Where to live near the American School of Madrid
The American School of Madrid is in Pozuelo, next to Aravaca, and many of its families live in the west of the city. These are the areas with the best access — on foot, by train, by school bus or by car.
- School bus
- 13 routes covering central Madrid, Pozuelo, Aravaca, Boadilla and Majadahonda, with fixed stops
- CercanĂas
- Lines C7 and C10 to Aravaca, then about fifteen minutes on foot
- Bus
- Route 657 from the Moncloa interchange (not included in our calculations)
The American School of Madrid occupies an eleven-acre campus on Calle América in Pozuelo de Alarcón, about ten kilometres west of the city centre. It follows a US curriculum and its community is one of the most international in Madrid.
The children's daily commute is almost always handled by the school bus: the school runs thirteen routes covering central Madrid, Pozuelo, Aravaca, Boadilla and Majadahonda. So two things matter here: whether your area is on a route, and how the adults get to work from there. The table gives the train time from each area — useful for teenagers and days without a bus — and the road distance.
Areas and commutes
Time by Metro, light rail and CercanĂas commuter rail to arrive before 09:00 on a weekday, leaving from the station shown. Road distance and rent per m² relative to the Madrid city average (= 100).
| Area | From | To the school | By road | Rent per m² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aravaca | Aravaca | 17 minML2direct | 1.4 km | 105 |
| Pozuelo de AlarcĂłn | Pozuelo | 13 minC10direct | 3 km | 98 |
| Majadahonda | Majadahonda | 21 minC10direct | 8.7 km | 95 |
| Las Rozas | Las Rozas | 24 minC10direct | 12.9 km | 96 |
| Centro | Tribunal | 24 minL10C101 change | 9.4 km | 127 |
| ChamberĂ | Iglesia | 32 minL1L10C102 changes | 9.6 km | 133 |
| Salamanca | Velázquez | 34 minL4L10C102 changes | 11.3 km | 131 |
| ChamartĂn | Colombia | 35 minL8L10C102 changes | 15.3 km | 122 |
| Retiro | Ibiza | 40 minL9L6C102 changes | 12.3 km | 115 |
| Aluche | Aluche | 37 minC5L6C102 changes | 10.4 km | 78 |
| AlcorcĂłn | AlcorcĂłn | 47 minC5L6C102 changes | 17.5 km | 73 |
What each area offers
- AravacaThe closest: a long walk from the school, with light rail and CercanĂas, and still inside the city of Madrid.
- Pozuelo de AlarcĂłnOne CercanĂas stop and a walk; it is also home to the school and two other international schools.
- MajadahondaOn the same CercanĂas line, within the school's bus routes and with a town centre of its own.
- Las RozasA little further by road, with large homes and the most moderate monthly rent in the west.
- CentroWithin the routes covering central Madrid; by train, line 10 to PrĂncipe PĂo and then CercanĂas.
- ChamberĂAn urban neighborhood with school-bus routes through the centre; by train, two changes.
- SalamancaSimilar to ChamberĂ: city life in exchange for a longer trip for the children.
- ChamartĂnLarge flats in the north, but the school is on the other side of the city.
- RetiroThe park on your doorstep, and the longest train trip of the central areas.
- AlucheAn affordable alternative with CercanĂas C5, though the train means two changes.
- AlcorcĂłnThe lowest rent on the list, in exchange for the longest train trip.
How to choose
Bus route first, neighborhood second
Before signing a lease, ask the school which stops your route would have and what time it passes. Routes are not door to door: a stop five minutes from home and one twenty minutes away change your whole morning.
The adults' jobs decide between west and centre
If you work in the west or from home, Aravaca, Pozuelo and Majadahonda make life easy for everyone. If one of you commutes daily to the northern Castellana or Las Tablas, living in ChamberĂ or Salamanca with a school bus may balance the family's week better.
Frequently asked questions
Where do American School of Madrid families live?
The school's bus routes cover central Madrid, Pozuelo, Aravaca, Boadilla del Monte and Majadahonda, where many of its families are concentrated. Aravaca and Pozuelo are the closest areas.
How do you get to the American School of Madrid by public transport?
Take CercanĂas C7 or C10 to Aravaca and walk about fifteen minutes, or take bus 657 from the Moncloa interchange, as the school itself advises.
Is it expensive to live near the American School of Madrid?
Per square metre, Pozuelo, Majadahonda and Las Rozas are around the Madrid average according to SERPAVI, the official contract register, and Aravaca slightly above. What goes up is the monthly rent, because large homes dominate.
Where the numbers come from
Commutes: scheduled times from the official GTFS feeds of Metro de Madrid and Metro Ligero (Consorcio Regional de Transportes) and CercanĂas (Renfe) for 29 September 2026, arriving before 09:00. Includes walking to the station and changes; excludes buses.
Road: distance calculated with OSRM on OpenStreetMap. We give no driving time: without real rush-hour traffic it would be misleading.
Rent: SERPAVI, Spain's Ministry of Housing, contracts declared in 2024. Index 100 = Madrid city average. A position, never euros.