The Community of Madrid launches direct payment by bank card at Metro turnstiles in June
Minister Rodrigo presented this initiative at Feria de Madrid station on Line 8 today. The system will be available on 1,249 network devices and will speed up entry and reduce waiting times at peak times. In order to encourage its use in the first few weeks, the single ticket paid by this method will have a single reduced price of €1.5. It will provide access to more than 2.5 million passengers per day and will be operational for major events such as the visit of Pope Leo XIV and the Formula 1 Grand Prix.
On 1 June, the Community of Madrid will introduce direct payment by bank card at the turnstiles of Metro de Madrid, a measure that will speed up access to the underground and facilitate the trips of the more than 2.5 million passengers who use this means of transport every day.
Today, the Regional Minister for Housing, Transport and Infrastructure, Jorge Rodrigo, presented this initiative at Feria de Madrid station on Line 8, one of the points where the new system has been tested. Its implementation will also coincide with major events planned for this year, such as the visit of Pope Leo XIV, from 6 to 9 June, and the Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix, to be held in September.
Rodrigo explained that passengers will be able to access the underground directly using credit or debit cards – whether physical cards or those integrated into mobile phones or smartwatches with contactless technology – without needing to purchase a Public Transport Card in advance.
In addition, all stations will have these devices prepared to validate tickets using QR codes, thus expanding access options and adapting the system to the new digital habits of passengers. As Rodrigo pointed out, "it will improve the user experience by reducing waiting times, facilitating access and avoiding crowds in halls and vending machines, especially on days of high demand".
The initiative, financed with European NextGeneration funds, will be operational on 1,249 turnstiles across the network. Of these, 470 are already smart ticket machines, and at stations with older models, at least two of them will support this payment method, with one also capable of reading QR codes.
In order to encourage its use in the first few weeks, the single ticket paid by this method will temporarily have a single reduced price of €1.5. The Regional Minister also specified that, in this initial phase, it will only be available for the purchase of single tickets and will remain fully compatible with the Public Transport Card and all other current tickets issued by the Madrid Regional Transport Consortium (CRTM).
