Initial trials are being conducted overnight, without passengers, on the tracks of lines 10 and 11. Line 6, known as the Circular line, will become the first fully automated line on the Metro de Madrid network. This new system is expected to enhance capacity and decrease waiting times, with frequencies potentially as short as two minutes.
The tests have started with the first of 48 trains that will comprise the new fleet, an acquisition representing an investment exceeding 531 million euros. These trials aim to assess critical aspects such as safety, reliability, dynamic performance, passenger comfort, and interoperability with the broader rail system.
Each train will consist of six cars, measuring over 109 meters in length and capable of carrying up to 1,385 passengers, a 17 percent increase compared to current trains. Key innovations include wider interior corridors and the elimination of the traditional driver's cabin. Furthermore, these trains will reach a maximum speed of 110 kilometers per hour, a 33 percent increase, and are projected to reduce energy consumption by around 20 percent.
These initial tests still involve a driver. Soon, they will extend to Line 12. Once the ongoing construction is completed, trials will move directly to Line 6 and operate in automatic mode. These automation works will also cause further service disruptions. Metro will suspend service on the southern arc of Line 6, between Sainz de Baranda and Laguna, during the weekend of August 22nd and 23rd.
Both stations will remain open, serving as termini for the operational section, with full service expected to resume on Monday, August 24th. To facilitate travel, Metro will provide free replacement buses to cover the affected surface route. This closure is necessary to proceed with the installation of new platform doors, work that is incompatible with normal train circulation.
In other developments, several network infrastructures will return to normal service in the coming days following summer renovation and maintenance works. The Cuzco station on Line 10 will reopen on August 25th, while the section of Line 7 between Gregorio Marañón and Pitis will resume service on the 29th.
