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F1 in Madrid: Metro every 3 minutes, reinforced Cercanías and five free buses
Madrid is activating an extraordinary transport operation from this Friday to move the approximately 345,000 expected attendees during the first Gran Premio de Fórmula 1 at MADRING. Metro, Cercanías, EMT and intercity buses are strengthening their services through Sunday, while five free shuttle buses connect the circuit with several strategic points in the city.
Before heading out, it's a good idea to check which area your entrance gives access to. MADRING is divided into a south sector, next to IFEMA, and a north sector, in Valdebebas, with no direct pedestrian connection between the two. For the south sector, the main public transport entrance is Feria de Madrid station on Metro line 8. For the north, the reference point is Cercanías de Valdebebas station on the C-1 line.
Metro is providing extra services mainly on lines 4, 5, and 8. On the L8, which connects Nuevos Ministerios with Feria de Madrid, up to 14 trains are scheduled during peak times, with intervals of around three minutes. Trains will have six carriages to increase capacity.
Line 4 will have up to 13 trains and two additional trains during rush hour, while line 5 will have up to 17 and will add another train during the busiest periods. Metro has also increased the number of staff for information, customer service, and security at the stations expected to see the most passengers.
Cercanías will be especially important for those entering from the north side of the circuit. The C-1 maintains the connection with Valdebebas, and during the Gran Premio, special services will run between Chamartín and this station. On Saturday and Sunday, during peak hours, the schedule allows for frequencies of around five minutes, with double-length trains in operation.
The rail network is complemented by five free EMT shuttle services. MR1 connects Metropolitano with Feria de Madrid and Valdebebas; MR2 runs from Canillejas to Feria de Madrid; MR4 links Plaza de Castilla with Valdebebas; and MR5 provides an afternoon service from Feria de Madrid to Avenida de América.
The fifth, MR3, plays a particularly important role: it directly connects the two areas of MADRING. It runs between Feria de Madrid and Valdebebas, with nine buses and frequencies of four minutes for much of the day. Its operating hours are roughly from 6:00 to 22:00.
In total, EMT is allocating up to 49 buses to these five special services. Frequencies range from four to seven minutes depending on the route, and almost all operate both to and from the circuit, although MR5 only carries passengers from Feria de Madrid to Avenida de América.
The transport plan also changes several regular routes. In Valdebebas, lines 171, 174, and BR1 will skip some stops near the event. In the Feria de Madrid area, lines 73, N3, 122, SE709, and 112 will also have changes to their routes or termini.
Private vehicles are the least recommended option during the Gran Premio. From 10 to 14 September, there will be road closures around IFEMA y Valdebebas, including sections of Ribera del Sena, Vía de Dublín y Francisco Umbral, as well as traffic control zones around the M-11, M-40, and avenida de las Fuerzas Armadas.
The transport plan will remain in place throughout the three days of competition. To avoid ending up on the wrong side of a venue that can't be crossed on foot from north to south, the most useful advice is to check your entrance access before travelling and choose Feria de Madrid or Valdebebas according to your sector.