Public transit in Madrid is quite good. Our airport shuttle bus stop was very well signed, with the schedule, the stops, etc. I showed the students how to read the time chart for the schedule. After getting in to the central train station, we bought metro tickets and went several stops to our hostel. There are very few human attendants in the stations to sell tickets, but the machine worked fine. It would not take my credit card (chip required). I really wish my bank would come into the 21st century! Cash worked fine. We discovered that 10 rides are cheaper and you can use the card as many times as you want (for multiple people), so one person would go through, pass the card to the next person etc. The group quickly discovered that having one person stand and swipe everyone through works very well : ).
The metro trains are large and have a pretty smooth and quiet ride. What I found most remarkable was how clean the stations (and tracks) were! Trash cans every few feet and nothing on the ground or on the tracks. This is quite a contrast to New York City or Rome, which are pretty trashy. The streets were also remarkably clean. In fact one member of the group noticed a tourist accidentally drop a piece of paper and a stranger pointed it out to him and asked him to pick it up.
The metro system is so easy to navigate that several members of the group struck out on their own on the second day to go buy tickets for the bull show.
All metro trains are electric with overhead power. No worries about a third rail here.
Atocha train station
I've never seen a jungle in the middle of a train station before! The green house works, but it is hot and humid inside, not a great feel when hauling luggage and dashing for a train.
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