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Madrid Metro doubles trains and staff on six lines for Pride
Madrid is adapting its public transport this week for MADO – Madrid Pride 2026. Metro will reinforce six key lines and increase staff at central stations to absorb the arrival of thousands of people at the event’s main venues, concerts and activities.
The special service arrangements will affect lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10, some of the most heavily used for getting around the city centre. At the busiest times, the extra services may reach 100%, with more trains in operation to reduce waiting times and make journeys easier.
The first increases will be noticeable from Wednesday. Lines 1 and 5 will increase their frequency from 19:00, coinciding with the start of the most crowded events and the arrival of people in areas such as Gran Vía, Chueca, Sol and Plaza de España.
On Thursday, lines 2, 3 and 10 will join the arrangements. These connections will be important for distributing journeys between different points in the city centre and preventing all the pressure from falling on the stations closest to the stages.
Friday and Saturday will be the days of greatest pressure on the network. The parade, the concerts and the concentration of people in the city centre will mean that Metro will particularly reinforce its service during the periods of greatest demand. On Sunday, the closing event will also have more trains from 18:00 to make it easier to get home.
Metro staff will be increased at strategic stations such as Atocha, Sol, Gran Vía, Callao, Plaza de España and Chueca. Their role will be to guide passengers, manage flows, answer questions and act quickly in the event of possible crowds or incidents.
EMT will also adjust its service during Pride. Airport express lines 203 and 200 may add buses if demand requires it, while the daytime network will have a planned reinforcement of between 10 and 15 vehicles.
These changes are intended to ensure that public transport absorbs a large share of journeys in a week when getting around the city centre by car will be more difficult. Road closures, parking restrictions and the presence of large crowds will make Metro and bus the most practical options.
For those attending Pride events, the recommendation will be to leave with time to spare, avoid the most congested stations where possible and check the service status before starting the journey. At events of this size, choosing a nearby but less crowded stop can save waiting and jostling.
MADO will once again turn Madrid city centre into a great space for celebration, advocacy and music. Mobility will be an essential part of that experience: getting there, moving between stages and returning home will depend to a large extent on a public network capable of adapting to the pulse of the city.
During these days, Metro and EMT will operate as the invisible backbone of Pride. Madrid will be filled with people above ground, but much of the real movement will take place underground and at bus stops, where the city will try to maintain a balance between celebration, safety and daily routine.