News
Soto del Real takes a key step towards its future commuter rail station with land expropriation
The extension of the C-4b line is advancing in northern Madrid with the start of the expropriation process to build the Soto Sur station, infrastructure that will improve Soto del Real’s connection and restore the former historic station on the Madrid-Burgos line.
The future Cercanías station in Soto del Real is moving forward with land expropriation. The project, key to extending line C-4b, will improve connections and access to northern Madrid. It will change the routine of thousands of travellers.
The extension of Madrid Cercanías line C-4b is beginning to take shape in the north of the region. The Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility has started the process of expropriating land to build the future Soto Sur station, a decisive step that brings the arrival of the train to Soto del Real closer and promises to change the routine of those who live or work in the area.
The project affects more than 26,000 square metres of rural land in the municipality, where full expropriation, the imposition of easements and temporary occupations are planned. According to official data, only a disused former electrical transformer station will be demolished, with no impact on homes or active businesses. Landowners have already been summoned for the drawing up of preliminary records, scheduled for 2 June 2026, which sets the timetable for the start of works.
With an investment of €17.6 million, the new station will be located around the former Manzanares–Soto del Real station, on the historic Madrid–Burgos Line 102. The original building, protected as an Asset of Heritage Interest, will be rehabilitated while respecting its design and architectural elements, while its interior will be adapted to house a lobby, ticket offices and toilets on two floors.
The plan also includes the construction of a café, two small technical buildings and canopies covering part of the platforms. The adjacent car park will offer 513 spaces, with space reserved for people with reduced mobility. Access routes and the cycle lane will also be renewed, and a temporary module for travellers will be provided during the works, facilitating early commissioning of the service.
The arrival of Cercanías in Soto del Real represents progress for mobility in northern Madrid, especially for people looking for alternatives to the car in their daily journeys. Madrid is already beginning to move in that direction, with projects that better connect municipalities and open up new options for leisure and work.
The former Manzanares–Soto del Real station is an emblematic point in the area’s railway history. Its rehabilitation not only recovers a building with heritage value, but also integrates it into residents’ everyday life. The combination of historic architecture and modern services reflects Madrid’s tendency to reinvent its spaces, adapting them to current needs without losing their identity.
Rural land, not homes/businesses.