Madrid Metro Sets New Passenger Record in 2025 Despite Line 6 Works
Madrid, January 19 – Madrid Metro concluded 2025 with a new historic user record, registering a total of 736,874,012 journeys. This figure represents the highest ever recorded in its 106-year history, marking a 3% increase compared to the previous year’s 715,208,882 displacements. This achievement is particularly significant given that the year was characterized by partial closures on Line 6, essential for the implementation of future automatic train operation.
The data, released by the Community of Madrid, confirms a sustained growth trend in metropolitan public transport and reinforces Metro’s role as the backbone of mobility in the region. This success comes amidst significant construction, service reorganizations, and alternative reinforcements, especially on the Circular Line, traditionally the network’s most utilized route.
October: A Month of Unprecedented Demand
One of the most notable milestones of the year occurred in October, which became the month with the highest demand in the history of the subway. During those four weeks, 71,533,790 transfers were registered, a figure that not only surpasses the previous monthly maximum but does so with considerable margin: 2.96% more than in October 2024 and 8.14% above the records of 2019, which until now served as a reference point before the pandemic. This data confirms that Metro usage has not only recovered but has entered a new phase of growth.
Black Friday and Weekend Records
On a daily basis, 2025 also left an unprecedented mark. November 28, coinciding with Black Friday, became the day with the highest number of users in the company’s history-excluding March 12, 2004, an exceptional day due to the demonstration following the 11M attacks. That Friday saw 2,819,020 journeys, a figure that highlights the continued importance of leisure, shopping, and economic activity in urban mobility.
Weekends were not far behind. Saturday, November 29, with 2,064,116 displacements, and Sunday, December 7, with 1,620,360, set historical maximums for both days, consolidating a trend observed in previous years: Metro is no longer just for weekdays.
Line Performance and Shifts in Leadership
In terms of lines, leadership has changed hands. In 2025, Line 1 was the most used line in the entire network, with 112,655,133 entries. Traditionally, this position is held by Line 6, which in 2024 topped the ranking with 116,054,842 transits. However, partial closures due to automation works have caused the Circular Line to drop to fifth position, with just over 76 million passengers. This expected setback is directly related to service limitations rather than a structural loss of demand.
In second place is Line 10, which exceeded 91.6 million passengers, with a year-on-year growth of 9.27%. It is followed by Line 3, with nearly 83 million users and a 10.3% increase, and Line 5, which reached 82.5 million after growing by 6.7%. This distribution reflects how other lines have absorbed some of the demand diverted during the L6 works.
Impact of Special Bus Services
Precisely in relation to these works, the increase in passengers on the special bus services enabled by Metro to guarantee mobility during the closures is noteworthy. In the case of Line 6, these substitute services registered more than 27.5 million users throughout the year, a figure that demonstrates their key role in minimizing the impact of the works. However, knowing the temporal distribution of these journeys in more detail would be beneficial to assess their real effectiveness during peak hours.
Sol Station Remains the Busiest
Regarding stations, Sol once again positioned itself as the busiest in the entire network, with 21,958,808 passengers, which also represents an annual historical record for this strategic enclave in the center of Madrid. It is followed by Moncloa, Nuevos Ministerios, Plaza de Castilla, Príncipe Pío, Avenida de América, Plaza de España, Atocha, Legazpi, and Argüelles, forming the usual map of major interchange nodes and key stations in the capital.
Government Investment and Future Initiatives
The regional government attributes these results to its commitment to the quality of public service, supported by significant investment in renewing the train fleet, modernizing infrastructure, and improving accessibility at stations. This is complemented by innovative projects such as automatic driving on Line 6 and the Estación 4.0 initiative, which includes the replacement and modernization of turnstiles and ticketing machines. These ambitious initiatives, judging by the data, appear to have been well-received by users, although their full impact can only be evaluated once the works are completed and the service is fully operational.
Source: https://www.madridesnoticia.es/2026/01/record-metro-de-madrid-2025/
