Madrid Metro Information
The metro with the most lifts. The Madrid Metro is not only known for this record, it is also considered to be the 8th longest metro system in the world. It’s importance to the public transport of Madrid, Spain and its people is shown by its annual ridership of more than 560 million (2014). With a total of 13 lines serving a whopping 301 stations, the system measures 293 km in length. Although it began operating in the 1919s, it is still considered one of the top 20 fastest growing metro networks in the world. To complement the rapid transit system, a light rail system called Metro Ligero was inaugurated almost 10 years ago.
Madrid’s metro is the city’s main mode of public transport, carrying an impressive 2,500,000 passengers every day. It operates from 6am to 2am and does not operate 24 hours a day.
Although the trains are not driverless, the Madrid Metro offers the comfort of air conditioning and the convenience of allowing passengers to walk between platforms. Fares range from €1.5 to €3.00.
The Madrid Metro began testing screen doors on platforms in 2010, with plans to install them in 2011. The system is operated by TFM, Metro de Madrid and MetroOeste.
Madrid Metro Map
Map of Madrid Metro showing different lines and stations. Click on the map to enlarge it or download the Madrid Metro map in PDF format.
Overview of Madrid Metro Lines
Line 1: Pinar de Chamartín to Valdecarros
Line 1 of the Madrid Metro runs between Pinar de Chamartín and Valdecarros. It has 33 stations over a distance of 23.8 kilometres. It has the distinction of being the oldest metro line in Spain.
Stations include Pinar de Chamartín (connections with Line 4 and ML1), Bambú, Chamartín (connections with Line 10 and Renfe’s Cercanías and Largo Recorrido), Plaza de Castilla (connections with Lines 9 and 10 and intercity buses), Valdeacederas, Tetuán, Estrecho, Alvarado, Cuatro Caminos (connections with Vodafone Lines 2 and 6), and others until it reaches Valdecarros.
Line 2 Vodafone: Las Rosas to Cuatro Caminos
Vodafone Line 2 crosses the city centre from Las Rosas station to Cuatro Caminos, serving 20 stations over a total length of 14.1 kilometres.
Stations include: Las Rosas, Avenida de Guadalajara, Alsacia, La Almudena, La Elipa, Ventas (connection with Line 5), Manuel Becerra (connection with Line 6), and others until it reaches Cuatro Caminos.
Line 3: Villaverde Alto to Moncloa
Line 3 runs from north to south over a distance of 16.4 kilometres and serves 18 stations.
Stations include: Villaverde Alto (connection with Renfe Cercanías), San Cristobal, Villaverde Bajo Cruce, Ciudad de los Ángeles, San Fermín-Orcasur, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Almendrales, Legazpi (connection with Line 6 and intercity buses), and others until it reaches Moncloa.
Line 4: Argüelles to Pinar de Chamartín
Line 4 is 16 kilometres long and has 23 stations.
Stations include: Argüelles (connections with Lines 3 and 6), San Bernardo (connection with Vodafone Line 2), Bilbao (connection with Line 1), Alonso Martínez (connections with Lines 5 and 10), and others to Pinar de Chamartín.
Line 5: Alameda de Osuna to Casa de Campo
Line 5 of the Madrid Metro is 23.2 kilometres long and serves 32 stations. It runs from the south-east to the north-east of Madrid and is unique for its lower level circulation in the city centre.
Stations include: Alameda de Osuna, El Capricho, Canillejas (connection with intercity buses), Torres Arias, Suanzes, Ciudad Lineal (connection with intercity buses), Pueblo Nuevo (connection with Line 7), Quintana, El Carmen, and others until it reaches Casa de Campo.
Line 6: Circular
Line 6, one of the two circular lines of the Madrid Metro, is approximately 23.5 kilometres long and serves 28 stations. It runs at a depth of 60 metres underground at Cuatro Caminos.
Stations include: Laguna (connection with Renfe Cercanías), Carpetana, Oporto (connection with Line 5 and intercity buses), Opañel, Plaza Elíptica (connection with Line 11 and intercity buses), Usera, and others up to Lucero.
Line 7: Hospital del Henares to Pitis
Line 7 runs from the northeast to the east of Madrid. It is almost 33 kilometres long and serves 30 stations.
Stations include: Hospital del Henares, Henares, Jarama, San Fernando, La Rambla, Coslada Central (connection with Renfe Cercanías), Barrio del Puerto, Estadio Olímpico (train change) and others to Pitis (connection with Renfe Cercanías).
Line 8: Nuevos Ministerios to Aeropuerto
Line 8 runs from the north-east of Madrid to Barajas airport, covering 16.5 kilometres and serving 8 stations. Although it is the third shortest line in the system, it is one of the fastest.
