The C5 line of Cercanías Madrid, one of the busiest lines for travelers from the south and southwest of the region, faces important interruptions this summer due to improvement works at Atocha station and the Sol tunnel. These actions, framed in the modernization plan of the railway network, seek to increase the capacity and reliability of the service, but involve a significant alteration in the daily mobility of thousands of users.
From July 2 to July 30, 2025, train circulation will be interrupted between Embajadores and Villaverde Alto stations. During this period, the usual C5 service will only operate on two independent sections: Humanes – Villaverde Alto and Móstoles El Soto – Embajadores.
The Puente Alcocer, Orcasitas and Doce de Octubre stations will not have rail service during this period. The works at Atocha Cercanías and the Sol tunnel are essential to extend platform 5 and adapt track 10, providing a direct track for the C5, increase the capacity of the Sol tunnel and reduce incidents and improve reliability and travel times on the Cercanías network.
These improvements are part of an investment of more than 54 million euros to modernize the infrastructure.
Transportation alternatives
To minimize the impact of the cuts, Renfe and the Regional Transport Consortium have implemented several measures:
- Reinforcement of alternative lines: the C-4 and C-10 increase their offer with 20,000 additional daily seats, especially at peak hours, to absorb part of the diverted demand.
- Reinforced customer service staff at key stations to inform and guide travelers.
- Use of Metro and EMT: Passengers with valid Cercanías tickets can use Metro line 3 (connection at Embajadores and Villaverde Alto) and a selection of EMT bus lines (22, 59, 60, 76, 78, 79, 85, 86, 102, 116, 130, 131, 148, C1 and C2) at no additional cost.
- There is no special shuttle bus service for the cut section, so the recommendation is to plan the trip in advance and use the existing alternatives.
The cut especially affects residents of Leganés, Alcorcón, Fuenlabrada and Móstoles, who use the C5 as their main access to the center of Madrid. Many will have to reorganize their journeys and combine several means of transport, which may mean longer travel times and greater saturation of alternative services.
From July 19 to August 30, there will also be cuts on lines C3 and C4 (between Atocha and Chamartín), coinciding with the partial closure of Metro line 6 in some sections. These actions seek to coordinate improvements throughout the network and minimize the long-term impact.