Madrid Metro starts modernising Line 6 for driverless operation

The Community of Madrid, the regional government that runs the Madrid Metro, launched a modernisation programme for Line 6 at the start of 2024. The line is the Circular, a loop that runs around the city centre and connects many of the network's radial lines, which makes it one of the busiest and most strategically important routes in the system.

The project aimed to prepare Line 6 for fully automatic, driverless operation. It combined several elements: new trains designed for automatic running, upgraded signalling and control systems, and platform screen doors to separate passengers from the tracks. Works on the infrastructure were planned in stages so that the line could keep serving passengers as far as possible.

The plan mattered because Line 6 was among the oldest and most heavily used lines in Madrid, and automation was expected to allow more frequent and regular services. It also placed Madrid among the cities moving parts of their metro networks towards driverless operation, a change that raised questions about staffing and the role of drivers, which unions followed closely.