Metro renovates line 6 to automate train movements
Metro de Madrid renovates line 6 to improve quality and automate driving, for which it will suspend service in sections on the line.
The first phase of the suspension will be carried out from 31 May to 12 September on the western section of the line, between Moncloa and Méndez Álvaro. The second phase will take place from 13 September to 31 December, between Moncloa and Legazpi, but this time on the eastern section.
During this period, free replacement transport services will be provided which will follow the route of the line above ground.Metro de Madrid renovates line 6 to improve quality and automate driving, for which it will suspend service in sections on the line.
Free replacement transport
A replacement bus line SE6 is established, which replicates the closed section in both directions, and two more lines, SE3 and SE4, which reinforce the service at specific points. They will run every day and will be free of charge for Line 6 users.
EMT line 180 extends its service and will also be free of charge for users of Line 6.
The works
What the works will be like
The works that are starting now are part of the project for the automation of line 6, which requires action on all elements of the Metro system (track, tunnel, communications, energy, signalling and trains). The work will involve the comprehensive renovation of the tracks on line 6, which will increase speeds and improve reliability to adapt it to the requirements of the new automatic traffic model.
Up to 2,000 workers will work in several shifts 24 hours a day, seven days a week to reduce the duration of the work as much as possible. The goal is to replace the track, which currently consists of wooden sleepers on ballast and cleats on a concrete platform, with a state-of-the-art slab. The layout will also be optimised, the existing track will be modernised, structures will be installed for the subsequent installation of platform screen doors and evacuation stairs will be built on the platforms.
Other actions
The new driverless trains will run from 2027 on line 6 of the Madrid underground. With an investment of €450 million, the 40 new, more sustainable, accessible and safer units will optimise travel time by increasing the speed by up to 33%, which will allow them to run every two minutes.
Another of the actions to be carried out is the updating of the signalling on Line 6, which will guarantee its compatibility with the new rolling stock. The project, which is divided into three different phases, includes the design engineering, the supply of the equipment, as well as the acceptance and commissioning of the new system.
Moreover, in order to carry out the automation process, the supply, installation, commissioning and maintenance of the platform screen doors at the 28 stations on this line is necessary. In total, work will be carried out on 70 platforms, totalling 6.4 kilometres, with the goal of separating the waiting area for users and the train circulation area, guaranteeing safe and orderly entry to the vehicle.
New trains
Welcome to the Metro of the future
Frequently asked questions about the temporary closure of Line 6
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Why is Line 6 closed?
The closure is necessary to carry out a comprehensive tranformation of the infraestructure. More than 23 kilometres of track will be renovated to reduce incidents, shorten trip times and improve the reliability of the service in the long term. It is a further step on the road to line automation.
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Which sections will be affected and when?
The closure will be carried out in two phases:
Western section, between Moncloa and Méndez Álvaro, from 31 May to 12 September 2025, both stations will remain in service as the head of the open section.
Eastern section, between Moncloa and Legazpi, from 13 September to 31 December 2025, both stations will remain in service as the head of the open section.
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When a partial section is closed, will the rest of line 6 continue to operate normally?
The section of line 6 in service will operate normally, although it will remain closed at 12 midnight until the end of the train service from Sunday to Thursday. This timetable will be kept for the duration of the two phases in the sections that are operational. The replacement bus service will continue to operate.
The Arganzuela-Planetario station will be closed during both closures as it is logistically an important point of entry and exit of material.
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Will there be transport alternatives?
Users will be provided with a free replacement bus service, operated by Empresa Municipal de Transportes (EMT), which will cover the affected section on the surface.
In addition, other options have been made available, such as the shuttles that will connect Batán with Lucero and Legazpi with Plaza Elíptica. The 180 EMT line from Legazpi to Arganzuela-Planetario, which can be used free of charge during the closure, will also be extended and the timetable expanded.
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How frequent will the buses be?
The number of vehicles will vary depending on the time of day and the number of people, so the frequency will be between 3 and 5 minutes.
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How can I plan my trip during the construction works?
Metro has developed an online trip calculator with information on the transport alternatives in the different phases of the works, which will be available for consultation via QR codes at the bus stops of the substitute bus service, as well as on the company's website and app.
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Will the works affect other lines?
No. The works only affect Line 6. The rest of the Metro network will operate as normal, except for specific adjustments that will be communicated in advance.
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Why is the work being done now?.
