The Community of Madrid has put in place a special public transport plan for the Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix, which will take place from 11 to 13 September at the MADRING street circuit, with services on Metro lines 4, 5 and 8 increased by up to 250 per cent at peak times. 

The Regional Minister of Housing, Transport and Infrastructure, Jorge Rodrigo, unveiled the scheme this morning after travelling the route between Nuevos Ministerios and Feria de Madrid in nine minutes. “The capital is well prepared to host an event of this scale, with a public transport network capable of moving hundreds of thousands of people quickly, safely and efficiently,” he said. 

The initiative will make the venue the best-connected World Cup venue by public transport, establishing the Community of Madrid as an international benchmark for mobility at major sporting events. The plan will combine increased Metro services with five free EMT shuttle buses and connections to the commuter rail network, enabling spectator flows to be managed efficiently, improving access and reducing entry and exit times. 

In the case of the underground, Line 8 – one of the main routes to MADRING – will also operate with six-car trains, increasing its usual capacity by 50 per cent. Similarly, there will be additional staff on the passenger assistance and security teams at stations to facilitate mobility during the three days of competition. 

For its part, EMT will be running five special, free services, operated by a fleet of 49 buses, which will connect MADRING with some of the Spanish capital’s main locations, including Plaza de Castilla, Avenida de América, Metropolitano and Canillejas. The shuttle buses will run every four to seven minutes and will be adjusted to cope with peak times. 

The Regional Transport Consortium will be selling 50,000 limited-edition public transport cards to mark the event. They will be available at Sol, Gran Vía, Nuevos Ministerios and Feria de Madrid stations, as well as at the main interchanges. 

The regional government will also publish a special Metro map dedicated to Formula 1, which will include the full MADRING route, the recommended stations and the various options for accessing the venue, along with estimated walking times to the different entry points. 

During the three days of the competition, special customer service points will also be set up at Feria de Madrid and Nuevos Ministerios (L8) to provide information on routes, timetables, fares and alternative mobility options. Furthermore, these spaces will make it easier to purchase items from the new Formula 1-inspired collection, featuring T-shirts, sweatshirts and caps that combine distinctive elements of the Madrid underground with references to the circuit and motor racing.