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La Voz de Madrid

EMT Madrid and Bicimad Free for a Week Due to Pope Leo XIV's Visit

The Municipal Transport Company extends free travel to buses and bicycles to facilitate movement during the Pontiff's stay in the capital.

Generic image of an EMT Madrid bus and a Bicimad bicycle in the city.
IA

Generic image of an EMT Madrid bus and a Bicimad bicycle in the city.

The Municipal Transport Company of Madrid (EMT Madrid) has implemented from today, June 3rd, until June 9th, the longest period of free travel in its history on the municipal bus network and Bicimad, coinciding with Pope Leo XIV's visit to the capital.

This exceptional measure aims to facilitate travel during days when a massive influx of people is expected in Madrid. As a novelty, four virtual Bicimad stations have been set up in the public car parks of Orense, Almagro, Plaza de España, and Villa de París. The objective is to reinforce the system's capacity in areas that will concentrate a larger public during papal events, preventing the usual stations from becoming overloaded and facilitating bicycle mobility.
The mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, explained that these virtual stations will increase the availability of bicycles in sensitive points and facilitate the arrival and departure of users in the Plaza de Lima and Cibeles areas. Additionally, EMT has reinforced personnel and resources, and expanded physical capacity at several Bicimad bases to absorb the anticipated demand.
The free travel campaign covers all EMT buses, with the exception of the Airport Express line. Users must validate their transport pass or will receive a free single ticket if they do not have one. Bicimad trips of up to 30 minutes will also be free throughout the week.
The City Council promotes this initiative to encourage the use of public transport and bicycles, reduce private vehicle use in the city center, and minimize disruptions from traffic closures. The mayor highlighted that EMT has surpassed 500 million annual travelers and Bicimad has registered record figures after its expansion to all 21 districts.
Martínez-Almeida thanked citizens for their response to the mobility restrictions, which have led to a four percent increase in municipal bus usage and a decrease in private vehicle use. He attributed this behavior to civic commitment and the collaboration of companies that have facilitated teleworking.
Mobility will face its most complex days with the total closure of Plaza de Lima and Cibeles, epicenters of the papal events. The mayor acknowledged that the closure of these locations and the concentration of thousands of people will represent the "most delicate" moment for traffic circulation. Restrictions will extend until Tuesday for the dismantling of infrastructure.

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