The Community of Madrid will invest more than EUR 81 million in the acquisition of eight new wide-gauge trains for Metro Line 6, as part of its broader plan to fully automate the circular route. These additional units will join the 40 trains currently under construction by CAF at its manufacturing sites in Beasáin and Irún, bringing the total to 48. The overall investment in the programme now amounts to EUR 531.2 million.
Line 6, one of the busiest on the Madrid Metro network, carries more than 400,000 passengers each day. The introduction of the new fleet is expected to complete the line’s automation and significantly improve service frequency, allowing trains to run as often as every two minutes. This will enhance overall capacity and service reliability.
The new trains will offer a 20% improvement in energy efficiency, despite achieving a 33% increase in maximum speed, reaching up to 110 km/h. Each train will consist of six interlinked carriages, designed without driver cabs to maximise passenger space. This layout provides up to 17% more available space, with a total capacity of 1,385 passengers, including 165 seated.
Accessibility and user comfort have been prioritised in the new design. All units will feature areas reserved for wheelchair users, as well as two designated zones for bicycles and prams. Advanced acoustic and visual information systems will be installed, alongside amenities such as air conditioning, CCTV surveillance, and mobile device charging points.
The trains will also incorporate accessibility features such as an inductive loop system, designed to improve audio announcements for passengers using hearing aids. The external design will maintain Metro de Madrid’s corporate colours, though with a new visual contrast: a white body and blue doors to enhance visibility.
In parallel with the procurement for Line 6, Metro de Madrid is also acquiring 40 additional narrow-gauge trains. These units are intended primarily for use on Line 1, the city’s oldest metro line, which first opened in 1919.
Share on:
