Metro de Madrid Advances Line 11 Great Diagonal Expansion and Initiates Night Testing for Driverless Line 6 Fleet

Community of Madrid Drives Historic Modernization Across the Capital's Subterranean Network

MADRID, Community of Madrid — In one of the most ambitious urban transit expansion programs in Southern Europe, the Regional Government of Madrid (*Comunidad de Madrid*) and Metro de Madrid have achieved major milestones on two flagship megaprojects: the construction of the Line 11 'Great Diagonal' (*La Gran Diagonal*) subway spine and the comprehensive technological conversion of Line 6 (Circular) into Madrid's first fully driverless automated rapid transit line.

Excavation on the central sector of Line 11 has surpassed the 50 percent mark, powered by the heavy earth-pressure balance tunnel boring machine (TBM) christened 'Mayrit'. The 7-kilometre central link connects Plaza Elíptica to Conde de Casal, adding vital underground stations at Comillas and Madrid Río while establishing direct subterranean interchanges with Line 1 at Atocha Renfe and Line 3 at Palos de la Frontera, drastically unburdening the capital's central railway gateways.

€531M Rolling Stock Investment: 48 Driverless CAF Trains Begin Dynamic Network Testing

Parallel to subterranean boring, Metro de Madrid has commenced night-time track testing on the network for its next-generation automated fleet:

• GoA 4 Fully Automated Fleet: Commissioning 48 new six-car walk-through trainsets manufactured by CAF, eliminating traditional driver cabs to accommodate up to 1,385 passengers per train with panoramic front-facing passenger views.
• Circular Line 6 Overhaul: Preparing Madrid’s most heavily utilized circular transit route for 2-minute headways and 24-hour continuous weekend operations once automated passenger service launches in 2027.
• Full-Height Platform Screen Doors: Finalizing civil engineering and electrical procurements to equip all 28 Line 6 stations with synchronized automated glass barriers, maximizing track safety and passenger boarding efficiency.
• €880M Northern Extension to Valdebebas: Authorizing capital contracts to extend Line 11 northeast from Mar de Cristal to Valdebebas Norte, linking Madrid-Barajas Airport Terminal 4, the Ciudad de la Justicia judicial complex, and IFEMA exhibition centers.

Transit-Oriented Urban Growth and Regional Intermodal Integration

The Line 11 diagonal expansion is synchronized with Madrid's major urban renewal initiatives, notably the Madrid Nuevo Norte master plan and the decarbonization of southern metropolitan corridors. By connecting radial suburban commuter railways (*Cercanías*) directly to high-capacity automated metro lines, the project diverts over 40,000 private vehicle commutes each business day, improving regional air quality across the Manzanares basin.

Through disciplined engineering execution, cutting-edge rolling stock manufacturing, and coordinated metropolitan planning, Madrid reinforces its global reputation as a premier European benchmark for efficient, safe, and sustainable public transit.