Madrid is preparing to welcome Pope Leo XIV from June 6 to 9, 2026, and the Community of Madrid has designed a special mobility plan that includes the temporary closure of up to 15 Metro stations (two of which are already closed for construction) at various times.
The closures will mainly affect the center of the capital on Sunday, June 7, coinciding with the mass gathering planned at Plaza de Cibeles, where nearly one million attendees are expected.
Stations affected on Saturday, June 6
The special plan will begin on Saturday , June 6, at 5:00 p.m., when the entrances to theNuevos Ministeriosstation closest to Plaza de Lima will be closed, as a vigil with young people will be held there. However, internal access to the exits at the Shopping Center, Orense, and Agustín de Betancourt will remain open, and normal operations will resume at 10:00 p.m.
In addition, theCuzcoandSantiago Bernabéu stations—the latter currently under construction—will also be closed on that day.
Massive closures on the morning of Sunday, June 7
The most challenging day will be Sunday, June 7, when the following stations in central Madrid will remain closed from the start of service until 10:00 a . m .:
- Bilbao
- Court
- Plaza de España
- Noviciado
- Opera
- Sol(with some exceptions: it will be open but the connecting passageway to Gran Vía will be closed, and trains will only stop there between 6:05 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.)
- Seville
- Bank of Spain
- Retiro
- Príncipe de Vergara
- Serrano
- Colón
- Chueca
During these hours, trains will run without stopping at these stations, except in the exceptional case of Sol.
Restrictions from morning to afternoon
Between 10:00 a. m. and 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, the number of closed stations will decrease, but there will still be significant disruptions. During this time, the following stations will be closed:Colón, Serrano, Velázquez, Retiro, Banco de España, Sevilla, and Chueca.
These restrictions will coincide with the times of greatest influx of pilgrims heading to the main events of the papal visit, especially the Mass scheduled at Cibeles.
Enhanced Metro and bus service
Despite the closures, the Community of Madrid will increase Metro service by up to 125% on lines 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 during various time slots between June 6 and 9. The goal is to facilitate mobility for pilgrims and compensate for the temporary restrictions imposed for security reasons.
On Saturday, June 6, the additional measures will affect lines 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 during various time slots between 11:00 a.m. and the end of service.
To complement the Metro service, 100 additional intercity buses will be added, and there will be a special night service between June 6 and 9 to facilitate pilgrims’ mobility. Specific zones for taxis and ride-hailing services will also be set up, with dedicated waiting areas to better manage the flow of people leaving after the events.
The largest security operation in history
The closures are part of the deployment of more than 14,000 security personnel who will ensure the smooth conduct of the papal visit in Madrid, described as “the largest police mobilization in the history of Spain.” The operation includes some 9,700 National Police officers, nearly 625 Civil Guard officers, and another 4,000 members of the Madrid Municipal Police.
Nationwide, more than 13,000 members of the State Security Forces will be mobilized to provide security for the events scheduled in Madrid, Barcelona, Gran Canaria, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
