Just a few weeks ago, Metro de Madrid’s Line 6 reopened its doors and now modifies its usual timetable to continue with the modernization works. From this Wednesday, the service will end at 23:00 hours on Sunday to Thursday nights.
To replace the routes, the EMT will provide a special bus service that will replicate the route of the circular line in both directions, with stops in the vicinity of the 28 metro stations. They will run every several minutes and will be free of charge for Metro users.
A further step in modernization
The reason for this timetable change is to continue with the modernization work on Line 6, which in 2027 will be the first to have driverless trains. As Metro de Madrid explains on its website, “all this will make it possible to reduce incidents, shorten travel times and improve the reliability of the service in the long term”.
In this new phase, new platform doors will be installed, safety screens that will separate the tracks from the passengers. They will be placed on 70 platforms, which will mean 6.4 kilometers, as explained by the Community of Madrid.
It has not yet been determined how long this early closure from Sunday to Thursday will last, but the renovation schedule for line 6 foresees renovation work until December 2026.
Legazpi, the first
Legazpi station will be the first to install the new structures. According to Europa Press, the doors are manufactured in China and will arrive in Spain by sea, although the first ones will arrive by plane to speed up transfer times.
Work will begin on platform 1 at Legazpi and, once the doors have been installed correctly, will continue on the second platform of the same station. In total, the cost of the doors and their installation amounts to 104.12 million euros, as stated in the public contract.
The new automatic doors
The platform screens will be transparent to facilitate visibility and maintain the feeling of spaciousness. They will allow trains to enter the station at greater speed without any risk, facilitate order and reduce the separation between car and platform.
In addition, they will have an LED system to inform about the status of each entrance: green will be opening and red, closing. They will also have screens at the top where they will inform about waiting time or possible incidents.
This technology is already used in other subways such as Tokyo, London or Barcelona. They serve to facilitate accessibility and will complement the driverless trains in the automation of line 6.