Stations include: Nuevos Ministerios (connection with Lines 6 and 10 and Renfe Cercanías), Colombia (connection with Line 9), Pinar del Rey, Mar de Cristal (connection with Line 4), Campo de las Naciones, Aeropuerto T1-T2-T3, Barajas and Aeropuerto T4.
Line 9: Paco de Lucía to Arganda del Rey
Line 9 is 38 kilometres long and crosses Madrid from north to southeast, serving 27 stations. This line reaches Rivas-Vaciamadrid and Arganda del Rey.
Stations include Paco de Lucía, Mirasierra, Herrera Oria, Barrio del Pilar, Ventilla, Plaza de Castilla (connection with lines 1 and 10 and intercity buses), and others to Arganda del Rey.
Line 10: Hospital Infanta Sofía to Puerta del Sur
Line 10 runs from the north to the southeast of Madrid, covering 36.5 kilometres and serving 31 stations.
Stations include: Hospital Infanta Sofía, Reyes Católicos, Baunatal, Manuel de Falla, Marqués de la Valdavia, La Moraleja, La Granja, Ronda de la Comunicación, Las Tablas (connection with ML 1), and others until it reaches Puerta del Sur.
Line 11: Plaza Elíptica to La Fortuna
Line 11, the shortest line in the Madrid Metro, serves 7 stations over a length of 8.5 kilometres.
Stations include: Plaza Elíptica (connection with line 6 and intercity buses), Abrantes, Pan Bendito, San Francisco, Carabanchel Alto, La Peseta and La Fortuna.
Line 12: MetroSur
MetroSur, the second circular line of the Madrid Metro, serves 28 stations over a distance of almost 41 kilometres.
Stations include: Puerta del Sur, Parque Lisboa, Alcorcón Central (connection with Renfe Cercanías), Parque Oeste, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Móstoles Central (connection with Renfe Cercanías), and others up to San Nicasio.
Line from Ramal Opera to Príncipe Pío
This line has only two stations, connected by a 1.09 km tunnel.
Stations: Opera (connections with Vodafone lines 2 and 5) and Príncipe Pío (connections with lines 6 and 10, intercity buses and Renfe Cercanías).
Madrid Light Rail (Metro Ligero) Lines and Stations
ML1: Pinar de Chamartín to Las Tablas
The ML1 route spans 5.4 kilometers, serving nine stations, five of which are underground.
Stations include: Pinar de Chamartín (connections to Lines 1 and 4), Fuente de la Mora (connection with Renfe Cercanías), and others until reaching Las Tablas (connection with Line 10).
ML2: Colonia Jardín to Estación de Aravaca
The ML2 covers a distance of 8.7 kilometers and serves 13 stations, three of which are underground. The maximum speed of the trains on this line is 70 km/h.
Stations include: Colonia Jardín (connections to Lines 10 and ML 3), Prado de la Vega, Colonia de los Ángeles, Prado del Rey, Somosaguas Sur, and others until reaching Estación de Aravaca.
ML3: Colonia Jardín to Puerta de Boadilla
The ML3 route covers 13.7 kilometers and serves 16 stations, only two of which are underground.
Stations include: Colonia Jardín (connection with Line 10 and ML 2), Ciudad de la Imagen, José Isbert, Ciudad del Cine, Cocheras, Retamares, Montepríncipe, Ventorro del Cano, Prado del Espino, Cantabria, Ferial de Boadilla, Boadilla Centro, Nuevo Mundo, Siglo XXI, Infante Don Luís, and Puerta de Boadilla.
Metro Madrid Metro Ligero Line 3 Map
Map of Madrid Metro Ligero Line 3. Click on the map to enlarge it.
Metro Madrid Operating Hours
Metro Madrid operates the same hours every day of the year, from 6:00 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. Exceptions are the Pitis station on Line 7, the Puerta de Arganda-Arganda del Rey section and some others with special timetables. Bicycles can be carried free of charge on Metro Madrid trains at all times except on weekdays from 7:30am to 9:30am, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm and from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.
Frequency
The frequency of Metro Madrid trains varies according to the time of day, the day of the week and the line. It ranges from 3-4 minutes during rush hours on weekdays to 15-20 minutes on weekends and holidays on less busy lines. Most of the day, however, the frequency is between 5 and 9 minutes.
Fares: Tickets and Season Tickets
Understanding Madrid’s fare zones, tickets and validation rules can be a bit complicated. The system is divided into different zones, which include lines or sections of lines and stations with different names: Metro Madrid, Metro Sur, TMF, Metro Norte, Metro Este, etc.
