The Community of Madrid is set to commence works on 31 May 2025 to transform Metro Line 6 (the Circular) into the region’s first fully automated metro line. The modernisation project will be delivered in two phases and aims to boost capacity and reliability on what is currently the busiest line in the Madrid Metro network, used by over 116 million passengers in 2024 – around 400,000 per day.
The line will be fully automated by 2027, marking a major milestone in the modernisation of the capital’s public transport. Phase one of the works will affect the western arc of the line, between Moncloa and Méndez Álvaro, with services suspended in this section until 12 September. Moncloa and Méndez Álvaro will remain operational as terminal stations during this period. The second phase, running from 13 September to 31 December, will impact the eastern arc between Moncloa and Legazpi.
The Arganzuela-Planetario station will be closed for the entire duration as it will serve as the central coordination point for the works.
Metro Line 6 alternative travel options
To minimise disruption, a replacement bus service operated by EMT will run at 3 to 5-minute intervals, adjusting to demand throughout the day. Dedicated shuttle buses will also run between Batán and Lucero, and between Legazpi and Plaza Elíptica. EMT’s line 180 will be extended to serve Arganzuela-Planetario and will also be free of charge during the works.
The transport plan was designed following feedback from over 10,000 Line 6 users, surveyed at metro stations to gather suggestions and inform mitigation measures. Information will be made available in stations and online, including a route-planning tool accessible via QR codes at bus stops.
Infrastructure overhaul and timeline
The full reopening of Line 6 is scheduled for 1 January 2026. The scope of the works includes track replacement, alignment optimisation, rail renewal, installation of platform screen door infrastructure, and construction of emergency staircases. Around 2,000 workers will be on site across multiple shifts operating 24/7 to meet the deadline.
The project represents a €168.5 million investment by the regional government. Alongside automation works, additional upgrades will be carried out, such as the installation of rigid catenary systems at the Ciudad Universitaria depot and asbestos removal in several stations including Lucero, Alto de Extremadura, Puerta del Ángel, Vicente Aleixandre, Sainz de Baranda and Ciudad Universitaria.
From January 2026, platform screen doors will be installed in preparation for the arrival of the new driverless trains, which are currently under production by Spanish rolling stock manufacturer CAF. The line’s signalling system will also be upgraded to synchronise with the automated trains.
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