Confusion gripped every citizen of Madrid yesterday when barely 40 minutes past noon. The entire city was without electricity. The situation lasted throughout the day until from 20h onwards, the municipalities of the Community of Madrid and the various districts were gradually recovering the light, when it was already dark.
Madrid today returns to a strange normality and you can consult this article to check at any time the state of the city.
What about the Metro network?
Regarding the metro, the service was resumed this Tuesday at 8 am throughout the network, with the exception of Line 7A, which remains closed. Metro de Madrid reported that 100% of the usual morning rush hour trains are currently running, i.e. some 240 trains, and will continue to update on the situation of the affected line through its official channels.
Today Cercanías is free
Cercanías Madrid has informed that all its lines, except C3 and C5, are operating at 50% of their capacity. Line C5 started to run partially from 6:00 am between Humanes and Atocha, while line C3 runs between Chamartín and Pinto. As an exceptional measure, Renfe is offering today April 29th all its services free of charge, although it is maintaining access controls. In addition, several Long Distance routes have been cancelled, including routes from Madrid to several cities and some services between Barcelona and other areas.
Bus services, also free of charge
The Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez Almeida, announced yesterday at midnight that the buses of the Empresa Municipal de Transportes will be free of charge on Tuesday, April 29, with the aim of making it easier for citizens to travel.
Schools, open, but without school activity
The Community of Madrid announced in the early hours of Monday morning that this Tuesday schools will remain open, although without classes, and will have enough teaching staff to attend to students whose families need it. In addition, the evaluations scheduled for this week in the 4th and 6th grades of Primary and 2nd and 4th grades of Secondary have been postponed until further notice.
The reorganization of the Madrid Mutua Open
After the total suspension of matches yesterday due to the blackout, the Mutua Madrid Open resumes its activity today with some adjustments. The day starts at 12 am with the match between Diana Shnaider and Iga Świątek, and the rest of the matches have been announced via Instagram.
The situation at Madrid airport.
Despite the fact that Spanish airports remained operational during the blackout thanks to backup systems, Madrid-Barajas airport suffered cancellations and significant delays, with 300 flights affected. Aena has reminded the importance of consulting the status of public transport and flights.
What happens if I miss work?
The Ministry of Labor and Social Economy clarified that, in the face of exceptional situations such as the April 28 blackout, labor rights are protected. This includes the right to remuneration, even if workers are unable to go to work due to public transportation problems, cannot physically access their workplace or, even if present, are unable to perform their duties due to supply failures.
Parking is free this morning
This Tuesday, April 29, the Regulated Parking Service (SER) in Madrid is free until 3:00 pm as an exceptional measure after the blackout. During the morning no payment is required in green or blue zones, although in the afternoon the usual schedules and rates will be resumed.
Train service recovery
The Ministry of Transport has informed that in Madrid public trains are operating at 50%, except for the sections between Pinto-Aranjuez and Guadalajara-Alcalá, where there is no service. The C-5 line runs between Humanes and Atocha in both directions. As for commercial services, they are being progressively resumed on routes such as Madrid-Barcelona, Madrid-Valencia, Madrid-Málaga, among others.
Why were the M-30 tunnels closed yesterday?
After Monday’s blackout , the M-30 tunnels were closed at around 2:30 p.m. for safety reasons, generating extreme traffic jams. This morning their staggered reopening began, culminating with the incorporation of the section of Avenida de Portugal, although traffic is still heavy. The decision to close was taken because it was not possible to guarantee the operation of the safety systems or the traffic lights, which forced a rapid intervention of the mobility agents.
The price of the kit recommended by the European Union
Many citizens flocked to food and grocery stores in search of battery-powered radios and non-perishable food, key elements of the EU-recommended survival kit. Excluding personal items such as eyeglasses, documentation, medication and cash, the total estimated cost of the remaining 14 items in the kit – such as flashlight, stove, water, radio or first aid kit – amounts to 260.78 euros.
[News in update].