The station of the month: Cuatro Caminos, Lines 1, 2 and 6

Cuatro Caminos is part of the first section of eight stations that opened to the public during the inauguration of the Metro in 1919.  A century later, it is still one a major station in the Madrid underground network. It also holds a curious record, as it is also the deepest. To be precise, the platforms on line 6 are about 45 metres deep, which is the height of a fifteen-storey building. However, there is no problem getting to the surface in this fully accessible station, which is equipped with both escalators and lifts.

Apart from curiosities like this, Cuatro Caminos is full of life. Every day, more than xxx people walk through its platforms, corridors and halls, making their way to lines 1, 2 or 6 for their journeys. In addition, its facilities have been renovated by a modernisation and upgrading process that culminated in 2022. The cladding has been replaced, more intercoms have been installed and the public address system and digital signage have been upgraded. All this makes travelling easier and more comfortable for users.

As a part of all these changes, a mural measuring more than five metres wide and almost three metres high has also been installed in the distributor of lines 1 and 2. It is a panoramic montage of the most important architectural elements of the area below the station, which explains the urban development that the neighbourhood has undergone over time.

Meanwhile, on the platform of line 2 there is a large mural almost 60 metres long, which represents a voyage through time, both in the history of the Metro and of the city of Madrid itself. It depicts different scenes inside a train. From passengers dressed in period costumes, and characters set in the 1970s, to more contemporary images, such as a family chatting and a young woman holding her dog's lead while looking at her mobile phone.

However, one of the most striking features of the station is not underground, but above ground, next to one of the entrances. It is a decorative reproduction of a totem pole, like one of those once placed in the vicinity of Metro stations to mark their location and make them visible from afar.