In the Madrid Metro, there is an unwritten rule that many passengers appreciate (and demand): music is only for those who listen to it. And, increasingly, the Metro itself is turning this into a clear rule of civility through campaigns informing passengers that music, audio, and videos should always be listened to with headphones and at a reasonable volume, not through speakers. The company reminds passengers of this in its campaigns on coexistence and on its interior screens, where it displays messages such as “speak quietly on the phone” or “listen to music with headphones” alongside other classics such as letting people out before getting on, not blocking the doors, and not leaning on the bars with your whole body so that others can hold on.
The passenger regulations do not specifically mention listening to music or WhatsApp audio, but they do generically prohibit “annoying behavior” and the use of devices that reproduce sounds that may disturb others, a criterion that the Metro applies both to those who play videos on their mobile phones with the speaker on and to musicians who get on the train to play without authorization.
Noise at rush hour on the Madrid Metro
User complaints are in line with the Metro’s message. According to surveys and letters from readers, the most annoying things are cell phones with speakers and loud phone conversations. Many passengers refer to the subway as a “shared space” where a certain level of background silence should prevail, especially during rush hour or at the end of the day, and they are calling for more specific rules or even silent cars, similar to some long-distance services.
For the time being, in Madrid, the approach is not to fine those who talk on the phone or play audio without headphones, but to insist on the idea of civility: use headphones if you want to listen to music or videos, lower your voice when making calls, avoid speakers, and remember that in a closed carriage, every noise is amplified. The rule is simple and sums up the spirit of these campaigns, which also mention the correct way to carry backpacks or bags, which is at your feet or in front of you, but never on your back.