The order of each of the closures has been coordinated with the traffic disruption caused by the works at the Conde de Casal interchange and ensuring that the Ciudad Universitaria station is open during the University Entrance Exams.
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After these works, will the line be automatic?
No, although these works are preparatory to the arrival of the automatic line, other works will have to continue on the line, such as the installation of platform screen doors and signalling works.
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When will the new trains arrive on the line?
From 2027.
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Doesn't the lack of train drivers mean a reduction in the safety of the line?
From the point of view of train traffic, one of the main features of the new line will be its safety, guaranteed by the new traffic control systems, communication and platform screen doors. Moreover, it will be permanently controlled and monitored from the new Central Control Centre.
From the point of view of emergency actions, the new line will have additional control systems (CCTV, fire detectors, intercom and passenger information), a concrete track platform and stairs on the platform for evacuation, as well as ground staff (station staff, operators and automatic line managers) with sufficient resources to handle incidents.
The automation model has been operating successfully for years in other operations without any safety incidents. In the second paragraph of that question, the acronym CCTV should be replaced by closed-circuit television.
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Do I need a ticket to get on the bus?
As this is a free replacement service, there is no requirement to show a ticket, although it is advisable to have one.
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Will buses have the same timetable and frequency as Metro?
Bus intervals will be between three and five minutes.
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Why does the Arganzuela station remain closed during the whole cut?
It will remain closed for the duration of the cut as it will become a coordination centre for the Line 6 works.
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Why doesn’t the replacement bus stop at Arganzuela station?
EMT line 180 has been extended to serve the area around this station. During the course of the works, this service will be free for Metro users.
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Will the closed Line 6 stations that connect with other lines remain open?
Yes, those stations will remain open.
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Where can I get more information or ask questions?
You can stay informed at:
Customer service: +34 900 444 404
Metro de Madrid's official social media accounts
Information signage at stations
A line with history
The busiest
Line 6 of the Madrid Metro, also known as the Circular line, stands out for its historical, technical and cultural relevance within the network. It connects to all underground lines, except MetroSur, and is the busiest, with stations such as Moncloa, Príncipe Pío and Avenida de América receiving thousands of passengers every day. Together with line 1, it was a pioneer in implementing the automatic CBTC driving system, which marked a turning point in railway traffic management.
Among its most notable interesting facts is Cuatro Caminos station, which is the deepest in the entire network at 49 metres underground, and Carpetana, where Miocene remains were discovered, giving rise to an underground palaeontological museum. There is also art in its stations, such as murals by artists like Eladio García de Santibáñez or Alfaraz, and the planetary sphere of Arganzuela-Planetario. This line has been the setting for many audiovisual productions, such as Cuéntame, Valeria and Cardo. In addition, close to Pacifico station is the impressive Nave de Motores, which housed the giant engines that powered the metro until the 1960s, similar to those of the Titanic. Line 6 not only connects key points of the city, but also historical, cultural and technological moments that make it unique.
Diverse and frenetic
Line 6 of the Madrid Metro stands out for its historical, technical and cultural relevance within the network. It connects to all underground lines, except MetroSur, and is one of the busiest, with stations such as Moncloa, Príncipe Pío and Avenida de América receiving thousands of passengers every day
Its construction began in 1969, with the goal of improving connectivity between different areas of the city and was inaugurated on 11 October 1979. The original section ran from Cuatro Caminos to Pacífico with a route of 6,977 metres and ten stations.
The line was gradually extended: on 7 May 1981, the section between Pacífico and Oporto was added, with six new stations; on 3 June 1983 the section between Oporto and Laguna was added, with two more stations; and on 13 January 1987 the section between Cuatro Caminos and Ciudad Universitaria was inaugurated, adding another three stations.
The current configuration of the line and its circular shape came with the inauguration, on 5 May 1995, of the section between Laguna and Ciudad Universitaria and its six new stations. With 23.5 kilometres and 27 stations, the newly opened 'circular' line thus became a key line in the Metro network, as it was the only non-radial line and the main distributor of both metropolitan and urban trips.
The last inauguration of the line came on 26 January 2007, when the Arganzuela-Planetario station was opened. Line 6 was definitively established with its current 28 stations.
But beyond its figures, Line 6 is an experience. You can see everything from students with huge backpacks in Ciudad Universitaria to office workers in Nuevos Ministerios. It is a line that reflects the diversity and frenetic pace of Madrid.
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