In summary, there are three types of ticket: single (valid for one zone), combined (valid for the whole network) and the airport supplement. Single tickets cost between 1.5 and 2 euros, combined tickets cost 3 euros and the airport supplement is another 3 euros. There are ten-journey versions of each ticket that offer savings. The price of these ten-journey tickets varies between €12.20 and €18.30, depending on the zone.
Tickets Valid for the Entire Network
Tickets valid for zones A, B1, B2 and B3, including Metro Ligero Line 1, MetroSur, Metro Norte, Metro Oeste, TFM and Metro Ligero Oeste, cover the whole of Madrid and other municipalities in the city.
- Combined single ticket: Priced at €3, this ticket allows you to make a single journey on the entire Madrid Metro network on any day of the week.
- Combined 10-journey ticket: Priced at €18.30, this ticket offers a discount on the price of single tickets.
Tickets Valid for Metro Madrid Zone A and ML1
- Zone A single metro ticket: Costing between 1.50 and 2 euros, this ticket allows a single journey between any two metro stations in Zone A and ML1. The price is €1.5 for up to 5 stations and an additional €0.10 for each station over 5, with a maximum price of €2.
- 10-journey Metrobus ticket: This ticket costs 12.20 euros and is valid for the Madrid Metro Zone A and all EMT stations except the Plaza de Colón-Aeropuerto line.
MetroSur Tickets
MetroSur covers Alcorcón, Leganés and Getafe (zone B1) and Móstoles and Fuenlabrada (zone B2).
- Single MetroSur ticket: This ticket costs €1.50 and is valid for all journeys on Line 12 and the Puerta del Sur and Joaquín Vilumbrales stations on Line 10.
- MetroSur 10-journey ticket: Priced at €11.20, this ticket offers a discount for ten journeys in the same zones as the single ticket.
MetroNorte or Line 10 Tickets
MetroNorte covers line 10, Alcobendas and San Sebastián de los Reyes (zone B1).
- MetroNorte single ticket: This ticket costs €1.50 and allows you to travel between any stations on the MetroNorte line from Hospital Infanta Sofía to La Granja.
- MetroNorte 10-journey ticket: Priced at €11.20, this ticket allows you to make ten journeys in the same zones as the single ticket.
MetroEste Tickets
MetroEste serves Coslada and San Fernando de Henares (zone B1).
- Single MetroEste ticket: This ticket costs €1.50 and allows you to travel between any station from Hospital del Henares to Barrio del Puerto.
- MetroEste 10-journey ticket: Priced at €11.20, this ticket allows you to make ten journeys in the same zones as the single ticket.
TFM Tickets
The TFM covers a section of line 9 between Puerta de Arganda station (zone A) and Rivas Vaciamadrid (zones B1 and B2) and Arganda del Rey (zone B3).
- Single TFM ticket: This ticket costs €2.00 and allows you to travel between the following stations Puerta de Arganda, Rivas-Urbanizaciones, Rivas Futura, Rivas-Vaciamadrid, La Poveda and Arganda del Rey.
- 10-journey TFM ticket: Priced at 12.20 euros, this ticket offers a discount on ten journeys in the same zones as the single ticket.
Airport Tickets
There is an additional charge to get to Barajas airport stations. There are two stations, one in terminals T1, T2, T3 and another in terminal T4. The supplement is not required if you are travelling with a travel pass (except for the inter-zonal passes B1-B2-B3 B2, B3-C1 and C1-C2) or an AENA card.
Metro Ligero Oeste Tickets
The Metro Ligero Oeste serves Madrid, Boadilla del Monte, Alcorcón and Pozuelo de Alarcón.
- Single ticket Metro Ligero Oeste: This ticket costs 2 euros and allows you to travel between any station on the ML2 line or between stations on the ML3 line. If you wish to change lines, you must buy a new ticket.
- Metro Ligero Oeste ticket for 10 journeys: Priced at €12.20, this ticket offers a discount for ten journeys.
About the Tickets
Children up to the age of 4 do not need a ticket. Tickets can be purchased at any station, EMT kiosks, newspaper kiosks, etc. Tickets must be validated at the turnstiles.
Season Tickets and Cards
Standard, Youth, and Senior Season Tickets
Metro Madrid offers season tickets with significant discounts. There are monthly and annual season tickets, as well as zonal and inter-zonal options. The price varies according to the zones covered and the age of the user. There are Youth (up to 23 years), Standard (23 to 64 years) and Senior (over 64 years) season tickets. There are also discounts for large families and people with disabilities. Prices for a standard ticket range from €54 for zone A to €131.80 for zone E2. Youth tickets range from €35 to €97.4 for the same zones. Senior tickets are always €12.30.
