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Madrid unveils the train that will change the experience on Line 6
Madrid now has its first next-generation automatic train for the Metro. The unit has arrived in the capital as the first step in a renewal that will change the experience on Line 6, the circular line, one of the most used and demanding in the entire network.
The train is intended for the future automation of L6, although it will first be tested at night and manually on Lines 10, 11 and 12. These trials will make it possible to check its performance without affecting the normal service or passengers’ daily journeys.
The design makes a visible difference from the outset. Because it has no driver’s cab in its final configuration, the front opens onto a large panoramic window that will allow passengers to see the tracks and stations during the journey, an image that has so far been unusual on Metro de Madrid.
Each unit will have six carriages connected by wider passageways. The interior gains space, improves movement between carriages and is designed to cope better with peak hours, when Line 6 concentrates thousands of journeys between interchanges, universities, hospitals and densely populated neighbourhoods.
Capacity also increases. The new trains will be able to carry up to 1,385 passengers, with 165 seats, around 17% more capacity than the current trains. The improvement will be key on a line where every minute of waiting and every free metre inside the carriage counts.
Automation will make it possible to achieve frequencies of up to one train every two minutes at times of high demand. With this, Line 6 could raise its daily capacity to 731,000 passengers, a figure intended to respond to the growth of mobility in Madrid without relying solely on expanding platforms or stations.
Sustainability is also part of the change. The trains incorporate more efficient traction systems and regenerative braking, capable of returning energy to the electricity grid and reducing consumption by up to 20%. The materials have also been chosen with their future recycling in mind.
The arrival of this first train gives a clear image of the Metro Madrid is preparing: more capacity, more frequency and a different experience for users. Line 6 will be the first major laboratory for that transformation, but the technological leap points to a more agile, efficient network prepared for a city that moves more and more.