot.
4. Discounts: if you hold a large-family card or a disability certificate of 65% or more, bring it or authorize the check so the reduced fares are loaded.

Children under 14 without a DNI need the family book or birth certificate and a signed parental authorization. Their card is free.

How do you top up a transport card?

You load a pass or tickets onto the card; you never pay money into a balance. The main options are:

• Ticket machines in Metro, light rail and Cercanías stations that accept bank cards and cash.
• The official apps: “Mi Tarjeta Transporte” on Android and “Tarjeta Transporte” on iOS, which read the card through the phone.
• Authorized sales points, including many estancos.

A personal card can carry one Abono and up to two non-personal tickets at the same time. When both an Abono and a 10-trip ticket are valid for a journey, the gate uses the Abono first. Tapping again straight away takes a trip from the 10-trip ticket, which is how you pay for a friend travelling with you.

Since 1 June 2026 you can also tap a bank card or phone directly on Metro turnstiles for a single journey, without any transport card. That option covers single tickets only, not Abonos, and the Metro fare tables show the current price.

What should you do if you lose the card?

Report it quickly so the pass cannot be used by someone else, then request a duplicate. As of November 2026 a duplicate of a personal card lost, stolen or damaged costs €6, and a damaged Multi costs €2.50 to replace. Duplicates can be requested online or at an oficina de gestión without an appointment, according to the CRTM. Ask at the office what happens to the Abono loaded on the old card, and keep the receipt of your last top-up in case you need to prove it.

A lost Multi is like lost cash: it carries no name, so the tickets on it cannot be recovered. If the personal card simply stops working within its three-year guarantee, the CRTM replaces it free unless the damage came from misuse.

Which tickets cannot go on these cards?

A few products sit outside the system. Single EMT bus tickets (€1.50) are bought on board and cannot be loaded. Cercanías commuter trains use Renfe’s own tickets for single journeys, though a valid Abono covers Cercanías inside its zones. The Airport Express bus has its own fare and is not included in the Abono. For train details, see our guide to Cercanías Madrid.

Bottom line

If you plan to stay more than a few weeks, sort out your padrón before anything else, because without it you cannot get the personal card or the cheaper Abono. In the meantime a €2.50 Multi with 10-trip tickets covers you, and it stays useful for guests later.

FAQ

Can tourists get the personal transport card?

Not under the June 2026 rule, which requires a padrón in the Madrid region or a listed neighboring town. Visitors use the Multi card with single or 10-trip tickets, or the Tourist Travel Pass for 1 to 7 days.

How long is the personal card valid?

Ten years. You can renew it up to two months before it expires, for €4, and the new card is issued at the office.

Can two people share one Multi card?

Yes. Tap once for each traveler at the gate, as long as you travel together. The same works with the non-personal tickets on a personal card.

Do children pay for transport in Madrid?

No. As of November 2026 children up to 14 travel free with their own free card, and the Abono for over-65s is also free.