The Madrid Metro Line 11 extension has secured a EUR 123.1 million investment to equip stations on its new section, Railway Pro reports. The tender covers lifts, escalators and other key systems needed to keep the new stops in line with current accessibility standards across the Madrid Metro network.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Madrid Metro Line 11 extension gains EUR 123m for stations

This EUR 123.1 million contract sits within the first construction phase of the Line 11 extension, a 6.7 km stretch between Plaza Elíptica and Conde de Casal. The equipment package supplements the civil engineering works already under way and is intended to ready the new Line 11 stations to receive passengers once tunnelling and structural works are completed.

Don’t miss…Amtrak Mardi Gras Service Drives Gulf Coast Demand

Equipment package for fully accessible Line 11 stations

Under the tender, the winning contractor will take charge of lifts and escalators installation and other systems required for safe operation of the new stations on Line 11, including:

  • 29 elevators;
  • 60 escalators;
  • fire protection systems;
  • catenary equipment and other technological installations that must be implemented separately from the main civil construction works.

Together, these systems are described as essential for day-to-day station operation and for guaranteeing full accessibility, in line with the current standards applied across the Madrid Metro network.

Progress on new stations on Line 11

Overall, the Madrid Line 11 extension is 35% complete. Within this figure, the two completely new stations are moving ahead more quickly:

  • Comillas – 60% complete;
  • Madrid Río – 58% complete.

In total, five stations will be provided along the Plaza Elíptica – Conde de Casal section:

  • Comillas,
  • Madrid Río,
  • Atocha,
  • Palos de la Frontera,
  • Conde de Casal.

Comillas and Madrid Río are being built entirely from scratch, while Atocha, Palos de la Frontera and Conde de Casal will operate as interchange hubs, reinforcing connections between Line 11 and the rest of the Madrid Metro network. The overall scope and route of the extension between Plaza Elíptica and Conde de Casal are also set out in an official press release from Metro de Madrid.

Strategic role of the Madrid Metro Line 11 extension

The Madrid Metro Line 11 extension is presented as a major strategic investment in the city’s transport system. By creating a new cross-city axis, it will enable passengers to move between the southern and eastern areas of the capital without having to travel through the city centre. The strategic importance of the project for the wider metro network has also been underlined in industry coverage by Railway Supply.

According to the project description, the new section of Line 11 is expected to bring several benefits:

  • reduced travel times;
  • fewer transfers for passengers;
  • decongestion of Line 6 (La Circular), currently the most heavily used line in the network;
  • improved connections for expanding neighbourhoods and new urban developments along the route.

Construction on this phase of the Line 11 extension began in November 2022, and the works are scheduled to be completed in 2027.

TBM Mayrit tunnel boring machine and schedule

A key element of the project is the use of Mayrit, a new-generation tunnel boring machine (TBM) often described as a “mole”. Once in operation, the TBM Mayrit tunnel boring machine is expected to excavate at a rate of around 15 metres per day along the extension.

The planned schedule for TBM-related activities is as follows:

  • November 2025 – February 2026: assembly of the tunnel boring machine in Comillas Park, in the Carabanchel district;
  • first quarter of 2026: technical and hydraulic tests;
  • March 2026: start of tunnel excavation on Line 11.

The TBM is already in Madrid and is currently being assembled, a process that can take up to three months. After this phase is completed, Mayrit will begin tunnelling for the Madrid Line 11 extension, helping to deliver the new mobility corridor between Plaza Elíptica and Conde de Casal.

News on railway transport, industry, and railway technologies from Railway Supply that you might have missed:

Don’t miss…BNSF petitions STB over UP–SP merger conditions

Find the latest news of the railway industry in Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and the rest of the world on our page on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, read Railway Supply magazine online.

Place your ads on webportal and in Railway Supply magazine. Detailed information is in Railway Supply media kit