Madrid Airport T1 arrival with a tent and huge backpacks

Guys, my girlfriend and I are going to a big music festival near Madrid this summer—we already have our tickets, but the logistics are a total mess. We’re flying in that evening to Terminal T1 with huge backpacks and a camping tent. Since the festival grounds are outside the city, we first need to get to the Chamartín train station area to meet up with the rest of our group and catch a commuter train.

Please let us know how realistic and convenient it is to quickly get from the first terminals to Chamartín via Metro Line 8, or whether it’s better not to even try to squeeze onto the train with large backpacks during rush hour and just call an Uber instead? We’re flying back in a couple of days on a very early morning flight from Terminal 4. Are there any direct Cercanías trains from Chamartín Station straight to Terminal T4 at 5 a.m., or is the bus the only option at that time?

The festival in Madrid sounds really fun, I'd be so there too! As for the metro, Line 8 is the fastest option from Terminal 1. You can board at the airport and go straight to Nuevos Ministerios station. There, you can make a quick, one-stop transfer to Chamartín. There’s plenty of room in the cars, even for people with large backpacks, so there’s no need to take an Uber. When I was getting ready for our family trip, I found great website dedicated to the Madrid International Airport, it is like an independent, unofficial guide for travelers. And for the morning trip, the C-1 commuter trains start running around 6:00 a.m., so it’s better to take the overnight express bus or share a taxi with friends at 5:00 a.m. Which festival are you going to, btw?