30-day ticket
This is a 30 day pass with the same features as the above.
Child Card
This is a card for children aged 4, 5 and 6. It’s free for the first use and €6 for subsequent replacements (in case of loss or theft).
Cards for large families and people with disabilities
These cards offer a 20% discount for standard large families, a 50% discount for special large families and a 20% discount for people with a degree of disability of more than 65%.
Blue card
This card is for people over 65 and disabled people who meet certain financial requirements. It allows you to travel on the Madrid metro in zones A and ML1. It costs 6.20 euros.
Tourist Card
This card allows you to use all public transport in the Community of Madrid. There are two zones: A and T. Zone A includes Metro Madrid, Renfe and ML1, and Zone T covers the entire network. Tickets are valid for 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 days. Prices are 8.40, 14.20, 18.40, 26.80 and 35.40 euros for 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 days in zone A and 17, 28.40, 35.40, 50.80 and 70.80 euros for the T zone. It’s a good choice for visitors to the city of Madrid.
Metro Madrid Zones
The Madrid Metro is divided into several zones:
- MetroMadrid (Zone A) is the central part of the system, within the city limits of Madrid. It covers almost 60% of the network and includes ML1.
- MetroSur (Zones B1 and B2) includes Line 12 and the last two stations of Line 10: Joaquín Vilumbrales and Puerta del Sur. It serves Alcorcón, Leganés, Getafe, Fuenlabrada and Móstoles.
- MetroEste (Zone B1) is an extension of Line 7 from Estadio Olímpico to Hospital de Henares, passing through Coslada and San Fernando de Henares.
- MetroNorte (Zone B1) has been in operation since 2007. It includes line 10 from La Granja to Hospital Infanta Sofía. It serves the north of Madrid, Alcobendas and San Sebastián de los Reyes.
- MetroEste (Zones B1 and B2) includes the Metro Ligero ML2 and ML3 lines. It connects Pozuelo de Alarcón and Boadilla del Monte with line 10 at Colonia Jardín station.
- TFM (Zones B1, B2 and B3) is an extension of Line 9 from Puerta de Arganda and covers the areas of Rivas-Vaciamadrid and Arganda del Rey.
Interesting Facts
The Madrid metro was used as a bomb shelter during the Spanish Civil War. It was also used as an arsenal and even to transport troops.
On its first day of operation, the Madrid Metro was used by 56,220 travellers who paid 15 cents of a peseta per trip. This amounted to a total of 8,433 pesetas.
Chamberí station, one of the original stations on Line 1, was closed in 1966. After 40 years of inactivity, it was reopened as a museum. Since 2008 it has been the Metro de Madrid’s Interpretation Centre, as part of the Anden 0 project.
Madrid’s metro trains run on the left, while the international standard is to drive on the right.
The Madrid Metro was known in its early days as the Ferrocarril Metropolitano Alfonso XIII (Metropolitan Railway Alfonso XIII), as the King was one of the main sources of capital to support the project.
Most of Madrid’s metro network is underground. It’s the metro system with the most kilometres of tunnels in the world. It is also a very accessible network, with the largest number of escalators in the world (1,694) and the most lifts (519).
Madrid Metro has found alternative ways to generate revenue. Some of these methods are controversial, such as the practice of “naming”. Naming involves renaming stations for advertising purposes. For example, Vodafone Sol station and Metro Line 2 have added the Vodafone brand to their names until 2016. Madrid Metro also rents out metro stations to be used as advertising locations. In addition, Madrid Metro will use an advertising system in the tunnels so that users can see advertising just by looking out of the windows.
Contact
Customer Service, information, complaints, suggestions:
- Mail: C/ Cavanilles, 58, 28007 Madrid
- At any station
- Through the Interactive Customer Service Center, open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Phone: 900 444 404.
- At Customer Service Centers and Public Transportation Card Management Offices (Nuevos Ministerios, Avenida de América, Plaza de Castilla, Ciudad Universitaria, Atocha-Renfe, Coslada Central, Móstoles Central, Leganés Central, and Fuenlabrada Central stations). Service hours are from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on working days, and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays at the Nuevos Ministerios station.
Compensation
Madrid Metro customers are entitled to a refund of the ticket or a new one with the same characteristics (except cards and season tickets) if a journey is not completed due to
- Cancellation of the service
- When the frequency of the service is more than 15 minutes and should be less than 8 minutes.
- On trains with a frequency of more than 8 minutes with a delay of twice the normal frequency.